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Carriers Told to Plug Leaks in Cell Phone Technology 6/9/05 |
The National Telecommunications Commission said on Wednesday it will compel local carriers to strengthen security measures to avert
interception of mobile-phone conversations. The commission took the action after reports of telephone tapping surfaced involving President Arroyo.
NTC Commissioner Ronald O. Solis said he met with local carriers and asked Smart Communications Inc., Globe Telecom, Digitel Telecommunications Philippines Inc. and Bayan Telecommunications Philippines Inc. to submit a detailed report of each carrier's security system. Solis said the commission has received the order from the Department of Transportation and Communications to conduct a security assessment among carriers, in coordination the National Bureau of Investigation.
"Admittedly, we do not have the equipment that would help us find out if mobile-phone conversations could be
tapped. Nonetheless, we were directed by the department to assist the NBI. The department also wants to form a security group that would develop strict security measures to prevent any wiretapping or cell phone-conversation tapping," Solis said.
He said the commission will assess if the carriers have sufficient security measures in place. "If the commission is not satisfied, the carriers will be required to draw up stringent security measures," he added.
The carriers have denied participation in the alleged
tapping of the President's telephone conversation. They have not detected any unauthorized use of their networks, they said.
The commission said carriers however admitted that they could not detect if outsiders are tapping conversations via mobile phones.
Mobile-phone networks use global system for mobile communications.
Solis said a high-tech decrypting machine costing at least $50,000 can be used to tap into mobile-phone conversation that are transmitted over the air using a specific frequency. This encrypted digital signal is transmitted by a base station to a receiver.
"Local carriers informed us that they have yet to acquire a bugging device for mobile phones since there is no need to own one," Solis said. "They do not need to get one for
security measures, so as not to receive pressure from other parties to tap somebody's phone," Solis said. Source: balita.org |
