Ss7 is a means by which elements of the telephone network exchange information. Apr 19, 2016 ss7 is a set of protocols allowing phone networks to exchange the information needed for passing calls and text messages between each other and to ensure correct billing. Locating mobile phones using ss7 3 mobile application part map part of ss7 that specifies additional signalling that is required for mobile phones to work roaming, sms, etc. Further details of the ss7 protocol stack can be found in 19 and20. The protocol was somewhat refined around 2000 with a sigtran specification, which made it ip network environment friendly. This is especially useful when doing pentests on telecom core network infrastructures. For malware host emulation, pt telecom vulnerability scanner is used. Ss7 is a set of protocols allowing phone networks to exchange the information needed for passing calls and text messages between each other and to ensure correct billing. Introduce harmful packets into the national and global ss7 networks. Apr 26, 2016 ss7 vulnerability isnt a flaw it was designed that way. Additionally we are now offering consulting in areas relating to the intersection of web 2. All openss7 software package releases are signed with a 2048bit dsa private key.
It allowed messages and commands to be passed through ipnetworks. Interconnects many actors different views depending on interconnection point malicious entry point to ss7 network. As you can see the hacker is running ss7 exploit tool and simulating a network at the same time, than he will force the user to join the roaming network, the sms will than be forwarded from the victim phone to the hacker phone and used to activate whatapp, allowing the hacker to write and read future messages, and also download previous whatsapp messages if the victim have auto messages. To capture ss7overip, just capture on the appropriate network adapter. Wireshark supports the majority of sigtran protocols used to transport ss7 over ip sctp, m2ua, m3ua, sua so capturing ss7 over ip is done the same way that as any other ip. Jan 28, 2018 ss7 security, sigtran, sip voip, voip sip, softswitch, voip, ip telephony, softphone, ss7 gateway, voip softswitch, iptel, ss7 tracking software this tutorial is real and do not do illegal things. Both the hacks exploit the ss7 vulnerability by tricking the telecom network into believing the attackers phone has the same number as the victims phone. An ss7 attack is an exploit that takes advantage of a weakness in the design of ss7 signalling system 7 to enable data theft, eavesdropping, text interception and location tracking. How to hack mobile network and listen to calls read sms. Introduction to ss7 signaling this tutorial provides an overview of signaling system. Signaling occurs outofband on dedicated channels rather than inband on voice channels. To capture ss7 overip, just capture on the appropriate network adapter. The european union agency for network and information security enisa is a centre of network and.
Nodes in an ss7 network are called signaling points. While running some ss7 pentests last year, i developed a small tool automating some of the wellknown ss7 attack cases. Ss7 penetration test the telecom defense limited company. The ss7 system ccs7, which dates to the 1970s, is riddled with security vulnerabilities like the absence of encryption or service message validation. What this means is that the attacker is either has access to the network administrator at a telco company, or the attacker is the network admin at the telco company. Jun 17, 2016 as you can see the hacker is running ss7 exploit tool and simulating a network at the same time, than he will force the user to join the roaming network, the sms will than be forwarded from the victim phone to the hacker phone and used to activate whatapp, allowing the hacker to write and read future messages, and also download previous whatsapp messages if the victim have auto messages backup. In an ip network, isup is carried as payload by sctp, as are sccp and tup. This indirect connection is called quasiassociated signaling, which reduces the number of ss7 links necessary to interconnect all switching exchanges and scps in an ss7 signaling network. Pt ss7 attack discovery is used to create a single ss7 stream database in a carriers network. The components of ss7 network became accessible via a public network and the connection to some of them even became possible via the internet. Shows the attack surface of the telecom network of a country from the ss7 perspective.
Isup, sccp and tup to run over ip instead of tdm lines. Im forwarding to you a call placed from 2125551234 to 7185555678. The ss7 network connects telco companies together, but it is not extended to clients. Discovery scan from international ss7 interconnection. Service control point scp integrates the ss7 network with the databases that contain information regarding services such. This can be particularly useful during the time when remediation work is conducted. Mar 05, 2018 signaling system 7 ss7 is used for exchanging data between network devices in telecommunications networks. In the following table, where a software package is listed as. Centurylink wholesale common channel signaling access. It identifies functions to be performed by a signalingsystem network and a protocol to enable their performance.
Ss7 attacks to hack phone, whatsapp to read messages 2019. Ss7 uses outofband signaling, which means that signaling control information travels on a separate, dedicated 56 or 64 kbps channel rather than within the same channel as the telephone. Sometimes it is worth going back to the blue box era to discover something in todays world. Isup, or isdn user part, is used to set up and release calls through the pstn. The toolkit is build upon the osmocom ss7 stack and implements some basic map messages. The main role of ss7 protocols is to make sure that the network provider knows to which sim it.
Telecommunications infrastructure security getting in the ss7. In this paper we focus our study at softswitch network element. The openss7 ss7 stack package contains a wide array of ss7 drivers and components for linux faststreams. To learn a bit more about wiresharks ss7 capabilities, see this pdf from a. Check out our take on current ss7 security threats and recommendations for. Pta provides signaling networks vulnerability assessment through security scanning. Ssp signal switching point, ss7 capable telephone exchange which originate, switch and terminate calls. Traffic on the ss7 network is routed by packet switches called stps. Signalling system 7 ss7 ss7 known as signalling system 7 is a set of signalling protocols that are used for maintaining connection of calls and messages to the person you want to contact to. Technology is, in its nature, developing based on current progress.
Through any unsecure operator and attack other operators from there from network element oam interface exposed on internet through compromised femto cell. But the signaling system 7 ss7 vulnerability is a reality. Ss7 security, sigtran, sip voip, voip sip, softswitch, voip, ip telephony, softphone, ss7 gateway, voip softswitch, iptel, ss7 tracking software this tutorial is real and do not do illegal things. Telecommunications infrastructure security getting in the. This video tutorial describes the protocol stack of ss7 signalling system no. Subscribers and sponsors of the openss7 project have access to the full array of components. Linux kernel sctp stream control transmission protocol sctp is a reliable, messageoriented, multihomed transport pr.
An open implementation of the ss7 core protocols, mtp, sccp, isup, and tcap. Scps and stps are usually mated so that service can continue if one network point fails. Important ss7 protocols mtp message transfer part layers. Ss7 is still most used interconnect roaming network. At its current state tests against the hlr are ready for use, in future versions tests against vlr. Here is how to hack facebook using ss7 flaw techworm. It allow exchanges to send and receive signaling information from each other. Ss7 signaling system number 7 defined by the international telecommunication union itu t is a globally adopted protocol for outofband signaling systems. Ss7 hacking hands on ss7 hack tutorial and information. Short for signaling system 7, a telecommunications protocol defined by the international telecommunication union itu as a way to offload pstn data traffic congestion onto a wireless or wireline digital broadband network ss7 is characterized by highspeed circuit switching and outofband signaling using service switching ssps, signal transfer points stps, and service control points.
Positive technologies ss7 network security analysis report is a deepdive analysis of the ss7 network threats and. It also performs number translation, local number portability, prepaid billing, short message service sms, and other mass market services. Positive technologies ss7 network security analysis report is a deepdive analysis of the ss7 network threats and recommendations of how telecom operators can protect themselves from this issue which will be a part of the telecoms ecosystems in years to come. They serve as a signaling transfer point, and support multiple congestion priority, message discrimination, distribution and routing.
While this standard was being developed, only fixedline operators had access to the ss7 network, so its security was not first on the priority list. At this stage, some operators opt for our ss7 cloud scanner which allows their properly trained staff to generate adhoc ss7 messages from the external plane in order to test new stp or firewall rules. Centurylink, at its sole discretion, will employ certain automatic andor manual overload controls in the centurylink ss7 network to safeguard against any detrimental. Today, the security situation of ss7sigtran, gprsgtpc and ltediameter signaling networks is identical.
This, however, meant that all the weak links on the upper level of ss7. The vast majority of ss7based networks contain severe vulnerabilities. The present disclosure relates webbased vulnerability scanning and notification apparatus and method thereof. More details ss7map project is research in progress. Ss7 system protocols are optimized for telephone system control connections and they are only directly.
Jun 16, 2016 the vulnerability lies in signalling system 7, or ss7, the technology used by telecom operators, on which the highly secure messaging system and telephone calls rely. The network elements involved in ss7 networks are ssps signaling switching points, stps signaling transfer points. The report monitored these vulnerabilities throughout 2019. Using sctpscan, you can find entry points to telecom networks. Due to security point of view ss7 was designed with very few and weak mechanism of. Maps ss7 protocol emulator ss7isup protocol emulation. Signaling system 7 ss7 is an architecture for performing outofband signaling in support of the callestablishment, billing, routing, and informationexchange functions of the public switched telephone network pstn. In the early 2000s the addition of ss7, software sigtran, was developed.
Signalling security in telecom ss7diameter5g enisa. Ss7 signaling system 7 is a common channel signaling system used in internation. The main role of ss7 protocols is to make sure that the network provider knows to which sim it should send the signals. More or less recent scandals involving nsas practice to track, listen, and intercept communication without. Ss7 vulnerability isnt a flaw it was designed that way. Stp signal transfer point, packet switches of the ss7 network, perform routing functions. Mar 19, 20 this video tutorial describes the protocol stack of ss7 signalling system no. This is an opensource development project called openss7 to provide a robust and gpled ss7, sigtran, isdn and voip stack for linux and other unx operating systems. The details of global title gt, global title routeing cases, point codes opcdpc, sub sys. In order to attack the ss7 network, the attacker has to be on the ss7 network. Ss7 network security analysis report positive technologies.
The protocol also performs number translation, local number portability, prepaid billing, short message service sms, and other services. We simulated these attacks using our pt telecom vulnerability scanner system. Due to security point of view ss7 was designed with very few and weak mechanism of authentication and authorization. Today im releasing the first version of ss7maper, a ss7 map pentesting toolkit. Typically, these are telecom oriented machines carrying ss7 and sigtran over ip. Once the network has been fooled, anybody, even a newbie can spy on the legitimate whatsapp and telegram user by creating a new whatsapp or telegram account using the secret code. They also offered their products pt the ss7 scanner and pt idsss7 to help overcome. Criminals can intercept subscribers voice calls and messages, commit fraud, and disrupt service availability. For a long time, it didnt pose any risk to subscribers or operators, as the ss7 network was a closed system available only to landline operators. Installed on the providers network, pt ss7 scanner automatically. Network elements exposed on the international ss7 network. Connecting to operators network from his own network. Isup integrated services digital network user part.
The signaling system 7 ss7 is a signaling system for the public switched telephone network pstn. Ss7 is a form of common channel signaling, that provides intelligence to the network, and allows quicker. This is the public release package which has most of the components removed. In contrast with pstn public switched telephony network, osky intends to implement an open paradigm in the internet domain, gaining more than 100 years of experience from traditional telephone network. Ss7 is a set of telephony signalling protocols developed in 1975, which is used to set up and tear down most of the worlds public switched telephone network pstn telephone calls. Ss7 network overload, due to extraordinary volumes of queries andor other ss7 network messages, can have a detrimental effect on the performance of centurylink s ss7 network.
Tcpip sctp, ss7 c7 networks were difficult to compromise. Detailed knowlege of the cryptic ss7 stack is required. Ss7 primarily sets up and tears down telephone calls, but other uses include number translation, prepaid billing mechanisms, local number portability, short message service sms, and a variety of massmarket services. Ss7 signaling system 7 is a common channel signaling system used in internation al and local telephone networks stp signaling transfer point is a host that routes signaling messages vlr visitor location register is a database that contains information about all sub. Ss7 is a set of telephony signaling protocols developed in 1975, which is used to set up and tear down most of the worlds public switched telephone network pstn telephone calls. Hence, today ss7 is no longer a close network and is also used for interconnectivity between mobile network operator networks and to enable roaming and cellular services across operator domains. In addition to detecting attacks, its indepth analysis of signaling traffic and call flows enables carriers to. Openss7 provides ss7, sigtran, mgcp, voip and other protocol stacks for linux faststreams. When i first started researching ss7 i found some scanners, like. Ss7 network transports call setup, teardown messages, database queries, trunk status. The vulnerability lies in signalling system 7, or ss7, the technology used by telecom operators, on which the highly secure messaging system and telephone calls rely.
Bob kamwendo a research report submitted to the faculty of engineering and the built environment, university of the witwatersrand, in partial ful llment of the requirements for the award of the degree of master of science in. Signalling system no 7 was first developed in 1975 most networks use protocols defined by the american national standards institute and the european telecommunications standards institute. America is the predominant signalling system for the public switched telephone network pstn and also public land mobile networks plmns. Jul 22, 2018 signalling system 7 ss7 ss7 known as signalling system 7 is a set of signalling protocols that are used for maintaining connection of calls and messages to the person you want to contact to. The calling protocol that is used for one network to talk to another was developed in 1970s and is called ss7. Ss7 is the protocol that allow mobile phones to communicate and exchange information needed to place calls or send sms. New packet networks for voice telephony also typically rely on ss7 for signalling. Ss7 messages are 56 or 64 kbps bidirectional channels called signaling links exchanged between network elements.