XT Sierra Wireless Compass 885 Security concern

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › XT Sierra Wireless Compass 885 Security concern - Any ideas?

fonechick

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#40231 27-Aug-2009 11:14

Can anyone help with a security concern regarding conecting through an APN with the 885.

I'm in a large corporate Win XP environment & currently testing and historically with CDMA we've set up a new connection and not used the watcher. We've found no choice with the 885 - as it stores the information on the sim card.

Hence, a security issue if the card is lost or stolen. Has anyone found a work around on this that is not putting a pin code on the sim card, 2 factor or vpn!

tonyhughes

Hawkes Bay
8476 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#250949 27-Aug-2009 11:16

Specifically what information are you concerned about being stored on the SIM?

fonechick

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#250972 27-Aug-2009 13:00

Thanks for your prompt response. Essentially all dialling information - APN details & then radius server details (and credentials - coded, but potentially hackable) are stored on the SIM card. This hasn't occured before... we've always had this stored on the users laptop or pc, so there is somewhat of a concern that if the card is found it could be used to gain access (if you knew what you're doing) to information about our buisness etc.

NealR

426 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#251020 27-Aug-2009 15:47

I am happy to be corrected but I am not aware that any APN, Username or password info is stored on the SIM card. I really don't think this happens.

The comments I write on this forum do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer and as such cannot be taken as official statements of my employer.

fonechick

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#251024 27-Aug-2009 15:54

well, we can take the card, put it onto a new/different laptop, load the software & bingo - we're dialled in to our APN... we can see & edit the information on the card - so this is a big risk for us. I could be wrong in saying it's stored on the SIM card, but either way, it's stored in the 'device unit' so if it's lost or stolen, we have an issue.

johnr

19282 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#251028 27-Aug-2009 16:01

APN is attached to the MSISDN in the network so yes it will follow the SIM

Its meant to

and you will find authication is off the IMSI

John

NealR

426 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#251036 27-Aug-2009 16:45

Like JohnR says, APN is attached to the SIM card at the network level but username/password are stored on the device not the SIM at all.

The comments I write on this forum do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer and as such cannot be taken as official statements of my employer.