This Amazingly secure Android phone was able to discover fake cell phone towers

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This Amazingly secure Android phone was able to discover fake cell phone towers

We’ve always been suspicious of folks being able to snoop in on phone conversations or intercept data, but there isn’t much we can do to prove that happening or to prevent the foul act. One secure phone seems to have changed that, however.

ESD America’s GSMK Cryptophone 500 (which is basically a Samsung Galaxy S3 with custom software and security) is device said to be used by many international and corporate organizations as well as private clients who demand more privacy and security. It was taken on a roadtrip from south Florida to North Carolina. Here’s the sales pitch for the phone to potential buyers:

A truly secure communication device must not only protect its communication links, it must also be able to withstand attacks against the device itself. To achieve this, all GSMK CryptoPhone secure mobile phones are based on a “hardened” operating system with granular security management and streamlined, security-optimized components and communication stacks. The hardened operating system reliably protects the device against outside attacks, thus offering true 360-degree protection when it counts most.

Said “hardened” operating system is Android, and it’s been loaded up with security apps and solutions for those who require more than your elementary PIN number.

Along the way, ESD was able to use a built-in function that allows them to monitor and identify the cellular towers it connects to — they found that they’d encountered 8 of them in that sizable drive, many of which sat upon government buildings. They weren’t able to pinpoint the origin of the interceptors, though considering those things are expensive to acquire and assemble we’re sure they had to come from some pretty authoritative entities.

WLS reports that a phone connected to one of these non-carrier towers could be subject to eavesdropping, as well as vulnerable to malware and/or spyware that can be loaded up remotely. It’s a scary thought, though we’re not sure any of it would be used maliciously if they’re of government origin.

We all know the NSA and Department of Homeland Security have the capability and permission to intercept calls to protect the country from potential terrorist threats, so it’s not at all surprising to learn such devices are in use. The scary part is the fact that you can randomly hop onto said networks at any time for seemingly no reason.

It’s important to note that any phone is susceptible to hopping onto these networks, and not just Android phones like WLS suggests. Android isn’t some security nightmare — it actually seems to be a hero here, as we’re sure no iPhone or Windows Phone has the capability to detect fake towers like the Cryptophone 500 did.

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Sony Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact leak shows off full hardware specs and fun new colors

We’re barely a day away from Sony’s big IFA 2014 unveiling in Berlin but before the manufacturer even has the chance to make anything official, leaks of their upcoming devices continue to spill out onto the interwebs. Today, the folks at the Ausdroid have gotten their hands on some exceptionally nice images of the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, pictured as it shows off it’s more petite size in a wide range of color options.

While we’re pretty sure all the colors shown — white, black, green, and orange — wont be available in every market, it’s nice to see Sony being more upfront about color options instead of releasing them a few months into a device’s life cycle. According to the tipster, the Xperia Z3 Compact will feature a smaller 4.6-inch 720p display, 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 processor, 20.7MP camera, and 2600mAh battery. All this in a size that wont stretch your pockets.

When it comes to the full-sized Sony Xperia Z3, we’ve seen enough leaks in the past to know what we can expect when it become official. Sure enough, today’s leak from the Xperia Blog looks like what we’ve seen before, only this time it seems Sony may have included full hardware specs listed off on the back of this unit. It’s like this test unit was screaming to be leaked. Here’s what is being listed on the window sticker:

Display

5.2” 1080p FHD IPS display

sRBG 130%

TRILUMINOS Display, X-Reality for mobile

600cd brightness

Camera and video

4K video capture and output

1/2.3” 20MP Exmor RS

ISO: 12800 photo / 3200 video

2MP Exmor R front camera

Audio

Stereo Speakers Digital Noise Cancelling HP (HeadPhone) support

Hi-Res Audio

Dual Output

Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE HX)

Performance

MSM8974AC 2.5GHz Quad Core

3GB RAM

16GB eMMC internal storage

Micro SD card slot

Charging pin with magnet

Colours

Black, White, Copper

Size

146.5mm x 72.4mm x 7.5mm

Weight

154 grams

Battery

3100mAh battery

Sony STAMINA mode with 2.0 day stamina

Durability & Design

IP55/IP58 dust proof & water proof

Connectivity

NFC

MHL 3.0

Network

LTE

Everything here seems to check out but we will say, we still find it a shame that in this day and age, a manufacturer can launch a flagship smartphone with barely 16GB of internal storage — micro SD slot or not. It’s actually one of the few gripes I had with the previous model, the Sony Xperia Z2.

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