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A new research paper [PDF] recently published by researchers at Purdue University and the University of Iowa details 10 new cyber attacks against the 4G LTE wireless data communications technology for mobile devices and data terminals.

The attacks exploit design weaknesses in three key protocol procedures of the 4G LTE network known as attach, detach, and paging.

The researchers employed a systematic model-based adversarial testing approach, which they called LTEInspector, and were able to test 8 of the 10 attacks in a real testbed using SIM cards from four large US carriers:  

1. Authentication Synchronization Failure Attack
2. Traceability Attack
3. Numb Attack
4. Authentication Relay Attack
5. Detach/Downgrade Attack
6. Paging Channel Hijacking Attack
7. Stealthy Kicking-off Attack
8. Panic Attack
9. Energy Depletion Attack
10. Linkability Attack

Among the above-listed attacks, researchers consider an authentication relay attack is particularly worrying, as it lets an attacker connect to a 4G LTE network by impersonating a victim’s phone number without any legitimate credentials.

Researchers have no plans to release the proof-of-concept code for these attacks until the flaws are fixed.

Source: thehackernews.com