Re:PGPP (Pretty Good Phone Privacy) Beta Launch
by sneak on Thursday August 11, 2022 @03:34PM
(#32430665)
> IMEIs can be queried by a network core (not the tower) and US carriers probably do this every once in a while to check against their stolen phone database. It can be changed on some devices but not others. It's not inherently tied to you as a person but of course it is tied to that device.
It's also linked to the rotating IMSI, so all of the rotating IMSIs that are used at the times the IMEI is interrogated are linked together from a metadata standpoint.
They're also all linked to every other IMSI that was ever used with that IMEI (at the times the IMEI is interrogated).
> US carriers probably do this every once in a while to check against their stolen phone database
Hourly? Daily? Monthly? Only on first-time seeing a new IMSI?
Re:PGPP (Pretty Good Phone Privacy) Beta Launch
by throwaway67743 on Sunday August 14, 2022 @03:19PM
(#32462076)
Carriers globally check at registration time to deny stolen phones access (via various shared databases) etc, this has been the case for a long time and someone selling mobile services should know this.
Re:PGPP (Pretty Good Phone Privacy) Beta Launch
by biktor_gj on Thursday August 11, 2022 @05:02PM
(#32431676)
Probably on every connect, there are ways to randomize your IMEI on every boot on certain phones though (that might be not very legal in some countries)
Re:PGPP (Pretty Good Phone Privacy) Beta Launch
by throwaway67743 on Thursday August 11, 2022 @06:47PM
(#32432787)
Please familiarise yourself with how cell networks actually work, you can't throw out comments like this because it's just not true.
Re:PGPP (Pretty Good Phone Privacy) Beta Launch
by NoImmatureAdHom on Thursday August 11, 2022 @08:14PM
(#32433402)
I know it's work, but...could you explain?
Re:PGPP (Pretty Good Phone Privacy) Beta Launch
by throwaway67743 on Thursday August 11, 2022 @08:16PM
(#32433408)
If anyone else asked sure but I reviewed your comments earlier and I think it might be a lost cause.
IMEIs can be queried by a network core (not the tower) and US carriers probably do this every once in a while to check against their stolen phone database. It can be changed on some devices but not others. It's not inherently tied to you as a person but of course it is tied to that device.
For those who don't need mobile data service of any sort, I think that PGPP Relay does what's needed -- decouples your IP from your identity -- and you can use WiFi networks without revealing anything.