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4G/LTE Attacks

VoLTE Exploits

HIGH SEVERITY
Overview

Voice over LTE (VoLTE) exploits target vulnerabilities in the IMS architecture and SIP protocol to intercept calls, perform denial of service, or manipulate call routing.

Technical Overview

VoLTE uses the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and SIP protocol for call setup and management. Vulnerabilities in SIP implementations, IMS components, and the transition between LTE and legacy networks create attack opportunities.

Impact
Potential consequences of this attack
  • Call interception and eavesdropping
  • Denial of service to voice services
  • Call manipulation and redirection
  • Caller ID spoofing
  • Toll fraud and service abuse
Attack Vectors
Methods used to execute this attack
  • SIP message injection and manipulation
  • IMS component exploitation
  • Media stream interception
  • Call setup manipulation
  • VoLTE to CS fallback exploitation
Attack Methodology
Step-by-step attack execution process
  1. 1Position as man-in-the-middle in IMS path
  2. 2Intercept SIP signaling messages
  3. 3Manipulate call setup parameters
  4. 4Redirect or intercept media streams
  5. 5Exploit vulnerabilities in IMS components
  6. 6Perform DoS through malformed SIP messages
Mitigations & Defense
Protective measures and countermeasures
  • Implement SIP message validation and filtering
  • Use IPsec for IMS signaling protection
  • Deploy IMS firewalls and security gateways
  • Enable SRTP for media encryption
  • Monitor for anomalous SIP traffic patterns
  • Implement strong authentication for IMS access
Real-World Examples
Known incidents and use cases
  • VoLTE call interception demonstrations
  • DoS attacks on carrier VoLTE services
  • Caller ID spoofing for fraud
  • Call redirection for surveillance
  • Toll fraud through VoLTE exploitation