Telecommunications Signaling Protocols
Comprehensive reference guide to telecommunications signaling protocols, their security vulnerabilities, and protection strategies for modern networks.
Key Features
- •Call setup and teardown
- •SMS message routing
- •Mobile subscriber roaming
- •Number translation services
- •Billing and charging information
Known Vulnerabilities
Location Tracking
CriticalExploiting SS7 to track subscriber location in real-time without their knowledge
SMS Interception
CriticalIntercepting SMS messages including one-time passwords and authentication codes
Call Interception
HighRedirecting and intercepting voice calls for eavesdropping
Subscriber Data Theft
HighUnauthorized access to subscriber data including IMSI, MSISDN, and service profiles
Security Measures
- Implement SS7 firewalls at network borders
- Deploy message filtering and validation
- Enable comprehensive signaling monitoring
- Implement authentication for roaming partners
- Regular security audits and penetration testing
Key Features
- •Authentication and authorization
- •Policy and charging control
- •Subscriber profile management
- •Quality of Service (QoS) enforcement
- •Real-time charging
Known Vulnerabilities
S6a Interface Disclosure
CriticalExploiting the S6a interface to extract subscriber information from HSS
Command Injection
HighInjecting malicious commands into Diameter message exchanges
Routing Manipulation
HighManipulating Diameter routing to redirect traffic for interception
Identity Spoofing
MediumSpoofing network element identities to gain unauthorized access
Security Measures
- Deploy Diameter Edge Agents (DEA) with security controls
- Implement end-to-end encryption for sensitive data
- Enable comprehensive message validation
- Deploy topology hiding mechanisms
- Implement strong authentication between network elements
Key Features
- •SS7 over IP transport
- •Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP)
- •MTP Level 3 User Adaptation (M3UA)
- •SCCP User Adaptation (SUA)
- •Gateway signaling conversion
Known Vulnerabilities
SCTP Vulnerabilities
HighExploiting vulnerabilities in the Stream Control Transmission Protocol
M3UA Exploitation
HighExploiting the MTP Level 3 User Adaptation layer for unauthorized access
Gateway Compromise
CriticalAttacking signaling gateways to compromise the boundary between SS7 and IP networks
Security Measures
- Secure SCTP associations with IPsec
- Implement gateway-level access controls
- Deploy comprehensive logging and monitoring
- Regular security updates for SIGTRAN stacks
- Network segmentation and isolation
Key Features
- •Session establishment and termination
- •User location and availability
- •Session parameter negotiation
- •Multimedia session management
- •Presence and instant messaging
Known Vulnerabilities
Registration Hijacking
HighHijacking SIP registrations to redirect calls and messages
Message Tampering
HighIntercepting and modifying SIP messages to manipulate sessions
Call Eavesdropping
CriticalIntercepting and listening to VoIP calls without authorization
DoS Attacks
MediumDenial of service attacks against SIP servers and endpoints
Security Measures
- Implement TLS for SIP signaling encryption
- Deploy SRTP for media encryption
- Enable SIP authentication mechanisms
- Implement rate limiting and DoS protection
- Regular security audits of SIP infrastructure