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Device Security

IMEI Tampering

CRITICAL

Modification or cloning of the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number to evade tracking, bypass blacklists, or impersonate legitimate devices on mobile networks.

This information is provided for educational and authorized security testing purposes only. Unauthorized device modification or exploitation may violate laws and regulations.

Technical Overview

IMEI tampering involves modifying the device's unique identifier stored in the baseband processor or non-volatile memory. Attackers use specialized software tools, hardware programmers, or baseband exploits to change or clone IMEI numbers, enabling device identity fraud and network access violations.

Impact

Potential consequences of successful exploitation

•Bypass of stolen device blacklists
•Network fraud and unauthorized access
•Evasion of law enforcement tracking
•Warranty fraud and insurance scams
•Enabling of stolen device markets

Attack Vectors

Methods used to execute this attack

•Baseband processor exploitation
•NVRAM modification through root access
•Hardware EEPROM programming
•Software-based IMEI changing tools
•Baseband firmware manipulation

Attack Methodology

Step-by-step attack execution process

1Obtain root or system-level access to device
2Identify IMEI storage location (baseband, NVRAM)
3Use specialized tools (IMEI changer apps, hardware programmers)
4Modify IMEI in baseband firmware or memory
5Verify new IMEI registration on network
6Test device functionality and network access

Mitigations & Defense

Recommended security measures and countermeasures

Implement hardware-backed IMEI storage
Use secure elements for device identity
Deploy IMEI validation at network level
Monitor for duplicate IMEI registrations
Implement tamper-evident hardware
Regular IMEI database audits and verification

Real-World Examples

Documented cases and practical scenarios

→Stolen phone IMEI changing for resale
→Criminal use of cloned IMEI devices
→Warranty fraud through IMEI manipulation
→Bypassing carrier blacklists
→International phone smuggling operations

References & Resources

Related Attacks

Mobile Phone Unlocking

Unauthorized unlocking of mobile devices to bypass carrier restrictions, remove security features, or gain elevated privileges through bootloader exploitation and software manipulation.

SIM Lock Bypass

Circumvention of carrier SIM locks that restrict devices to specific network operators, enabling use of unauthorized SIM cards and bypassing carrier restrictions.

Firmware Tampering

Modification of device firmware to inject malicious code, remove security features, or alter device behavior at a fundamental level below the operating system.

Device Fingerprinting Attacks

Exploitation of device fingerprinting techniques to track users across applications and services, or to spoof device identities for fraud and privacy violations.