Mobile phones on GSM networks at risk of being hacked

London, Dec 28 (ANI): Mobile phones on GSM networks are vulnerable to new attacks by hackers, allowing them to control millions of handsets at once, a new study has revealed.

The GSM network is the 'normal' mobile phone network used by four billion phones worldwide and accounts for 80 per cent of the global mobile market.

But a new vulnerability demonstrated by Karsten Nohl, head of Germany's Security Research Labs, showed that any phone on any GSM network is vulnerable to attack.

The attack allows hackers complete control over the handsets, and could be used to make or send texts to premium phone and messaging services - a typical fraudster attack which can leave victims with enormous bills, the Daily Mail reported.

Although Nohl refused to reveal details of how the attack worked, he said that it was inevitable that hackers would reproduce it 'within weeks'. (ANI)