Facebook client on a SIM, works on any GSM handset | Hacker News Reader

Facebook client on a SIM, works on any GSM handset

theregister.co.uk

32 pointsbensummers11 comments

Nicely twisted.

Someone needs to put a Diaspora client on such a SIM for a Diaspora mod protected by Blowfish encryption. If a volunteer group could do this, we could DHL a bunch of them to the next people's revolt hot spot.

Doing the communications via SMS would make it trivially easy to block, or, even better for a dictator, work out who the troublemakers are and track them in real time via the mobile network.

Not being able to read the messages in plaintext would be a step up. It would still be very useful for coordination in a situation like Tahir square.

"We cannot read the messages right now, because they are encrypted with 64 bit Blowfish. It will take some time to crack the passwords. But we have traced their location."

"Where are they?"

"Tahir square."

"...Get back to me when you actually have useful information."

Unless the protestor dumps their phone, they can be traced on an ongoing basis for reprisals at the dicator's leisure. You don't need to decrypt to identify users of such an application.

I've read there is some reluctance to leave Tahir Square because they fear they will be attacked by thugs as soon as they leave the safety of numbers and focus of the world's media.

Unless the protestor dumps their phone, they can be traced on an ongoing basis for reprisals at the dicator's leisure.

Dumping your phone is not a bad price for taking part in a movement freeing your country. Here's an idea: a Kickstarter project that acquires a bunch of prepaid phones and DHLs them someplace they can be smuggled into the country?

Let's hope everyone knows to dump that phone.

Weren't folks setting up their own GSM network at Burning Man?

Yes, using OpenBTS ( http://openbts.sourceforge.net/ ) . It's quite a cool project. Unfortunately, it would be illegal to use here in Brazil.

Why do you think OpenBTS is illegal in Brazil? There's a research group at UFPA in Belem that's been quite active in the OpenBTS project. I met two of the guys at the OpenBTS Workshop in Germany last summer. See-- http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/freeabs_all.jsp?arnumber=5304...

A license for the GSM spectrum used by OpenBTS from the relevant government telecommunications authority is necessary almost everywhere in the world.

This "someone" would need to be the operator of the mobile network. As user you can't install your own applications on SIM cards.

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