This document discusses mobile cloning, which is the illegal copying of identification information from one mobile phone to another. It allows fraudulent calls to be made and billed to the legitimate subscriber. The process involves capturing the electronic serial number (ESN) and mobile identification number (MIN) of a phone and programming that information into another phone. This makes the cloned phone indistinguishable from the legitimate one. Methods used by thieves to obtain ESN/MIN pairs include monitoring cellular transmissions and using specialized devices. The document outlines some techniques used by cellular providers to detect cloned phones like duplicate detection and velocity traps. It also discusses measures taken to prevent cloning like blacklisting stolen phones, encryption, and user verification with PIN codes. While mobile

1. Presented By
T Karteek reddy
11881A1221
Department of Information Technology
VARHAMANCOLLEGEOF ENGINEERING

2. Definition of Mobile Cloning
 Mobile cloning is copying the identity of one mobile telephone
to another mobile telephone.
 Usually this is done for the purpose of making fraudulent
telephone calls. The bills for the calls go to the legitimate
subscriber. The cloner is also able to make effectively anonymous
calls, which attracts another group of interested users.
 Cloning is the process of taking the programmed information
that is stored in a legitimate mobile phone and illegally
programming the identical information into another mobile
phone. The result is that the "cloned" phone can make and
receive calls and the charges for those calls are billed to the
legitimate subscriber. The service provider network does not
have a way to differentiate between the legitimate phone and the
"cloned" phone

3. HOW IS CELL CLONING DONE
 Cloning involved modifying or replacing the EPROM in the
phone with a new chip which would allow you to configure an
ESN (Electronic serial number) via software. You would also have
to change the MIN (Mobile Identification Number). When you
had successfully changed the ESN/MIN pair, your phone was an
effective clone of the other phone. Cloning required access to
ESN and MIN pairs. ESN/MIN pairs were discovered in several
ways:
Sniffing the cellular
Trashing cellular companies or cellular resellers
Hacking cellular companies or cellular resellers
 Cloning has been successfully demonstrated under GSM, but
the process is not easy and it currently remains in the realm of
serious hobbyists and researchers.

5. How Wireless Technology Works
Cellular thieves can capture ESN/MINs using devices such
as cell phone ESN reader or digital data interpreters (DDI).
DDIs are devices specially manufactured to intercept
ESN/MINs.
By simply sitting near busy roads where the volume of
cellular traffic is high, cellular thieves monitoring the radio
wave transmissions from the cell phones of legitimate
subscribers can capture ESN/MIN pair.
Numbers can be recorded by hand, one-by-one, or stored
in the box and later downloaded to a computer. ESN/MIN
readers can also be used from inside an offender’s home,
office, or hotel room, increasing the difficulty of detection.

6. ESN/MIN PAIR
 Each cellular phone has a unique pair of identifying numbers: the
electronic serial number(“ESN”) and the mobile identification number
(“MIN”). The ESN is programmed into the wireless phone’s microchip
by the manufacturer at the time of production.
 The MIN is a ten-digit phone number that is assigned by the wireless
carrier to a customer when an account is opened. The MIN can be
changed by the carrier, but the ESN, by law, cannot be altered.
 When a cellular phone is first turned on, it emits a radio signal that
broadcasts these numbers to the nearest cellular tower. The phone will
continue to emit these signals at regular intervals, remaining in contact
with the nearest cellular tower. These emissions (called autonomous
registration) allow computers at the cellular carrier to know how to
route incoming calls to that phone, to verify that the account is valid so
that outgoing calls can be made, and to provide the foundation for
proper billing of calls. This autonomous registration occurs whenever
the phone is on, regardless of whether a call is actually in progress.

7. Methods To Detect Cloned Phones
 Duplicate detection - The network sees the same phone in
several places at the same time. Reactions include shutting
them all off so that the real customer will contact the
operator because he lost the service he is paying for, or
tearing down connections so that the clone users will
switch to another clone but the real user will contact the
operator.
 Velocity trap - The mobile phone seems to be moving at
impossible , or most unlikely speeds. For example, if a call
is first made in Helsinki, and five minutes later, another
call is made but this time in Tampere, there must be two
phones with the same identity on the network.
 RF (Radio Frequency)

8.  Usage profiling - Profiles of customers' phone usage are
kept, and when discrepancies are noticed, the customer is
contacted. Credit card companies use the same method.
For example, if a customer normally makes only local
network calls but is suddenly placing calls to foreign
countries for hours of airtime, it indicates a possible clone.
 Call counting - Both the phone and the network keep
track of calls made with the phone, and should they differ
more than the usually allowed one call, service is denied.
 PIN codes - Prior to placing a call, the caller unlocks the
phone by entering a PIN code and then calls as usual. After
the call has been completed, the user locks the phone by
entering the pin code again.

9. MEASURES TO BE TAKEN
 Service providers have adopted certain measures to prevent
cellular fraud.
 These include:
 Blacklisting of stolen phones is another mechanism to prevent
unauthorized use.
 User verification using Personal Identification Number (PIN) codes
is one method for customer protection against cellular phone fraud
 Encryption: Encryption is regarded as the effective way to prevent
cellular fraud
 Traffic analysis detects cellular fraud by using artificial intelligence
software to detect suspicious calling patterns, such as a sudden
increase in the length of calls or a sudden increase in the number of
international calls.
 Blocking: Blocking is used by service providers to protect
themselves from high risk callers.

10. ADVANTAGES
• If a user’s personal phone is lost, mobile cloning thus
serves in a effective way
• If a phone is damaged, the mobile cloning ensures
receiving and calling through the same number, thus
helpful in buisness processes.

11. DISADVANTAGES
 It can be used for terrorist activities
 Illegal transfer of money
 It can be used by cloner for fraud calls
 National Threat

12. Thank You