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The Second Operating System Hiding In Every Mobile Phone

Jah-Wren Ryel writes "Every smartphone or other device with mobile communications capability (e.g. 3G or LTE) actually runs not one, but two operating systems. Aside from the operating system that we as end-users see (Android, iOS, PalmOS), it also runs a small operating system that manages everything related to radio. So, we have a complete operating system, running on an ARM processor, without any exploit mitigation (or only very little of it), which automatically trusts every instruction, piece of code, or data it receives from the base station you're connected to. What could possibly go wrong?"

6 of 352 comments (clear)

  1. Conspiracy by BreakBad · · Score: 4, Funny

    Every thinks a virus will cause the Zombie Apocalypse, when in truth it will be a broadcast of "Never gonna let you down" on infinite loop. Rick is Chinese...didn't you know? The same people who make these 'Cell' phones. Cell.....terrorist cells! OMG it all makes sense now.

    1. Re:Conspiracy by clickclickdrone · · Score: 3, Funny

      when in truth it will be a broadcast of "Never gonna let you down" on infinite loop. Rick is Chinese...didn't you know?

      His real name is Rick Shaw.

      --
      I want a list of atrocities done in your name - Recoil
  2. Re:Firmware by emj · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yeah kind of makes all of those hand waving sci-fi hacking tools look plausible.

    A secure computer is a computer without power, network and Qualcomm baseband chips.

  3. Why stop there? by Dcnjoe60 · · Score: 1, Funny

    Why stop there? Every cell phone also runs on an operating system called QM (quantum mechanics). Hack that and you can make the phone do all sorts of really cool things.

  4. Re:All the other OS, too. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    That means, with the appropriate base station changes, anyone can access your phone while sitting in your pocket

    My pockets are not large enough for anybody to sit in there. Not much of a danger here.

    can activate the cam

    That's a good idea. That way he'll see where I'm carrying him in my pocket.

  5. Re:Firmware by kimvette · · Score: 3, Funny

    Soo many times I've wished computers ran on magic.

    I wish computers ran on magic because then when someone whose expertise way outside of what I do requests an explanation and struggles with the details but is insistent upon knowing them, I could say ", because magic" then they would accept that and say "I see."

    --
    The Christian Right is Neither (Christian nor right). See: Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Ezekiel 16:48-50