AT&T Says Malware Secretly Unlocked Hundreds of Thousands of Phones

alphadogg writes: AT&T said three of its employees secretly installed software on its network so a cellphone unlocking service could surreptitiously funnel hundreds of thousands of requests to its servers to remove software locks on phones. The locks prevent phones from being used on competing networks and have been an important tool used by cellular carriers to prevent customers from jumping ship.

Comments

Doesn't sound like malware to me.

[aussersterne]

Just sayin.

Or at least, stretches the definition of "malware" to the breaking point.

Re:Doesn't sound like malware to me.

[jbmartin6]

"Malware" is a matter of perspective. From this perspective of the AT&T lock mafia, this is malware.

Good guy teleco emplyees...

[wardrich86]

If only the idea of a carrier-locked phone could be made illegal... It would put more pressure on the companies to actually come up with decent pricing and plans to secure their customers!

Re:Good guy teleco emplyees...

[Anonymous Coward]

In the US, carriers are now required by the FCC to unlock a phone on request, if the phone is not still on a subsidy contract.
It's been like this for about 2 years now.

Yeah, have fun going through that "request" with AT&T. It is damn near impossible to get them to unlock a phone.

Re:Good guy teleco emplyees...

[TsuruchiBrian]

Yes T-Mobile coverage is worse, but even at 1/4 the coverage, that only translates to about 2 times a year on average where I don't have service when someone with ATT or Verizon does.

I am willing to save hundreds of dollars a year if the only downside is being minimally inconvenienced. The yearly savings for me is more than the cost of a new phone (~$720).

Re:Freedom of choice

[JustAnotherOldGuy]

It's sad that i have more freedom of choice in countries far less "democratic" and "liberal" than USA, than i do in USA, in terms of technology and telecommunications.

So true. I travel to Cambodia & Vietnam once or twice a year. In Cambodia or Vietnam you can literally walk into any phone store, buy literally any phone, then walk outside to a SIM-chip kiosk (they're every where, staffed by lovely young ladies) and buy a SIM card. Stick it in your phone and *bam*, you're on the air. None of this shit about carriers or contracts or networks or compatibility or any of that stuff- any phone with any SIM works everywhere in the entire country.

The result is that carriers compete to offer the lowest prices with the most features. And it works- $10 to $20 a month gets you service with all the stuff the highest-cost plans here in the US have.