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

Posted by Soulskill on from the for-tenuous-definitions-of-the-word-malware dept.

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.

3 of 123 comments (clear)

  1. Doesn't sound like malware to me. by aussersterne · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Just sayin.

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

    --
    STOP . AMERICA . NOW
  2. Good guy teleco emplyees... by wardrich86 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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!

    1. Re:Good guy teleco emplyees... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      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.