Cell phone Cloning: techniques, preventions and Security measures

To say that mobile (cellular/cell) phones have become the integral part of modern lifestyle would be an understatement. This latest mode of communication is considered as most significant as it involves ‘3e‟s-ease of use, economic and efficient. But with introduction of internet-enabled services on ‘smart ’phones, the data stored therein has become the new target that miscreants would like to use for frauds, or to breach the phone owner's privacy. General ignorance about the threat of this new menace called ‘Mobile Phone Cloning ’makes us all the more vulnerable to fall prey to data thieves on the prowl. Even the available advanced security mechanisms many not be very effective at times. So if you have always worried about physically losing your handset, the threat to cloning should not be taken lightly either. On simple symptom to detect mobile cloning is sudden shooting up of bills. It could be an indication that another cell phone has been turned into an exact replica of the original cell phone like a clone, without the owner having the slightest idea. Among other dangers, while calls can be made from both phones, only the original is billed. This paper delves deeper into the whole phenomenon of mobile phone cloning, its implementation in Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) phones, and most importantly, ways of keep cell phones safe from this monster called cloning. The possible future threats related to the problem have also be taken into account.