Summary
Have you ever heard of Signaling System No.
7 (SS7)?
You probably have not, but you still use it daily, and so does everyone you know.
Image Credit: Idol Design/Shutterstock
The problem is, this technology is very outdated and very unsafe.
However, there are alternatives to using SS7, and best of all, they’re free.
What Is SS7, and Why Is It Insecure?
7 is a set of telephony protocols that enables telecommunication networks to communicate with one another.
In a sense, it is a communication system that lets phone networks exchange important information.
Soon after, it became standardized for international use and replaced older systems in other countries worldwide.
In the 1990s, SS7 saw more widespread adoption and became the backbone of global telecommunications.
SS7 integration played a key role in this process, and our society has not been the same since.
What is the problem with SS7, then?
These vulnerabilities are inherent to SS7 itself.
How SS7 Vulnerabilities Expose Your Privacy
As technology and cybercrime developed, SS7 struggled to keep up.
Dozens of high-profile incidents and security breaches have been recorded all around the world in recent years.
But the real question is: why is nothing being done to address SS7 vulnerabilities?
Yet, nothing has changed.
In short, the incentives to make the necessary changes are just not there.
There are dozens of such apps on the market, and many are completely free.
Signal is arguablythe most secure messaging appavailable today, but WhatsApp is not far behind.
Signal is open-source, boasts a powerful encryption algorithm, and is incredibly secure.
At least for now, there is no indication that the telecommunications industry will phase it out.
Until SS7 is replaced with better, more secure technology, do what you might to protect your privacy.
