[kictanet] [Security Forum] [Skunkworks] #KeIGF15 Online Discussions Day Two: Cyber Security and Trust

Tue Jul 21 16:34:59 EAT 2015

Very interesting turn the discussion has taken. Understandably, Equitel is
something to watch as it could disrupt the market. many hope it will.  Are
techies here telling us that the security of using Equitel SIM  cannot be
guaranteed unless there are strict internal controls?
Does this mean we already need laws for what is quite a novel application
in Kenya? And how does ethics as mentioned by Jaco come in here if at all?

2015-07-21 16:17 GMT+03:00 Lesley Leposo via Security <
security at lists.my.co.ke>:

> Cool Steve.
>
> Now from a policy and regulation standpoint, the fundamental isssue (by
> far) is that….
>
> A *proprietary* technology is being deployed by a public utility/service.
>
> There are always major risks with going “proprietary” vs.
> standardized/open/open-source.
>
>
> On Jul 21, 2015, at 4:11 PM, Stephen Munguti <kamitu.sm at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> @ fredrick,
>
> I don't think the issue is with Equitel (given that they have normal sim
> cards in use), I think the issue is the thin sim
>
> @lesley
>
> noted
>
> On Tue, Jul 21, 2015 at 3:52 PM, fredrick Wahome <frewah85 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> They would not have prevented thin SIM adoption but they would have
>> played some politics using science. For now lets hope that Mwangi is going
>> to disrupt this market and deliver us from monopolization.
>>
>> On Tue, Jul 21, 2015 at 3:36 PM, Stephen Munguti via Security <
>> security at lists.my.co.ke> wrote:
>>
>>> @lesley,
>>>
>>> The key issue is the data exchange between the Safaricom SIM card and
>>> the phone (this has nothing to do with the Safaricom Servers), bearing in
>>> mind that there exists a third party between the Safaricom SIM and the
>>> Phone
>>>
>>> On Tue, Jul 21, 2015 at 3:28 PM, Lesley Leposo <leposo at unoasystems.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Everyone is griping about the keys (i.e. triplets and session keys
>>>> derived from that).
>>>> I think someone needs to be very specific about the security threat
>>>> involved here and both players aren’t revealing much.
>>>>
>>>> IMHO, there are at least 3 areas where security threats can emerge:
>>>>
>>>> 1) Normally EAP-SIM would be used to authenticate the client/phone vs.
>>>> the telco server (Safaricom in this case).
>>>> The valuable information in this case would be the SIM triplets (and
>>>> derived session key). Hence, this baseline EAP-SIM needs to be protected
>>>> (Safaricom knows how this is done).
>>>> If it isn’t, then we already have a problem that’s not due to thin-siim.
>>>>
>>>> 2) For the thin-sim, another EAP-SIM negotiation between the
>>>> client/phone vs. the overlay sever (Equity in this case).
>>>> The valuable information again would be the thin-SIM triplets (and
>>>> derived session key). Hence this overlay EAP-SIM needs to be protected in a
>>>> manner that Safaricom can’t even see it… this is totally in the domain of
>>>> how Equity has designed their network and their provisioning. (e.g. by
>>>> encrypted negotiation & tunnelling directly between the client/phone and
>>>> the Equity server).
>>>>
>>>> 3) For the handsets, they would have to make sure that the telco
>>>> applications can’t snoop or inject traffic/data into each other’s walled
>>>> garden - there are 2 walled gardens in this case. The walled garden
>>>> includes the sim triplets (and derived session key) along with each telco
>>>> network routes, policies, arp-cache and tcp/ip connections. There exists a
>>>> possibility of threats due to backwards incompatibility (with phones that
>>>> can’t fully manage these walled gardens). Perhaps this is what Safaricom is
>>>> complaining about?
>>>>
>>>> On Jul 21, 2015, at 2:20 PM, Mwendwa Kivuva via Security <
>>>> security at lists.my.co.ke> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> > @mwendwa,
>>>> >
>>>> > Its possible for the owner of the network of the thin sim to be privy
>>>> to information that only the host network sim should be having. It all
>>>> comes back to someone internal at Equitel having the proper technical
>>>> skills and motivation to use the same
>>>>
>>>> Stephen,
>>>> Then we have a major problem right there. I would not like Safaricom to
>>>> disown any responsibility on their part when my security is compromised
>>>> because I used thin sim. Therefore any security conscious users would not
>>>> dare jeopardize their transactions by using thin sim. The question then is,
>>>> how many of us care about their transaction security?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> >>
>>>> >> On Tue, Jul 21, 2015 at 1:52 PM, Mwendwa Kivuva via skunkworks <
>>>> skunkworks at lists.my.co.ke> wrote:
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>> Then the trending issue of the day. Equitel. Safaricom had taken
>>>> Equity to court and sounded a big warning on the use of thin sim.
>>>> http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate-News/Safaricom-sounds-warning-to-users-of-Equity-s-thin-SIM/-/539550/2462110/-/cqwoby/-/index.html
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>> London-based GSMA, the global association of telecoms operators
>>>> using the GSM technology, wrote to the Kenyan authorities warning of the
>>>> risks that use of the slim SIM cards pose to the integrity of the mobile
>>>> telecommunications platforms.The GSMA said the overlay SIM (which is
>>>> embedded between a normal SIM card and the device) has the potential of
>>>> harvesting and revealing sensitive data passing the system.
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>> Of course we all know Safaricom failed miserably in stopping Equity
>>>> from progressing with its plans.
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>> Now the thin sim is here, and Equitel has said it will encrypt all
>>>> data to and from the thin sim. Can experts in this area assure us that the
>>>> use of thin sims will not affect the integrity of M-Pesa transactions?
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>> Regards
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>
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>>>>
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >> --
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Best Regards,
>>>> >> Stephen Munguti.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> +254720425104
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > --
>>>> >
>>>> > Best Regards,
>>>> > Stephen Munguti.
>>>> >
>>>> > +254720425104
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>> Security at lists.my.co.ke
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> Best Regards,
>>> Stephen Munguti.
>>>
>>> +254720425104
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Security mailing list
>>> Security at lists.my.co.ke
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>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>>
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>
>
> --
>
> Best Regards,
> Stephen Munguti.
>
> +254720425104
>
>
>
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-- 
Grace L.N. Mutung'u
Nairobi Kenya
Skype: gracebomu
Twitter: @Bomu

<http://www.diplointernetgovernance.org/profile/GraceMutungu>
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