
Phone Is Vulnerable Because of 2G, but It Doesn't Have to Be - gigama
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/06/your-phone-vulnerable-because-2g-it-doesnt-have-be
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gigama
"Apple, Google, and Samsung should allow users to choose to switch 2G off in
order to better protect ourselves. Ideally, smartphone OS makers would block
2G by default and allow users to turn it back on if they need it for
connectivity in a remote area. Either way, with this simple action, Apple,
Google, and Samsung could protect millions of their users from the worst harms
of cell-site simulators."

Yeah, how about it Apple, Google, Samsung? Why do you allow this known
backdoor into your customers communication channels? Allowing 2G downgrades is
like reverting back to using TLS 1.0 or SHA1. It's 2020. Users should be able
to disable 2G just like these other weak protocols.

~~~
DrScump
I don't understand. My Samsung Galaxy series phones (GS9+, GS8, GS7s) all
allow 2G data to be disabled in the Mobile Networks menu. You can choose
LTE/3G/2G auto-stepdown or any subset thereof. I set all my phones to LTE/3G
only as soon as this exploit was identified.

The notification screen gives you a warning about 2G being 9ff that can't be
cleared, which is annoying... but that's all.

~~~
gigama
"... the vast majority of these smartphones don’t give users any way to switch
off 2G support."

