Last week, Thai authorities announced the arrest of two organized fraudsters, one of whom allegedly drove through the streets of Bangkok sending hundreds of thousands of malicious SMS text messages to nearby mobile phones. was indicted for. This so-called “SMS blast” attack relies on the use of technology that impersonates cell towers and can send thousands of messages to devices within a close geographic radius.
According to local news outlet Khaosod, the cell tower setup included an 8,000-watt mobile power plant, a Wi-Fi router, and four cell phones. The group reportedly sent nearly 1 million malicious SMS text messages over a three-day period in mid-November. The news outlet reported that the messages were designed to trick recipients into thinking they had won a free gift. These attacks can be used to trick recipients into tapping malicious links intended to steal passwords or download malware.
A photo of the SMS Blaster in the back of the car. Image credit: Khaosod English
Close-up of SMS Blaster. Image credit: Khaosod English
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