Can company read SMS messages?

yes it is possible:

1. when your company have direct access to cingular sygnaling network,
inside GSM network SMS is transmited without ciphering (it is only
text). sometimes when i have free time I connect my K1205 protocol
tester and I read some SMS (it is nice fun).
2. your company is SIM card owner, and they can read any billing (from
and where did you receive/send SMS) if number is not company, it is
probably personal SMS.

I have idea: let's buy new private SIM card (ungeristered prepaid is
the best solution in europe), and send private SMS via this card.

regards
BN

SinghaLvr napisal(a):
> Question:
>
> Just in case anyone knows or if anyone has any experience in this area:
>
> On my company phone (Cingular or Sprint), can my company read my SMS
> messages? (I am permitted to use SMS for personal use, but I'm wondering how
> safe are "personal" messages) ?
>
> Thanks ...

---

› See More: Can company read SMS messages?

norbi wrote:
> yes it is possible:
>
> 1. when your company have direct access to cingular sygnaling network,
> inside GSM network SMS is transmited without ciphering (it is only
> text). sometimes when i have free time I connect my K1205 protocol
> tester and I read some SMS (it is nice fun).

Being able to physically (and legally) attach to and actively
participate directly with a telecommunication network at the raw
protocol layer is one thing, sniffing an active telecommunication data
link (wireline or wireless) at the protocol layer without a legitimate
business need to do so is a violation of current FCC statutes.
Additionally, for any individual to communicate to any other individual
that a "conversation" occurred, or to divulge any details carried within
that conversation is also a violation of FCC statutes. In most
situations I'm aware of, only an actual employee of a telecommunication
provider would have a legitimate business reason to engage in such
activity. Even law enforcement is required to have a legitimate
business reason to perform such activity, typically granted to them for
limited periods of time and within specific limitations persuant to
aforementioned grant, ie. judicial warrant. Currently, there is no
statutory distinction as to whether the payload layer is encrypted or
not regardless of who is imposing the encryption. Yes, I realize
sniffers are used by people for a variety of purposes, but that usage
cannot be openly construed as legitimate.

Be careful how much fun you admit to having with your 1205.


> 2. your company is SIM card owner, and they can read any billing (from
> and where did you receive/send SMS) if number is not company, it is
> probably personal SMS.

Absolutely true. The legal client (pays the bills) of the
telecommunication provider can, at any time, legally request, obtain,
retain, and analyse the billing and usage details related to the
contract the have with their telecommunications provider. Ordinarily,
this information is available only from a historical perspective,
however, under special circumstances, can be obtained on a "next day"
basis, yet still historical and certainly not "live" - which requires a
warrant.

>
> I have idea: let's buy new private SIM card (ungeristered prepaid is
> the best solution in europe), and send private SMS via this card.

This is the only viable and legal alternative available to J.Q. Citizen,
and under the circumstances outlined by the OP, would be my
recommendation as well.

>
> regards
> BN
>
> SinghaLvr napisal(a):
>
>>Question:
>>
>>Just in case anyone knows or if anyone has any experience in this area:
>>
>>On my company phone (Cingular or Sprint), can my company read my SMS
>>messages? (I am permitted to use SMS for personal use, but I'm wondering how
>>safe are "personal" messages) ?
>>
>>Thanks ...
>
>


--
jer
email reply - I am not a 'ten'

SinghaLvr wrote:

> Two other questions: Would I have to be near this K1205 for them to read my
> messages? ( I tend to work from home a lot ) and if they see personal
> numbers on the bill, could they request a "transcript" from the carrier?
>
>


Would you have to be near the sniffer to risk being "discovered"?

The Tektronix K1205 is a data link sniffer, and can be used in a
wireline or wireless connection scenario. It also has the capability of
recording whatever it captures.


Would it be legally possible for your company to learn what activity
occurred while equipment they rent was used by one of their own employees?

Absolutely. They're paying the bill, so they're legally allowed to
access details related to their own billing records, historically
speaking. As to whether they would be able to access the content of
your SMS-related message data, the answer would be no, since they don't
own the network carrying the messages.


--
jer
email reply - I am not a 'ten'

Not only can they, I read in the newspaper during the Scott Peterson trial
the police department subpoenaed his old text messages from his cell carrier
and they got copies of text messages he sent several months prior!

Fred

"SinghaLvr" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Question:
>
> Just in case anyone knows or if anyone has any experience in this area:
>
> On my company phone (Cingular or Sprint), can my company read my SMS
> messages? (I am permitted to use SMS for personal use, but I'm wondering
> how
> safe are "personal" messages) ?
>
> Thanks ...
>

What cell phone carrier did Scott have?

"Fred" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:Kg9Qe.425$Zp.105@lakeread04...
> Not only can they, I read in the newspaper during the Scott Peterson trial
> the police department subpoenaed his old text messages from his cell
> carrier and they got copies of text messages he sent several months prior!
>
> Fred
>
> "SinghaLvr" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> Question:
>>
>> Just in case anyone knows or if anyone has any experience in this area:
>>
>> On my company phone (Cingular or Sprint), can my company read my SMS
>> messages? (I am permitted to use SMS for personal use, but I'm wondering
>> how
>> safe are "personal" messages) ?
>>
>> Thanks ...
>>
>
>

"Fred" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:Kg9Qe.425$Zp.105@lakeread04...
> Not only can they, I read in the newspaper during the Scott Peterson trial
> the police department subpoenaed his old text messages from his cell
> carrier and they got copies of text messages he sent several months prior!

Under the archival law of Texas that went into effect Jan 1977(?), records
retention was classified as short (7 years), medium (7 to 100 years) and
long (greater than 100 years).

Totally unrelated, scientist claim that if you have journal of your entire
life of all actions while awake, you would only have recorded two gigabytes
of text. Two gigabyte SD chips have dropped to $165, which puts a new view
on the value of a person's life work.

Thurman wrote:
> "Fred" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:Kg9Qe.425$Zp.105@lakeread04...
>
>>Not only can they, I read in the newspaper during the Scott Peterson trial
>>the police department subpoenaed his old text messages from his cell
>>carrier and they got copies of text messages he sent several months prior!
>
>
> Under the archival law of Texas that went into effect Jan 1977(?), records
> retention was classified as short (7 years), medium (7 to 100 years) and
> long (greater than 100 years).
>
> Totally unrelated, scientist claim that if you have journal of your entire
> life of all actions while awake, you would only have recorded two gigabytes
> of text. Two gigabyte SD chips have dropped to $165, which puts a new view
> on the value of a person's life work.
>
>

Oh gawd, not this again. The cost of storage has no bearing whatsoever
on the value of the data stored.

--
jer
email reply - I am not a 'ten'