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Senators Propose Federal 'Kill Switch' Bill

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Hmmm

Colombianmax

Feb 14, 2014, 9:36 AM
I could have used this law last year lol. I did not read the entire article but I wonder how this would work out for those who purchase their phones used, would they need a bill of sale to show their service provider?
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Andras888

Feb 14, 2014, 11:01 AM
I guess phones would come with a secret and unique reactivation code and/or a title, like a vehicle.
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DarkStar

Feb 14, 2014, 2:42 PM
How come you didn't download one of the million free apps that do this already?
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netboy

Feb 14, 2014, 7:40 PM
quote " How come you didn't download one of the million free apps that do this already?"

these free apps able to wipe your phone if you lost the phone. but if the theif just reset your phone or flash a new OS/firmware, they able to use it.

the Kill Switch is like your car key, if the thief stole your car, they wont able to start the engine without the owner key. yeah, you can hot-wire the older cars, but it wont work on the newer cars.
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msteven3

Feb 17, 2014, 10:47 AM
But how is this supposed to work? If the phone can be reactivated by the owner or carrier, does it not occur to these politicians that a thief can just re-flash it and also get it reactivated?

And here's a few more wrinkles I bet they've never considered. Suppose I buy, say, a GS4 from AT&T. So that means that AT&T has the power to deactivate it, right? Now, suppose someone steals it and pops in a T-Mobile SIM before I can call AT&T and report it stolen. Now what? The easy answer here is that it doesn't matter which network it's on; AT&T can still deactivate it. OK then, what if I, the owner, decide to switch from AT&T to T-Mobile? Now, who has the kill switch? Do I then need to have AT&T somehow transfer this to T-Mobile? But w...
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netboy

Feb 17, 2014, 11:21 AM
do you have a android phone? if not, borrow your friend android phone.
go to settings -> About device -> Status, write down the phone IMEI number. It doesnt matter how many times you reset your phone, or how many times you re-flash the phone with new rom, this IMEI is unchangeable, it stays the same.
This Kill Switch is the same, maybe it' a 10 digits, or 16 digits unique numbers. You cant change this numbers by reset phone, or flash new rom, this numbers stay the same just like your IMEI numbers, it never change. Only the wireless carrier know this number and you (provided to you inside the phone box). When you reset your phone, flash new rom, insert different sim card, it will STUCK at "Enter Kill Switch" code until you en...
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msteven3

Feb 17, 2014, 11:57 AM
Yeah, but how many people keep the box? This would be especially true in the case of a sale. Used devices are rarely sold with the original boxes, so what then?

Also, it doesn't matter if this number can't be changed. There has still got to be some software in the device that will enable the kill switch to work, and software can be changed. It'll either be erased, or, if it's hard-coded in so it can't be erased, then software will be added to keep it from operating properly, which will accomplish the same thing. However, I would doubt that any manufacturer is going to hard-code this software in, simply because, if they did, there would be no way to fix bugs, which always appear. There is absolutely no way that a company like Samsung...
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netboy

Feb 17, 2014, 12:06 PM
let go back to the IMIE number, this number never change, it doesnt matter how many times you reset phone, or flash new rom, this numbers stay the same (also apply to Kill Switch number).
if samsung able to hard code IMIE numbers on each phone, what so difficult to hard code another Kill Switch numbers on each phone? When you sell your phone to someone, you dont need to keep the original box, just give them the Kill Switch numbers. if you forgotten this Kill Switch numbers, just call your wireless carriers cus they have this numbers on their data base.
just like you upgrade from android 4.2 to 4.3 or 4.4, your phone IMIE numbers stay the same. Kill Switch number will stay the same, cant change this number.
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msteven3

Feb 17, 2014, 12:38 PM
I know that they could hard-code a kill switch number into the device, but that number alone does nothing. It will require software on the device to receive a request to lock, erase, or brick the phone. And, as I said, that software could either be hard-coded in, or it could be flashed so that it could be changed later on. No manufacturer is going to be willing to hard-code the software because, if a bug is discovered, there would be no way to fix it, since the software can't be changed. If, on the other hand, the software is flashed so that the manufacturer can change it to fix bugs, then someone else is going to figure out how to change it so that it no longer works. And, as soon as an exploit is found, it's going to be all over the I...
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netboy

Feb 17, 2014, 12:46 PM
go to google and do a search on How do i change my IMIE numbers. it' ILLEGAL to change your IMIE numbers, they will make it ILLEGAL to change or hack your kill switch numbers. are you willing to spend 5 years in jail or 5000$ fine for hacking or changing the Kill switch numbers for a phone that worth the most is 600$ ?
talking about bugs, they just going to release "updates", like updates on your windows desktop, this doesnt effect the Kill switch numbers, it stays the same.
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msteven3

Feb 17, 2014, 3:40 PM
If someone is willing to steal a phone, they're likely willing to tamper with the kill switch. For people stealing lots of them to ship out of the country, that kind of tampering won't bother them at all. For the kid who steals a classmate's phone at school, they won't care, either, first, because many kids don't think about consequences like that, and second, because, as a juvenile, the most they'd get is probation.

Just about every security measure on an electronic device out there has been cracked, and, once that exploit is found, it's posted everywhere. If something like this is deployed, I can guarantee you that someone will immediately go to work on cracking it, and I can also guarantee that they'll succeed.
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Zpike

Feb 18, 2014, 10:58 PM
Anyone who knows how to flash a phone should also know how to change the IMEI. Crooks aren't exactly going to care that its illegal to do so.
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tjobrien21

Feb 14, 2014, 5:26 PM
Colombianmax said:
I could have used this law last year lol. I did not read the entire article but I wonder how this would work out for those who purchase their phones used, would they need a bill of sale to show their service provider?


Next thing you know, smartphones will have a title and you'll have register them like a dang car.
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Poison Ivy

Feb 17, 2014, 11:40 AM
Don't give 'em ideas!! 😳
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