Cleartext (Plain Text)

Cleartext (Plain Text) in context

The radio access network is the layer where mobile devices attach to the operator's infrastructure. Attacks in this layer include IMSI catching, rogue base stations, downgrade attacks and jamming, and defenses hinge on mutual authentication, integrity-protected signaling and Open RAN supply-chain hygiene.

Signaling protocols carry the control-plane instructions that set up calls, register subscribers, hand over sessions and route SMS. SS7, Diameter, GTP-C and SIP are the four dominant families, and interconnect exposure of any of them is treated by GSMA FS.11 / FS.19 / FS.20 as a top-tier telecom risk.

To place Cleartext (Plain Text) in the wider telecom-security picture, review Rogue Base Station (Fake BTS), SMS Pumping, UMTS, GTP-C Spoofing, SUPI Catcher and Number Portability.

Related terms

• Rogue Base Station (Fake BTS)
• SMS Pumping
• UMTS
• GTP-C Spoofing
• SUPI Catcher
• Number Portability
• Behavioral Signaling Detection
• BTS Impersonation (Fake BTS)

Related topic hubs

• Signaling Firewall Unified SS7/Diameter/GTP/SMS signaling firewall framework.
• SS7 Security SS7/MAP/CAP/SCCP attacks and defenses across 2G/3G interconnect.
• SS7 Firewall GSMA FS.11 category 1/2/3 SS7 message screening at the STP edge.
• SS7 Penetration Testing Interconnect pentest methodology for SS7 signaling.

More from the TelcoSec Glossary

Browse the full TelcoSec Glossary, the Ultimate Guide to Mobile Network Security, or the P1 Arsenal of telecom-security tools.