MCC (Mobile Country Code)

The Mobile Country Code is a three-digit number assigned by the ITU-T E.212 standard that identifies the country of a mobile network. Combined with the Mobile Network Code (MNC), it forms the PLMN-ID broadcast on every cell and used in the IMSI/SUPI to indicate the home country and operator.

Categories: Radio Access NetworkIdentity and SubscriberProtocols and Standards

MCC 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.

Subscriber identifiers (IMSI, SUPI, MSISDN, IMEI) are the anchor for authentication, charging, lawful interception and fraud analytics. Any protocol or interface that leaks a permanent identifier is treated as a serious privacy defect, which is why 5G introduced SUCI concealment on the air interface.

To place MCC in the wider telecom-security picture, review MNC, TAC, E.164, IMEI, iSIM and MAC Address.

Related terms

Related topic hubs

  • 5G Security 5G SBA, SEPP, SUCI, 5G-AKA, N32 and service-based interface security.
  • VoLTE Security IMS/VoLTE signaling risk: SIP, IMS-AKA, media plane attacks.
  • IMS Security Training Training on IMS, VoLTE/VoNR, SIP and RCS security.
  • IMSI Catcher Rogue base stations, IMSI capture and detection.

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