This is very weird to me as a Brit as I think my first Nokia phone ~20 odd years ago I had to do a phone code on to get the IMEI as it was what you needed if it was stolen.
Hadn't realised that wasn't a global system, but not sure this article has really explained what the problem with it is. There's mention of fraud, yet this system has been active here for decades, so surely that's either a thing or it isn't?
JadeNB 2 days ago [-]
> Hadn't realised that wasn't a global system, but not sure this article has really explained what the problem with it is.
It is—the first I is 'International'! I just checked in the US that *#06# will pull up the IMEI on my T-Mobile Android phone; I have no idea if that's specific to TMo or to Android. Or maybe you mean blocking by IMEI isn't global?
> There's mention of fraud, yet this system has been active here for decades, so surely that's either a thing or it isn't?
I'm not sure that follows. A lot changes over decades, and what once could be allowed to proceed on the basis that the fraud it enabled was sufficiently low-probability may now be too common a vector of attack, or at least perceived as too high-risk as a potential vector.
bell-cot 2 days ago [-]
Not a Brit - but from coverage on UK-based news sites, I'd trust Apple & Google far more here than I would His Maj's Gov't.
_trampeltier 2 days ago [-]
If it would be launched globaly, then you would have to trust every gov. Good luck.
>We worry that there is a vector for fraud... we are concerned about a world where it would be a person who claims to be the owner who's asking.
I would be concerned about that too.
It would be pretty easy to do this to the physical phone of an ex or a journalist, where the phone company helps your attack.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denial-of-service_attack
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_job
Hadn't realised that wasn't a global system, but not sure this article has really explained what the problem with it is. There's mention of fraud, yet this system has been active here for decades, so surely that's either a thing or it isn't?
It is—the first I is 'International'! I just checked in the US that *#06# will pull up the IMEI on my T-Mobile Android phone; I have no idea if that's specific to TMo or to Android. Or maybe you mean blocking by IMEI isn't global?
> There's mention of fraud, yet this system has been active here for decades, so surely that's either a thing or it isn't?
I'm not sure that follows. A lot changes over decades, and what once could be allowed to proceed on the basis that the fraud it enabled was sufficiently low-probability may now be too common a vector of attack, or at least perceived as too high-risk as a potential vector.