Not What It Looks Like: The Printer That's Actually a Cell Tower

A new printer has been developed that can be used as a surveillance device, deemed the Stealth Cell Tower. Berlin-based engineer Julian Oliver crafted the item as an art project and he had wanted to try and revolutionize the cell tower, because he says they are quite often very badly disguised. This design of his is crafted from an HP Laserjet 1320, using a BladeRF SDR board, Raspberry Pi 3, and more.

The design is a continuation of research by the engineer into the surveillance of phones by government agencies with tools like the IMSI Catchers. Oliver wants to improve the space by developing creative and innovative designs for disguising cell towers to look like other objects. One of the most popular spy tools that is used today by police departments is the Stingray which is an IMSI-catcher. This printer design is something that could mimic the work and technology that is employed with the Stingray.

Oliver wrote the code for this design so that it would be able to pick-up phone signals and also send SMS messages that look like they originate from someone who is familiar with the phone's owner. Following this message exchange, a transcript then is printed and it reveals the sent message along with the victim's IMSI number and other data.

Surprisingly, Oliver says that his design should serve as a reminder to the public, especially to the paranoid, that they should encrypt their communications thoroughly if they want to further protect their privacy. He also says that is design sought to humiliate GSM in that sense.

Pics:
gizmodo
securityaffairs.co
Sources:
http://boingboing.net/2016/11/03/a-fake-hp-printer-thats-actu.html
http://motherboard.vice.com/en_au/read/this-printer-is-actually-a-surveillance-device
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/11/this-office-printer-is-actually-a-rogue-mobile-phone-tower/
http://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/52995/hacking/stealth-cell-tower.html