IMEI or International Mobile Equipment Identity number is a unique code used to identify a particular mobile. This number is printed inside the battery compartment of any phone. It can also be displayed on the phone screen by entering certain keys which depends on the manufacturer’s specifications. The IMEI number can be used to identify the device and has no relation to the subscriber. But IMEI number helps a subscriber to decide the network and security features that can be enabled in the device. Knowing the IMEI code of a mobile number can help one to get the details about the mobile like manufacturer, model type and date of manufacture as well as the country of approval.
However, that is not the exact reason why IMEI number is so important. The major need of IMEI number is to prevent any stolen mobile equipment from accessing any network. In case of a mobile being stolen, the owner can ask the network provider to blacklist the mobile using its IMEI number which would immediately render the mobile useless even if the SIM card is changed.
For obvious reasons, it helps lawful interception and tracking down of doubtful users by security agencies. In the wake of increasing terrorism, this might be a relieving news. As per the security agencies, when calls made by terrorists were intercepted, the presence of multiple invalid IMEI was detected. This pattern can help the security agencies in not only blocking the mobile numbers but also retrieve call details. But these kinds of usages are usually under the subscriber’s discretion and services of such kind are provided only in case of special investigations.
The GSM Association has a worldwide database of genuine IMEI numbers which is maintained by it and is activated and updated every fortnight in the Equipment Identity Registry. Whenever a call is made, the IMEI number appears on the network of the operator. The whole procedure might seem quite simple at a glance but there are challenges in this area too.
The china-made cheap mobile handsets as well as illegal handsets are flooding the markets and it is quite easy for anyone with malicious intentions to get their hands on them. The import of such handsets has been banned in India but they are available in the markets, whatsoever. The government has given deadlines in the past for owners of such mobile to get a valid IMEI code for their phones but there is no report that makes it possible to know if it was really as effective as expected.
The IMEI code is supposed to be difficult to change for the whole idea to work well especially where blacklisting the stolen mobile phone is concerned. However, a phone’s IMEI code can be easily changed with use of some simple tools. New IMEI codes can be easily programmed into the handsets which need not even be unique. Depending on the local arrangements, IMEI numbers are sometimes unlisted and this might include quoting a password which was used when blacklisting was applied. The question that glares at our face is: What is the use of the IMEI code if it is susceptible to tampering?
However, that is not the exact reason why IMEI number is so important. The major need of IMEI number is to prevent any stolen mobile equipment from accessing any network. In case of a mobile being stolen, the owner can ask the network provider to blacklist the mobile using its IMEI number which would immediately render the mobile useless even if the SIM card is changed.
For obvious reasons, it helps lawful interception and tracking down of doubtful users by security agencies. In the wake of increasing terrorism, this might be a relieving news. As per the security agencies, when calls made by terrorists were intercepted, the presence of multiple invalid IMEI was detected. This pattern can help the security agencies in not only blocking the mobile numbers but also retrieve call details. But these kinds of usages are usually under the subscriber’s discretion and services of such kind are provided only in case of special investigations.
The GSM Association has a worldwide database of genuine IMEI numbers which is maintained by it and is activated and updated every fortnight in the Equipment Identity Registry. Whenever a call is made, the IMEI number appears on the network of the operator. The whole procedure might seem quite simple at a glance but there are challenges in this area too.
Blacklist of stolen devices
When mobile equipment is stolen or lost the owner can typically contact their local operator with a request that it should be blocked. If the local operator possesses an Equipment Identity Register (EIR), it then will put the device IMEI into it, and can optionally communicate this to the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) which blacklists the device in all other operator switches that use the CEIR. With this blacklisting in place the device becomes unusable on any operator that uses the CEIR, making theft of mobile equipment a useless business proposition, unless for parts.
The IMEI number is not supposed to be easy to change, making the CEIR blacklisting effective. However this is not always the case: a phone's IMEI may be easy to change with special tools.
The china-made cheap mobile handsets as well as illegal handsets are flooding the markets and it is quite easy for anyone with malicious intentions to get their hands on them. The import of such handsets has been banned in India but they are available in the markets, whatsoever. The government has given deadlines in the past for owners of such mobile to get a valid IMEI code for their phones but there is no report that makes it possible to know if it was really as effective as expected.
The IMEI code is supposed to be difficult to change for the whole idea to work well especially where blacklisting the stolen mobile phone is concerned. However, a phone’s IMEI code can be easily changed with use of some simple tools. New IMEI codes can be easily programmed into the handsets which need not even be unique. Depending on the local arrangements, IMEI numbers are sometimes unlisted and this might include quoting a password which was used when blacklisting was applied. The question that glares at our face is: What is the use of the IMEI code if it is susceptible to tampering?
Comments