A German security expert, Karsten Nohl, has collaborated with researchers to expose the security flaws with GSM technology that is widely used by cell phone companies across the world. Not only have they exposed the flaws, they have created and posted on the web a code book containing instructions on how to get past standard GSM encryption that is being utilized on over 3 billion mobile phones to keep conversations secure from eavesdropping. GSM technology is used by several cell phone carriers in the U.S., with the largest being AT&T and T-Mobile. Verizon and Sprint users have nothing to fear since they use a more secure CDMA technology.

Nohl said the purpose was to push companies to improve security. The collaborative effort put the information online through file-sharing sites.

“The message is to have better security, not we want to break you,” he said of the move. “The goal is better security. If we created more demand for more security, if any of the network operators could use this as a marketing feature … that would be the best possible outcome.”

Nohl states that “carriers should now do the security patch that is overdue 15 years by upgrading to a new encryption function. I suspect they will only do so if customer demand is significant. Hopefully the customers will make it clear to their provider that they want 21st century security for their phone calls.”

So.. what do you think of Mr. Nohl’s approach to bringing this information to light? Do you think he is justified in releasing this code breaking information across the web to the masses or do you think there is a more structured approach that he could have taken. Regardless, it appears that he has gotten the attention of the cell phone carriers and they are probably falling all over themselves to upgrade their technology…which is probably a win for the consumer in the long run.