Network scanned device identifiers

DeletedGravy

I didn't see another post about this, yet, but feel free to redirect me if I missed it. I got one of the newfangled "Device ID Accessed" notifications about the network reading my device, today. It's my understanding this is a fairly recent feature (yes, I have the thing flipped on to protect me from 2g, too), but alarming because I had never experienced it before. I do see here and there on the webs that it's not the worst to experience it one-off infrequently, and it's just with frequency that it should ring mental alarm bells. What do y'all think?

NoahRaketic

DeletedGravy If you have good 5G support in your area, try setting your connection preference to 5G only and go by that route again. The 5G protocol has much better defenses against IMEI/IMSI catching than LTE and 3G.

The ultimate defense against any recording of hardware identifiers is by enabling Airplane Mode, which disables the cellular radios completely. This is the best you can do if you don't need an internet connection while you're driving. This is the only way to prevent the recording of hardware identifiers by real cell towers.

DeletedGravy

It's now happened to me three times in two days, all in geographically the same vicinity (a spot along my commute). Would greatly appreciate any thoughts if anyone has any.

DeletedGravy

NoahRaketic This is the only way to prevent the recording of hardware identifiers by real cell towers.

And if it's not a real cell tower? Is it customary for real cell towers to capture this as routinely as this in a fixed location? This is a 2-lane small rural highway, albeit with steady traffic, between small towns not on major roads.

I do realize that airplane mode should take care of it, and thank you for highlighting the "5g only" option, which I've switched to from "5g (recommended)" just now (2g network protection was already enabled fwiw), but I'm especially curious if this trend falls under common practice by legitimate networks, or if this is more targeted than is customary. I would have guessed a carrier might do it infrequently, in no particular area. This feels like a cell phone highway checkpoint.

Johnnyloans

I'm not saying the above is a bad option.

Keep in mind, there may be some areas you travel to with no 5G so you don't have reception unless you change 5G only.

NoahRaketic

DeletedGravy And if it's not a real cell tower?

That's what using 5G only helps mitigate, as it significantly hardens authentication to ensure that you don't send hardware identifiers to fake access points. And Airplane Mode can completely prevent this because there is no cellular protocols to exploit while enabled.

DeletedGravy Is it customary for real cell towers to capture this as routinely as this in a fixed location?

Yes, real cell towers routinely receive your IMEI and IMSI (not just in fixed locations, all cell towers log this). These are always logged by real cell towers when you're using cellular, so by enabling 5G only, you're only defending against fake access points. Sending these hardware identifiers to legitimate towers is an intended aspect of the protocol, and is not the focus of that alert. If you're concerned about real cell towers logging your IMEI and IMSI (and by extension tracking your location history), then Airplane Mode is the way to prevent that.

DeletedGravy

Update: perhaps I'm missing something, or maybe I just need a reboot, but after switching from the default "5g (recommended)" to "5g only," my phone was still plenty willing to hop on LTE networks. What gives? Am I misunderstanding what this is supposed to do? I imagined it would only connect to 5g networks on "5g only," with the exception being emergency calls.

wizoatk

DeletedGravy "5g only," my phone was still plenty willing to hop on LTE networks

I've observed that too. I presume it's a bug. But I'm unable to reproduce, so I haven't reported.

Datasapiens

DeletedGravy how do you imagine, if there is no 5g coverage, phone should go emergency calls only? It lowers to 4g, to have connection with network

DeletedGravy

In addition to Preferred Network-->5g only, do I need to also go to Carrier Settings Overrides-->toggle on-->5g capabilities-->force NSA and SA, plus VoNR/Vo5g-->forced available?

I'm also noting the GOS Usage Guide seems to like LTE-only mode more than 5g. Is that still the case?

Johnnyloans

DeletedGravy Carrier Settings Overrides

All of these options have a "default" next to each setting. This means that it says what it is set to right now before you change anything. You could try an override and see how it goes.

DeletedGravy

Datasapiens I guessed that it would hover on no network and then only search for any network available (including 2g and 3g) when prompted by dialing an emergency number. How is simply jumping to whatever's available any different from not even bothering to select "5g only?" What is the setting actually doing if it doesn't lock to its stated network type? If it's just a loose preference, why even distinguish between "5g only," "5g (recommended)," and "5g or LTE only?"

DohnJoe

Datasapiens
I would say that is the expected behaviour if I select 5g only, yes

Search for network -> Is there any 5g network available?

Yes -> Connect
No -> No network

Emergency calls follows a different pattern and the connection is enstablished for emergency calls only, not during normal business.

I would say connecting to lte using 5g only is unwanted behaviour.