SeaGlass is a revolutionary system developed by security researchers at the University of Washington. It tackles the issue of IMSI-catcher use by governments and hackers, which poses a significant threat to cellphone security. IMSI-catchers can track phones, eavesdrop on communications, send spam, and inject malware. Recent leaks have revealed the extensive use of these devices by U.S. law enforcement without judicial oversight. Enter SeaGlass, a system that measures IMSI-catcher use across a city by utilizing off-the-shelf cellular sensors installed in volunteers’ vehicles. The data collected is continuously uploaded and analyzed to detect anomalies in the cellular network. This transparency and accountability are essential in combating the misuse of IMSI-catchers.
https://seaglass.cs.washington.edu/