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Osmocom

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Osmocom
Original author(s)Harald Welte
Developer(s)Osmocom open source community
Repositorygit.osmocom.org
Written inC,C++
TypeTelecommunication software
LicenseAffero GPLv3for all cellular software,GPLv2+for some remaining software (libosmocore, OsmoPCU, OsmoSTP, OsmoGGSN)[1]
Websiteosmocom.org

Osmocom(open source mobile communications) is anopen-source softwareproject that implements multiple mobile communication standards, includingGSM,DECT,TETRAand others.[2]

History and usage[edit]

Siemens BS11 BTS

In 2008Harald WelteandDieter Spaarexperimented with abase transceiver stationfromSiemensthat wasend-of-lifeand implemented the BSC side of the A-bis protocol, which eventually turned into OpenBSC. After attracting more interest, support for other BTS models was added.[3]The first release of the OpenBSC project took place at the 25thChaos Communication Congressheld in December 2008.[4]

In the following years, the software has been used at varioushacker conssuch as the Chaos Communication Congress,Chaos Communication CampandElectromagnetic Fieldto provide acellular network.[5][6][7]

In 2010, a telephone-side implementation of the GSM stack was developed, named OsmocomBB. Together with OpenBSC, these projects became part of the new Osmocom umbrella project.[3]

The SysmocomGmbHcompany was founded by Welte and Holger Freyther[8]in 2011 to provide commercial support.[9][10]

Since 2018 Osmocom software and Sysmocom hardware has been used inVilla Talea de CastroinMexicoto provide a cellular network to around 3500 people.[11][12]

Osmocom software has been used in research projects.[13][14]

Projects[edit]

OpenBSC[edit]

OpenBSC was a project to develop afree softwareimplementation ofGSMprotocol stack and elements. It runs on Linux and requires an E1 interface (ISDNPrimary Rate Interface,viamISDN). It is written in C and licensed using the GPL (≥v2) license.

The first version implemented the GSM specification 21.12 and 08.5x, and worked for a specific Base Transceiver Station (Siemens BS11 MicroBTS).

OpenBSC implemented severalMSCcomponents, including the A-bis protocol (the protocol between theBTSand theBSC),AUC,HLR,VLR(both usingSQLtables), and aSMSSwitching Center. OpenBSC can be accessed usingtelnet.

OpenBSC supported the following BTS devices:

  • Siemens BS11 (microBTS) (E1 Primary Rate interface)
  • ip.access nano BTS (PoE-interface)

OpenBSC is now considered legacy and the features have been split into different projects: OsmoBSC, OsmoMSC and OsmoHLR.[15]

SDR[edit]

rtl-sdr[16]was discovered by Steve Markgraf, who also created osmo-fl2k for radio transmissions. These projects deprecated the use of OsmoSDR.[17]

OsmoTETRA[edit]

The OsmoTETRA project implements the TETRA protocol.[18][19][20]Osmo-tetra implements the lower layer of the protocol.[21]Some conducted research revealed that some government traffic is not properly secured.[20]

OsmocomBB[edit]

OsmocomBB is a free firmware for thebaseband processorof mobile phones which handles the encoding and radio communication of both voice and data. OsmocomBB is the only existing free implementation of baseband firmware, excluding failed projects like TSM30 fromTHCand MadOS.[22]

Motorola C123 with Calypso chipset running the OsmocomBBRSSI applicationin Spectrum view mode

OsmocomBB implements the GSMprotocol stack's three lowestOSILayers of the client side GSM protocol anddevice drivers.The protocol layers forming the kernel exists on the baseband processor, typically consisting of anARMprocessor and adigital signal processor.

Motorola C139, a model compatible with OsmocomBB

It has support for the Calypso chipset produced byTexas Instruments.[23]

Karsten Nohlhas extented OsmocomBB to be able to detectIMSI catchers.[24]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Software Licensing".Osmocom.org.Retrieved27 May2020.
  2. ^"Open Source Mobile Communications".osmocom.org.Retrieved2020-05-25.
  3. ^abOsmoBSC User Manual(PDF).
  4. ^"25C3: Running your own GSM network".fahrplan.events.ccc.de.2009-01-10.Retrieved2020-05-27.
  5. ^By (2018-08-30)."GSM Phone Network At EMF Camp Built On Raspberry Pi And LimeSDR".Hackaday.Retrieved2020-05-25.
  6. ^By (2019-08-30)."CCCamp: 5,000 Hackers Out Standing In Their Field".Hackaday.Retrieved2020-05-25.
  7. ^"33C3: Hackerkongress endet mit Humba-Täterä im explodierenden Bällebad".heise online(in German). 31 December 2016.Retrieved2020-05-25.
  8. ^"SysmoBTS: Harald Weltes Sysmocom verkauft freie GSM-Basisstation - Golem.de".www.golem.de(in German).Retrieved2020-06-29.
  9. ^sysmocom (2016-02-28)."About sysmocom background and company culture".sysmocom.de.Retrieved2020-05-25.
  10. ^"Sysmocom - Cellular Network Infrastructure - Open Source Mobile Communications".osmocom.org.Retrieved2020-05-27.
  11. ^Herrmann, Boris (15 January 2018)."Am Rande des Funklochs".Süddeutsche.de(in German).Retrieved2020-05-27.
  12. ^"In defense of the right to communication (DeutscheWelle original video)".Vimeo.Retrieved2020-05-27.
  13. ^Bosma, Jeffrey; Soeurt, Joris."Eavesdropping on and decrypting of GSMcommunication using readily available low-costhardware and free open-source software in practice"(PDF).University of Amsterdam.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2018-10-21.Retrieved2020-05-27.
  14. ^"ProjectRationale - OsmocomBB - Open Source Mobile Communications".
  15. ^"Overview - OpenBSC - Open Source Mobile Communications".osmocom.org.Retrieved2020-05-27.
  16. ^By (2019-07-31)."RTL-SDR: Seven Years Later".Hackaday.Retrieved2020-05-25.
  17. ^Markgraf, Steve (2019-07-31)."RTL-SDR: Seven Years Later".Hackaday.Retrieved2020-05-27.
  18. ^"TETRA-Digitalfunk für jedermann".Heise Online(in German). June 2011.Retrieved2020-05-26.
  19. ^"Digitaler Behördenfunk: Hacker arbeiten an freier TETRA-Implementierung - Golem.de".www.golem.de(in German).Retrieved2020-05-26.
  20. ^ab"OsmocomTETRA - OsmocomTETRA - Open Source Mobile Communications".osmocom.org.Retrieved2020-05-26.
  21. ^"Osmo-tetra - OsmocomTETRA - Open Source Mobile Communications".osmocom.org.Retrieved2020-05-26.
  22. ^Pönsgen, François (2015).GSM and GPRS Security Using OsmocomBB(PDF)(M.Sc.). Norwegian University of Science and Technology. p. 5.Retrieved2017-05-04.
  23. ^Cooper, T. A. (2012).Integration of Open-Source GSM Networks(Doctoral dissertation, Virginia Tech).
  24. ^"GSM-Hacking: Osmocom-Patch entdeckt stille SMS und Abhöraktionen - Golem.de".www.golem.de(in German).Retrieved2020-06-29.

External links[edit]

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