SoylentNews

MrPlow writes:

Submitted via IRC for BoyceMagooglyMonkey

[...] Unknown to the common user is that modern smartphones include a basic modem component inside them, which allows the smartphone to connect to the Internet via its telephony function, and more.

While international telecommunications bodies have standardized basic AT commands, dictating a list that all smartphones must support, vendors have also added custom AT command sets to their own devices —commands which can control some pretty dangerous phone features such as the touchscreen interface, the device's camera, and more.

[...] Once an attacker is connected via the USB to a target's phone, he can use one of the phone's secret AT commands to rewrite device firmware, bypass Android security mechanisms, exfiltrate sensitive device information, perform screen unlocks, or even inject touch events solely through the use of AT commands.

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/smartphones-from-11-oems-vulnerable-to-attacks-via-hidden-at-commands/

Original Submission