Google strongly recommends disabling 2G on Android smartphones to avoid SMS Blaster attacks. The risks of interception of communications, phishing and identity theft are numerous indeed.
Long live the 2G networks: operators are turning them off one by one, as will be the case with Orange next year (3G will be present in 2028), the goal being to free up frequencies. This, by the way, is not without causing problems for some devices, especially in cars.
Read how Orange will continue the demise of 2G/3G
Google He doesn't want to wait and invites Android smartphone users to deactivate 2G. Since Android 12, there is an option in the settings (in Settings > Network and Internet > SIM Profiles), for an excellent reason: security. The search engine is concerned about the spread of SMS Blaster attacks, which have been seen in several countries including France.
SMS Blasters are tools or services for sending bulk text messages to a large number of recipients at the same time. They are commonly used in marketing, during events for example, to quickly inform and alert a large audience.
These are perfectly legitimate uses, but SMS Blasters (which can be sent from mobile base stations or from Stingrays that imitate cell towers) can also be used to exploit vulnerabilities in cellular communication standards like 2G.
Scammers distribute SMS Blasters to send phishing messages via SMS (“smishing”), directly to victims’ smartphones, while driving to target more users, or simply by carrying the device in a backpack.
Attackers can thus force a device to connect to a 2G network, even if 3G, 4G or 5G networks are available. This is done by blocking newer networks and forcing phones to use 2G, where communications are easier to intercept (this network is less secure).
When the catch is good, the return on investment is high. Using SMS Blaster to send messages allows you to bypass the entire operator network and anti-fraud and anti-spam filters. Moreover, scammers gain control over all aspects of the message, making it possible to disguise it as a legitimate (fake) source, for example their bank. With all the obvious risks that this entails.
Therefore, disabling the 2G network is the ultimate solution to avoid these security issues.
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