Introduction

GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications, originally Groupe SpécialMobile) is a standard developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) to describe the protocols for second-generation (2G) digital cellular networks used by mobile phones. The detail information you can learn from Wikipedia.

GSM is a kind of single, you can use device to receive it. For example, your cellphone. This document tell you how to use HackRF and Kali Linux to Sniffing GSM Traffic.

You can go to this link to learn: How to Setup HackRF on Kali Linux

Install gnuradio Software

It will install some softwares that we needed. Some of softwares we will use it in the future.

sudo apt-get install gnuradio \
gnuradio-dev \
gr-osmosdr \
gr-osmosdr \
gqrx-sdr \
wireshark

Install gr-gsm software

First, we need install some dependency packages. Automake is very important package, please make sure that you install it!

sudo apt-get install gnuradio-dev \
gr-osmosdr \
gr-osmosdr \
gqrx-sdr \
wireshark \
pkg-config \
libosmocore \
libosmocore-dev \
automake

Then, Copy GSM packet from github, and compile GSM packet. Please make sure that your command is correct, and do not have any error message when you compile GSM package.

git clone https://github.com/ptrkrysik/gr-gsm.git
cd gr-gsm
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
make
sudo make install
sudo ldconfig

After compile package, now we need to create the file ~/.gnuradio/config.conf and paste the following contents into it:

You can use vim, nano or whatever you want.

[grc]
local_blocks_path=/usr/local/share/gnuradio/grc/blocks

Install kalibrate-hackrf

First clone package from github, then compile it. Similarly, Please ensure that there does not have any error happened.

git clone https://github.com/scateu/kalibrate-hackrf.git
cd kalibrate-hackrf
./bootstrap
./configure
make
sudo make install

All Done, If you have any question or any error happened, please let me know! You can leave a reply to me.

Next Article will show you how to sniffing GSM Traffic!