SMS#Silent SMS

A silence SMS, also Stealth Ping or Silent SMS, refers to a special form of an SMS. This message is not displayed on the screen of the mobile phone and does not solve any beeps, but fall in mobile provider connection data, which can then be evaluated. Originally the service for special services, the network operator should be used.

Privacy and radio cell determination

Such text messages are used by investigating authorities for locating phones or to create motion profiles. Most often the silent SMS is by the authorities of the Customs Investigation (2010: 236,000 ) and the Protection of the Constitution (2010: 107,000 ) were used. Silent SMS can also be sent from the private sector, then leave but just realize that the addressed SIM is registered, or the receiving device is ready to receive.

From 2007 to 2012 federal authorities have a total of 1.7 million silent SMS sent to locate cell phone owner. In the year 2012 328.572 mobile phone detections were made by investigating authorities ( Protection of the Constitution, Federal, federal police and customs ), which came 138 779 detections by Customs. In the first half of 2013 there were 264 648.

The country's authorities for State Protection using this process: the Ministry of the Interior of North Rhine- Westphalia put numbers before 2011. Thus, in the most populous German state received 2,644 255 784 Total Connection Owner " locating pulses " to determine their whereabouts can. For the silence SMS the police authorities use their own software and corresponding " SMS Server ". The radio cell analysis and the sending of tracking pulses are legally and technically different measures, according to Interior Ministry of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The federal and state authorities can force mobile operators to disclose all data. The Chaos Computer Club spoke of a " tracking bug".