The Westminster GSM passive & active hybrid interception system has been developed to provide crucial local information and intelligence for a number of governmental departments, including:
- Law enforcement agencies;
- Special forces;
- Police.
Westminster International can provide solutions in fixed installation format, within a compact portable case for rapid covert deployment, or custom integrated within an air conditioned command & control vehicle for mobile surveillance. The operations crew will be able to monitor specific geographical areas as required so as to obtain essential interception intelligence for law enforcement and special operations purposes.
Until now there have been Passive GSM intercept systems and Active GSM intercept systems. Until now it has been widely believed that Passive is a better option than Active interception. These points remained true until the release of the new Westminster GSM Passive & Active Hybrid Interception System. Now we offer the benefits of Passive invisibility, with the advantages of Active control.
In general terms, active interception is a much better technology. However, the reason why active is considered inferior is because it is impossible on its own to avoid detection. This means that the target could obtain knowledge when they are being intercepted. The nature of interception requires total invisibility, or the system becomes virtually useless. There are however, distinct advantages with the control abilities associated with active interception. It is possible to block SMS messages, or physically stop calls going through amongst other things.
Passive interception offers no control. Although the interception remains invisible to the target, the system can only listen in. Passive interception in theory fits the requirement for basic interception, which until now has generally been the most popular method of intercepting GSM. However, the effectiveness of intercepting calls and SMS is very much hit and miss. In some locations at some times it may be possible to intercept some calls, but at other times it will be completely ineffective and non operational. The conclusion therefore is that until now, there has not been an effective GSM interception system.
World GSM technology encryption has changed over the years, and the ability for law enforcement agencies to break in to GSM encryption and remain invisible has not been entirely possible in the past. The development and launch of the Westminster GSM passive & active hybrid interception system has changed all that. The system offers full capability of top spec interception, coupled with total invisibility, whereby it will not be possible for the targets to detect interception.
The Westminster GSM passive & active hybrid interception system integrates the control, reliability and effectiveness of active interception, together with the invisibility offered by the passive system. In simple terms, the Westminster GSM passive & active hybrid interception system is the most advanced system of its kind in the world.
The system offers a whole new concept of GSM interception:
- No use of SIM cards;
- No open encryption screens;
- No diverted call charges;
- No Network knowledge.
The system offers:
- Invisible active intercept of A5/1 GSM conversation;
- Invisible active intercept of A5/2 and A5/0 GSM conversation;
- Intercept of SMS;
- Archived Data Base Recording;
- Exportable Recording Files;
- Portable and Tactical;
- A system that can be used in a truly Global way.
GSM provides the following features:
- Control of Forward and Reverse Voice Channels
- Control of SMS messages;
- Automatic computation of session key (Kc) in real time for A5/1 and A5/2 algorithms without disclosing traces to subscribers;
- Recording to Hard Disk of Voice Sessions, SMS messages and call related information;
- Subscribers location finding relative to the base station;
- Possibility of substituting dialled number to diverted number, if accepted by network;
- Proper operation of system through Frequency Hopping mode;
- Targeting feature by capture of user information through software application and adjusted handset;
- Full targeted recording through TMSI, IMSI and IMEI identification.
The System Main Application Screen:
Key to Main Application Screen:
- Indicator of BTS operation;
- Indicator of Cipher operation;
- Registered Subscribers List;
- Button to call up BTS operation;
- Recorder window;
- Target Window;
- Active BTS window;
- Paging Channel;
- Mobile stations windows;
- Protocol window.
System specification
The Westminster GSM intercept is supplied with the following parts and accessories:
- Single or Dual Band GSM Receivers;
- Single or Dual Band GSM BTS booster;
- IBM Laptop computer with 2Gb RAM and full operating software for GSM Intercept;
- Dual Band GSM high gain directional antennas;
- 220V and 12V power supply and conversion.
- The system can be delivered with specifications for 4-32 Duplex channels;
- The number of simultaneous targets/calls that can be recorded is equal to the number of duplex channels.