Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

WhatsApp is using your IMEI number as password

samgranger.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

1–10 of 83 posts

Re: WhatsApp is using your IMEI number as password

#6

Post by objclxt »

Xuzz wrote: post #2

There is no public API on the iPhone to access the IMEI, so at least it is pretty conclusively not using that there.

Good post - although for posterity retrieving a phone number doesn't work as described in all cases. Calling `getLine1Number()` on a GSM phone will return the MSISDN, but not all carriers store the MSISDN on the SIM (for security reasons), so it will in some cases return null. This is a somewhat moot point, because there are other ways to find mobile numbers!

As you point out, this is almost certainly an Android specific implementation, because there's no way to get either the MSISDN or the IMEI through iOS using the public API (if it was to transpire that WhatsApp were using private calls to obtain them then that would be another story entirely).

Re: WhatsApp is using your IMEI number as password

#7

Post by objclxt »

dfc wrote: post #5

"Dial *#06# for IMEI" Does anyone know any other neat tricks like this?

They're GSM feature codes - implemented features vary from carrier to carrier, but there are lists of commands here:

http://www.stereo.org.ua/2007/gsm-codes/ http://www.arcx.com/sites/GsmFeatures.htm

There are additionally model specific codes for hardware diagnostics (rather than interacting with the network) on a model-by-model basis.

Re: WhatsApp is using your IMEI number as password

#9

Post by kristofferR »

dfc wrote: post #5

"Dial *#06# for IMEI" Does anyone know any other neat tricks like this?

Sure.

On iPhones, try 3001#12345# .

On Android it often depends on the specific model you have. Here are some for the Samsung S3:

#06# Show IMEI number

#0# LCD Test Menu

##4636##* user statistics and Phone Info

#0011# Displays status information for the GSM

#1234# View SW Version PDA, CSC, MODEM

#12580369# SW & HW Info

#197328640# Service Mode

#32489# (Ciphering Info)

#232337# Bluetooth Address

#232331# Bluetooth Test Mode

#232338# WLAN MAC Address

#232339# WLAN Test Mode

#0842# Vibra Motor Test Mode

#0782# Real Time Clock Test

#0673# Audio Test Mode

#0# General Test Mode

#2263# RF Band Selection

#872564# USB Logging Control

#4238378# GCF Configuration

#0283# Audio Loopback Control

#1575# GPS Control Menu

#3214789650# LBS Test Mode

#44336# Sofware Version Info

#7780# Factory Reset

27673855# Full Factory Reset

#0289# Melody Test Mode

#2663# TSP / TSK firmware update

#03# NAND Flash S/N

#0589# Light Sensor Test Mode

#0588# Proximity Sensor Test

#3282727336# Data Usage Status

#7594# Remap Shutdown to End Call TSK

#34971539# Camera Firmware

#528# WLAN Engineering Mode

#7412365# Camera Firmware Menu

#07# Test History

#3214789# GCF Mode Status

#272886# Auto Answer Selection

#8736364# OTA Update Menu

#301279# HSDPA/HSUPA Control Menu

#7353# Quick Test Menu

27674387264636# Sellout SMS / PCODE view

#7465625# View Phone Lock Status

7465625638# Configure Network Lock MCC/MNC

#7465625638# Insert Network Lock Keycode

##7780##* Factory data reset - Clears Google-account data, system and program settings and installed programs. system will not be deleted, and OEM programs, as well as My Documents (pictures, music, videos)

Post reply on HN