Canadian authorities have arrested three individuals for operating an SMS blaster device, a tool that mimics cellular towers to send phishing text messages to nearby phones. This marks the first time such a device has been detected in the country, as reported by Bleeping Computer.The SMS blaster operates by emitting signals that trick mobile devices into connecting to it, appearing as a stronger, legitimate cell tower. Once connected, the device can push fraudulent SMS messages that seem to originate from trusted entities like banks or government agencies. These messages often contain links to fake websites designed to steal personal information, including banking credentials and passwords. The investigation, dubbed "Project Lighthouse," began in November 2025 after suspicious activity was reported in downtown Toronto. Police believe the SMS blaster was operated from vehicles, enabling it to target large numbers of people across the Greater Toronto Area, resulting in an estimated 13 million instances of mobile network entrapment.Beyond phishing, devices connected to these rogue towers are temporarily disconnected from legitimate networks, potentially hindering access to emergency services. Searches on March 31 in Markham and Hamilton led to the seizure of multiple SMS blasters and other electronic devices, with two suspects arrested and a third surrendering later. While disabling 2G downgrades can offer some protection on Android, it is not effective against advanced setups targeting LTE/5G. Experts advise treating SMS as an insecure channel and avoiding links, recommending end-to-end encrypted channels for sensitive communications.Source: Bleeping Computer
