Hackers have been offering up to €25,000 (US$32,413) in undergrounds forums for Nokia 1100 phones made in the company's former factory in Bochum, Germany. The phone can allegedly be hacked so as to facilitate illegal online banking transfers, according to the Dutch company Ultrascan Advanced Global Investigations. Nokia said on Tuesday it is not aware that resale prices for a phone that retailed for less than €100 when it debuted in 2003 have risen so high. Further, Nokia maintains the phone's software isn't flawed.
"We have not identified any phone software problem that would allow
alleged use cases," the company said in an e-mailed statement. The 1100 can apparently be reprogrammed to use someone else's phone number, which would also let the device receive text messages. That capability opens up an opportunity for online banking fraud....
Meanwhile, a Dutch technology site, portablegear.nl, wrote that it placed a fake advertisement for the particular Nokia 1100 on an online marketplace. People offered as much as €500, offering to immediately come pick up the device. (more)
Nokia produced more than 200 million devices in the 1100 model family. The company said it doesn't disclosure figures such as how many 1100s were made in Bochum. (more)
