O2 is offering mobile phone users an easy way to unlock their phones online via the O2 website. Simply type your mobile phone number into the site at http://www.o2.co.uk/puk/landing and they will issue a personal unlocking code (PUK) allowing you to unlock your phone straight away.

In the past any user wanting to unlock a phone was required to ring a call centre and provide identification details. The new service has sparked a row about security – the act of locking a phone is designed to prevent it working after the phone is stolen and this system could allow thieves to unlock stolen phones without providing any details other than the phone number.

Security expert Bruce Schneier stated that “anyone on the internet can visit this website, type in a valid mobile telephone number, and get a valid PUK to reset the PIN – without any authentication whatsoever,”.

O2 are defending the service stating that most phones that are stolen are already turned on so the unlocking code is not required. The benefits of providing the system apparently far outweigh the drawbacks in allowing thieves to unlock stolen phones.

The system is primarily designed to help those who have locked a phone by accident or had the phone locked as a practical joke.

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Published in: O2 | | | |
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