Researchers from the New York University Abu Dhabi discovered a flaw in all cell network protocols since 2G. The vulnerability exists in a process known as Handover/Handoff. This is simply when a phone call or data session is transferred from one cell site to another without losing connectivity. This is a core function in cell networks as it allows users to move between cell towers without experiencing any interruption. This transfer occurs when the users cell device detects a degradation in signal strength, it then sends a message to all nearby cell towers to determine the best tower to switch to. These signals are protected cryptographically but the content is not checked for authenticity, allowing an attacker to spoof a better connection and force the device to connect to it. This Man-in-the-Middle attack enables the hacker to sniff unencrypted traffic as well as modify the contents or deny the message altogether. This flaw likely does not affect the average user and is not known to be exploited in the wild. The real threat is to government and other sensitive operations which use cell phones to communicate, this exploit could be a new attack vector for nation state surveillance operations.