Identifying an illegitimate base station based on improper response

A wireless device, comprising:

• a wireless transceiver;
• and
• a processor coupled to the wireless transceiver and configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
• sending a fabricated message containing content that is falsified, garbled or otherwise improper to a device in communication with the wireless device in response to determining that the device is a suspect base station;
• receiving a response message from the device;
• determining whether the response message is an appropriate response or an inappropriate response to the fabricated message, wherein a determination that the response message is an appropriate response is based on a determination that the device has identified the fabricated message as containing content that is falsified, garbled or otherwise improper, and a determination that the response message is an inappropriate response is based on a determination that the device has not identified the fabricated message as containing content that is falsified, garbled or otherwise improper;
• determining that the device is an illegitimate base station in response to determining that the response message is an inappropriate response to the fabricated message;
• and
• performing a protective action in response to determining that the device is an illegitimate base station.

A wireless device, comprising:

• means for sending a fabricated message containing content that is falsified, garbled or otherwise improper to the device a device in communication with the wireless device in response to determining that the device is a suspect base station;
• means for receiving response messages from the device;
• means for determining whether a response message received from the device is an appropriate response or an inappropriate response to the fabricated message, wherein a determination that the response message is an appropriate response is based on a determination that the device has identified the fabricated message as containing content that is falsified, garbled or otherwise improper, and a determination that the response message is an inappropriate response is based on a determination that the device has not identified the fabricated message as containing content that is falsified, garbled or otherwise improper;
• means for determining that the device is an illegitimate base station in response to determining that the response message is an inappropriate response to the fabricated message;
• and
• means for performing a protective action in response to determining that the device is an illegitimate base station.

A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor of a wireless device to perform operations for identifying an illegitimate base station, comprising:

• sending a fabricated message containing content that is falsified, garbled or otherwise improper to a device in communication with the wireless device in response to determining that the device is a suspect base station;
• receiving a response message from the device;
• determining whether the response message is an appropriate response or an inappropriate response to the fabricated message, wherein a determination that the response message is an appropriate response is based on a determination that the device has identified the fabricated message as containing content that is falsified, garbled or otherwise improper, and a determination that the response message is an inappropriate response is based on a determination that the device has not identified the fabricated message as containing content that is falsified, garbled or otherwise improper;
• determining that the device is an illegitimate base station in response to determining that the response message is an inappropriate response to the fabricated message;
• and
• performing a protective action in response to determining that the device is an illegitimate base station.