Osmocom SIMtrace 2
Hardware Overview & Capabilities
The Osmocom SIMtrace 2 is specialized open-source hardware designed for sniffing and intercepting the ISO-7816 smartcard bus interface between physical SIM card readers and mobile handsets. It transmits the sniffed communication logs (APDUs) via USB using the GSMTAP protocol.
udev Rule (Non-Root USB Permissions)
TelcoChisel automatically deploys this configuration in /etc/udev/rules.d/50-telcosec-hw.rules to permit hardware access without root privileges:
ATTRS{idVendor}=="1d50", ATTRS{idProduct}=="60e3", MODE:="0660", GROUP:="plugdev"Hardware Verification & Diagnostics
Run the following command to test communication and print hardware parameters:
simtrace2-listStep-by-Step Configuration Guide
Follow these instructions to connect and register the hardware interface:
- 1Insert the SIM card into the SIMtrace board slot, and connect the FPC adapter card from the SIMtrace to the mobile terminal card slot.
- 2Connect the SIMtrace 2 mainboard to the host PC via USB.
- 3Verify device registration: simtrace2-list
- 4Launch the trace forwarder daemon: simtrace2-sniff -i 127.0.0.1
Common Pitfalls & Jitter Mitigation
Hardware Frequently Asked Questions
Can SIMtrace 2 emulate a SIM card?
Yes, in addition to passive sniffing, it can perform card emulation mode to feed simulated SIM profiles from pySim-shell.
How do I read SIMtrace logs?
Run simtrace2-sniff, start Wireshark, and look for packets under the 'gsmtap' protocol filter.
Learn Osmocom SIMtrace 2 Operations in Virtual Labs
Master SDR transceiver signal capture, IQ stream processing, and smartcard analysis without risking expensive physical hardware.