BANGALORE, INDIA: Mobile industry body the GSMA this week plans to review a claim by German computer engineer Karsten Nohl that he deciphered and published the algorithm used to encrypt GSM-based voice calls.

The security fears have grow after German computer engineer unravels algorithm protecting 80 per cent of world's mobile calls.

The GSMA director of media relations said that the GSMA security group will likely meet on Tuesaday or Wednesday. [Nohl's claims] will be on the agenda, and they will review what has been said," said Claire Cranton.

She told Total Telecom that the GSMA security group includes representatives from mobile operators, and meets during the first week of every month.

"Mobile security is not something we take lightly," she said.

Cranton's comments follow claims by encryption expert Karsten Nohl that he was able to unravel the GSM A5/1 privacy algorithm – a binary code used to protect mobile phone conversations from eavesdroppers – that was first adopted in 1988.

Nohl revealed his achievement during last week's Chaos Communication Congress in Berlin, a four-day event aimed at computer hackers that was attended by roughly 600 people.

His claims are cause for concern since over 80% of the world's 4.3 billion mobile connections use GSM technology.

"The primary goal is to improve the security of GSM. We have given up hope that network operators will move in that direction on their own," said Nohlm, in a report by the Financial Times.