they should've used XML

Well, no, probably they shouldn't have, but this mention of ASN.1 and a 
potentially major security flaw reminded me of long-ago conversations 
here about the value or lack thereof of (relatively generic) binary formats.

http://arstechnica.com/security/2016/07/software-flaw-puts-mobile-phones-and-networks-at-risk-of-complete-takeover/

Thanks,

Simon