Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. In some systems, devices may use information protection to detect fake base stations. A base station verified by a network may transmit first information to a user equipment (UE) in an unprotected message. If a fake base station intercepts and modifies the message before relaying the message to the UE, the UE may receive different information than the transmitted first information. The UE may then transmit an indication of the received information to the verified base station in a protected message. In some cases, based on the indication, the verified base station may re-transmit the first information to the UE in a message protected against modification by the fake base station. If the UE determines that the initially received information is different from the information received in the protected retransmission, the UE identifies message modification by the fake base station.