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With readily available phone spyware, cell phones are easily wiretapped.Your "private" conversations can be heard even when you are off the phone. Heard by anyone, anywhere, anytime, invisibly with no trace. They can also track your location. Protect yourself!
Your Cell Phone Is Bugging You
Seeded on Thu Apr 30, 2009 5:12 PM EDT
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- Public Discussion (30)
This is a video news item from WTHR 13.
Click the link to see it, and click the "Close To Play" tab to begin playback.
This is scary stuff! I am especially concerned over victims of domestic violence, criminal activity, privileged information and general privacy.
- 7 votes
#1 - Thu Apr 30, 2009 5:18 PM EDTOutstanding article! I emailed this to everyone in my personal email contact list! Thanks!
- 5 votes
#2 - Thu Apr 30, 2009 5:56 PM EDTa quick google check returned 567,000 listings for cell phone spyware. the average price range is fron $150 to $350 and with a little searching several free "hack" versions are available through the warez sites
- 2 votes
#3 - Thu Apr 30, 2009 6:26 PM EDTa bit of good news (for some). this software only works on "smart phones" and is typically installed via the bluetooth port. if you have a smart phone and don't use the bluetooth port for a hands free kit, turn the option off.
if in doubt...return the phone to the dealer that services your account and have it scanned, and if necissary, reprogrammed.
- 5 votes
#6 - Thu Apr 30, 2009 7:53 PM EDTme too....we're safe (for now). but I'll keep scanning the warez sites for any chance of hacking on these
- 2 votes
#8 - Thu Apr 30, 2009 8:10 PM EDTThanks DeMilo: please let us know what you find. Cell phones have a useful life of 3-5 years. More and more new phones are smart types, which means that users of dumb phones may find it hard to find a new dumb phone in the future. Furthermore, even with Bluetooth disabled, future hacks may bypass this at will, and you are none the wiser.
- 2 votes
#9 - Thu Apr 30, 2009 8:54 PM EDTactually, dumb phones are making a comeback as more and more people switch to the less expensive pre-paid phones like trakfone and net10.
- 3 votes
#10 - Thu Apr 30, 2009 9:09 PM EDTTurns out I do have a "smart phone". Doing more research. Avoid the Sony "Orwell" model.
- 2 votes
#11 - Thu Apr 30, 2009 9:15 PM EDTI have a TracFone so I'm safe! I've never have and don't intend to activate my voice mail, I don't text, and I don't own a Bluetooth! When I activated I chose not to give my name. My family pays me to keep my phone turned on and they have to let me know beforehand. I have to keep reminding them that my phone is for emergency use only.
- 4 votes
#12 - Thu Apr 30, 2009 10:23 PM EDTDoes anyone have tips to finding out if this software has been put on your phone or what to do? That is one crazy scary video!
- 4 votes
#13 - Fri May 1, 2009 12:40 PM EDThttps://www.gold-lock.com/app/page/PricingPage
this is one of many available. google search "cell phone anti spyware"
- 2 votes
#14 - Fri May 1, 2009 3:46 PM EDTAny thoughts on keeping the iPhone safe? Can't take the battery out...
- 3 votes
Wow 85 bucks a month for that sucker. It doesn't support my phone though. I tried a google search and I got a ton of sites about how to install this crap on someones phone. There are a lot of cheating sons of bi&^%#@ out there apparently...
- 4 votes
Any thoughts on keeping the iPhone safe? Can't take the battery out...
Assuming you don't jailbreak, the iPhone doesn't even allow third-party background apps, and all apps have to be approved by Apple. Also, every app shows up as an icon on the home screen. I'd say we're pretty safe. If you're absolutely paranoid, you could just turn it off (real off, not standby).
- 5 votes
a bit of good news (for some). this software only works on "smart phones" and is typically installed via the bluetooth port. if you have a smart phone and don't use the bluetooth port for a hands free kit, turn the option off.
HA! I knew being cheap would pay off! LOL ;0 )
- 4 votes
I don't actually own a cell phone. When I started with my current company 5 years ago my boss said, "You need a cell phone."
I told him, "I hate cell phones and if you want me to have one you will have to provide it."
...so a couple days later he handed me a cell phone, I've had it every since. I didn't really expect him to actually give me one, he threw me a curve there. :)
- 3 votes
#15 - Fri May 1, 2009 4:11 PM EDTI've found various software packages for phones usuing the symbian-9 and Microsoft platforms. this covers most of the smart phones. not surprisingly, most of the same companies selling the spyware sell the anti spyware software. when in doubt, take your phone to the dealer that you bought it from and have them check it or if neccissary, reprogram it.
after that. disable the bluetooth option (this is one way they get the software into it) and be very careful on the internet and with e-mails. never, ever leave your phone unattended unless it is key-locked.
- 4 votes
#16 - Fri May 1, 2009 4:22 PM EDTI have disabled the blue tooth, it didn't work so well in my car so I disabled it to keep from draining the battery.
Scary stuff...
- 5 votes
I don't have a cell phone, I don't WANT a cell phone and I couldn't see the numbers anyway! LOL It took nearly an act of Congress to make me accept and learn my computer. You know..........................old dogs, new tricks.
- 5 votes
Your "private" conversations can be heard even when you are off the phone. Heard by anyone, anywhere, anytime, invisibly with no trace. They can also track your location. Protect yourself!
Anyone doing that to me is going to be sadly disappointed and probably bored to tears with what they are hearing. God how I wish I was important enough for it to matter.
- 7 votes
#18 - Fri May 1, 2009 8:45 PM EDTMost conversations are innocuous. Of more concern to me would be say, a woman separated from a violent partner who has spywared her cell. Her chat and location are known, putting her at more risk. Let's not even begin to get into the monitored-by-the-state implications that are going on in many nations. I read somewhere that encrypted conversations draw attention, as do out of ordinary patterns of calls.
- 4 votes
#19 - Fri May 1, 2009 9:41 PM EDTThe reporter said to take out the battery when the phone is not in use. Does that mean you can be tapped even if the phone is switched off?
- 3 votes
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