Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Mobile can spy on you even when off :GUNS:
Daily Times Monitor
LAHORE: The FBI appears to have begun using a novel form of electronic surveillance in criminal investigations: remotely activating a mobile phoneââ¬â¢s microphone and using it to eavesdrop on nearby conversations, says a report published by CNET News.com on December 1.
The technique is called a ââ¬Åroving bug,ââ¬Â and was approved by top US Department of Justice officials for use against members of a New York organised crime family who were wary of conventional surveillance techniques such as tailing a suspect or wiretapping him. The FBI is apparently using a novel surveillance technique on alleged Mafioso: activating his cell phoneââ¬â¢s microphone and then just listening, the report says.
While it appears this is the first use of the ââ¬Åroving bugââ¬Â technique, it has been discussed in security circles for years. Nextel cell phones owned by two alleged mobsters, John Ardito and his attorney Peter Peluso, were used by the FBI to listen in on nearby conversations. The FBI views Ardito as one of the most powerful men in the Genovese family, a major part of the national mafia.
The surveillance technique came to light in an opinion published this week by US District Judge Lewis Kaplan. He ruled that the ââ¬Åroving bugââ¬Â was legal because federal wiretapping law is broad enough to permit eavesdropping even of conversations that take place near a suspectââ¬â¢s cell phone. Kaplanââ¬â¢s opinion said that the eavesdropping technique ââ¬Åfunctioned whether the phone was powered on or offââ¬Â. Some handsets canââ¬â¢t be fully powered down without removing the battery; for instance, some Nokia models will wake up when turned off if an alarm is set.
While the Genovese crime family prosecution appears to be the first time a remote-eavesdropping mechanism has been used in a criminal case, the technique has been discussed in security circles for years.
The US Commerce Departmentââ¬â¢s security office warns that ââ¬Åa cellular telephone can be turned into a microphone and transmitter for the purpose of listening to conversations in the vicinity of the phoneââ¬Â. An article in the Financial Times last year said mobile providers can ââ¬Åremotely install a piece of software on to any handset, without the ownerââ¬â¢s knowledge, which will activate the microphone even when its owner is not making a call.ââ¬Â
Nextel and Samsung handsets and the Motorola Razr are especially vulnerable to software downloads that activate their microphones, said James Atkinson, a counter-surveillance consultant who has worked closely with government agencies. ââ¬ÅThey can be remotely accessed and made to transmit room audio all the time,ââ¬Â he said. ââ¬ÅYou can do that without having physical access to the phone.ââ¬Â
Because modern handsets are miniature computers, downloaded software could modify the usual interface that always displays when a call is in progress. The spyware could then place a call to the FBI and activate the microphone ââ¬â all without the owner knowing it happened. The FBI declined to comment on Friday.
ââ¬ÅIf a phone has in fact been modified to act as a bug, the only way to counteract that is to either have a bugsweeper follow you around 24-7, which is not practical, or to peel the battery off the phone,ââ¬Â Atkinson said. Security-conscious corporate executives routinely remove the batteries from their cell phones, he added.
Private investigator Skipp Porteous of Sherlock Investigations in New York said he believed the FBI planted a physical bug somewhere in the Nextel handset and did not remotely activate the microphone. But other experts thought microphone activation is the more likely scenario.
Nextel said: ââ¬ÅWeââ¬â¢re not aware of this investigation, and we werenââ¬â¢t asked to participate.ââ¬Â Other mobile providers were reluctant to talk about this kind of surveillance.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\12\06\story_6-12-2006_pg1_7
Mobile can spy on you even when off :GUNS:
Daily Times Monitor
LAHORE: The FBI appears to have begun using a novel form of electronic surveillance in criminal investigations: remotely activating a mobile phoneââ¬â¢s microphone and using it to eavesdrop on nearby conversations, says a report published by CNET News.com on December 1.
The technique is called a ââ¬Åroving bug,ââ¬Â and was approved by top US Department of Justice officials for use against members of a New York organised crime family who were wary of conventional surveillance techniques such as tailing a suspect or wiretapping him. The FBI is apparently using a novel surveillance technique on alleged Mafioso: activating his cell phoneââ¬â¢s microphone and then just listening, the report says.
While it appears this is the first use of the ââ¬Åroving bugââ¬Â technique, it has been discussed in security circles for years. Nextel cell phones owned by two alleged mobsters, John Ardito and his attorney Peter Peluso, were used by the FBI to listen in on nearby conversations. The FBI views Ardito as one of the most powerful men in the Genovese family, a major part of the national mafia.
The surveillance technique came to light in an opinion published this week by US District Judge Lewis Kaplan. He ruled that the ââ¬Åroving bugââ¬Â was legal because federal wiretapping law is broad enough to permit eavesdropping even of conversations that take place near a suspectââ¬â¢s cell phone. Kaplanââ¬â¢s opinion said that the eavesdropping technique ââ¬Åfunctioned whether the phone was powered on or offââ¬Â. Some handsets canââ¬â¢t be fully powered down without removing the battery; for instance, some Nokia models will wake up when turned off if an alarm is set.
While the Genovese crime family prosecution appears to be the first time a remote-eavesdropping mechanism has been used in a criminal case, the technique has been discussed in security circles for years.
The US Commerce Departmentââ¬â¢s security office warns that ââ¬Åa cellular telephone can be turned into a microphone and transmitter for the purpose of listening to conversations in the vicinity of the phoneââ¬Â. An article in the Financial Times last year said mobile providers can ââ¬Åremotely install a piece of software on to any handset, without the ownerââ¬â¢s knowledge, which will activate the microphone even when its owner is not making a call.ââ¬Â
Nextel and Samsung handsets and the Motorola Razr are especially vulnerable to software downloads that activate their microphones, said James Atkinson, a counter-surveillance consultant who has worked closely with government agencies. ââ¬ÅThey can be remotely accessed and made to transmit room audio all the time,ââ¬Â he said. ââ¬ÅYou can do that without having physical access to the phone.ââ¬Â
Because modern handsets are miniature computers, downloaded software could modify the usual interface that always displays when a call is in progress. The spyware could then place a call to the FBI and activate the microphone ââ¬â all without the owner knowing it happened. The FBI declined to comment on Friday.
ââ¬ÅIf a phone has in fact been modified to act as a bug, the only way to counteract that is to either have a bugsweeper follow you around 24-7, which is not practical, or to peel the battery off the phone,ââ¬Â Atkinson said. Security-conscious corporate executives routinely remove the batteries from their cell phones, he added.
Private investigator Skipp Porteous of Sherlock Investigations in New York said he believed the FBI planted a physical bug somewhere in the Nextel handset and did not remotely activate the microphone. But other experts thought microphone activation is the more likely scenario.
Nextel said: ââ¬ÅWeââ¬â¢re not aware of this investigation, and we werenââ¬â¢t asked to participate.ââ¬Â Other mobile providers were reluctant to talk about this kind of surveillance.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\12\06\story_6-12-2006_pg1_7
. I own a Nokia AND a Motorolla Razr (I know they suck).
