FBI taps cell phone mic as eavesdropping tool
- Thread starter neoprodigy
- Start date
You don't necessarily need to be the FBI to do that:
"We've seen a few hundred bits of malicious code written for mobile phones in the last couple of years," said Greg Day, security analyst at McAfee.
Many of these have been proof of concepts, but now there is a new generation of malicious code being written for mobiles.
"If the first wave was about proof of concepts the second generation is about 'how do I make money out of it?'," said Mr Day.
Threats uncovered so far include Trojans that send SMS messages to premium rate numbers and spyware that monitor phone calls and text messages. One piece of spyware, known as SymbOS/Flexispy.B, is able to remotely activate the microphone on a mobile device, allowing someone to eavesdrop on that person. Others can activate cameras.
BBC
The FBI is just using what's already out there.
"We've seen a few hundred bits of malicious code written for mobile phones in the last couple of years," said Greg Day, security analyst at McAfee.
Many of these have been proof of concepts, but now there is a new generation of malicious code being written for mobiles.
"If the first wave was about proof of concepts the second generation is about 'how do I make money out of it?'," said Mr Day.
Threats uncovered so far include Trojans that send SMS messages to premium rate numbers and spyware that monitor phone calls and text messages. One piece of spyware, known as SymbOS/Flexispy.B, is able to remotely activate the microphone on a mobile device, allowing someone to eavesdrop on that person. Others can activate cameras.
BBC
The FBI is just using what's already out there.