March 2, 2004
Covert Mobile Phones
In an article on phone calls and privacy, following revelations about bugging at the United Nations, the BBC reports on how to ensure private conversations - and not just if you are Secretary General.
It turns out, "the most powerful tool for the modern spy is the mobile phone".
And, reports the BBC, "Mobiles that double as listening devices can be bought over the internet".
[This prompted an immediate search on my part in Google for "mobile phone listening devices" - which brings up "about 180,000 results", but after looking around for 5 minutes, I didn't find anything I would know what to do with.]
"Mobiles communicate with their base station on a frequency separate from the one used for talking. If you have details of the frequencies and encryption codes being used you can listen in to what is being said in the immediate vicinity of any phone in the network.
According to some reports, intelligence services do not even need to obtain permission from the networks to get their hands on the codes.
So provided it is switched on, a mobile sitting on the desk of a politician or businessman can act as a powerful, undetectable bug."
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