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FBI can remotely activate microphones in Android smartphones, source says
The Wall Street Journal
FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Law-enforcement officials in the U.S. are expanding the use of tools routinely used by computer hackers to gather information on suspects, bringing the criminal wiretap into the cyber age.
Federal agencies have largely kept quiet about these capabilities, but court documents and interviews with people involved in the programs provide new details about the hacking tools, including spyware delivered to computers and phones through email or Web links—techniques more commonly associated with attacks by criminals.
‘[The FBI] hires people who have hacking skill, and they purchase tools that are capable of doing these things.’
– a former official in the agency’s cyber division
People familiar with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s programs say that the use of hacking tools under court orders has grown as agents seek to keep up with Read more…
Big Google is watching you
by Alan Kohler
While travelling overseas at Christmas we naturally turned off mobile data on our phones to avoid being ripped off by the phone companies’ rapacious data roaming charges.
Instead, everywhere I went I asked for the Wi-Fi password and sometimes didn’t even need one. No problem, although using Google maps to get around in the street was impossible.
In fact with all three phone networks in Australia whacking up their data prices, I’m thinking of turning off mobile data at home as well. There’s more and more public Wi-Fi around and although the domestic Read more…
U.S. Government & Military To Get Secret-Worthy Android Phones
The amount of stuff we trust to fly in and out of our smartphones is astounding. Just look at what happened when a couple of reporters got access to an unwitting (and rather unlucky) Apple employee’s iMessages alone — within days, they learned more about him than most people know about their closest friends.
Now, imagine all the stuff that could fly in and out of a government official’s phone, or that of a highly-ranked member of the military. Forget saucy texts and booty pictures — we’re talking about state secrets, here.
Looking to keep their secrets underwraps while on the go, the U.S government is working on a build of Android custom-tailored to meet their security requirements.
Word of the project comes from CNN, who notes that U.S. officials/soldiers aren’t currently allowed to send any classified data over their smartphones. If they need to transmit anything that might Read more…
Kaspersky predicts big increase in malware attacks on mobile internet devices
Internet security company and maker of antivirus software Kaspersky is warning that the total volume of malware attacks on mobile internet devices will at least double. “After analyzing vast numbers of IT threats during the first quarter of 2011, Kaspersky Lab’s experts identified a number of important trends,” said the company in a statement.
“The recent explosive growth in the popularity of the Android mobile platform was not missed by the cybercriminals. Based on the number of new mobile malware signatures detected during this period, Kaspersky Lab’s experts strongly believe that the total volume of mobile malware in 2011 will be at least double that of 2010.”
Kaspersky says that the growth will be driven in part by Read more…
6 Biggest Tech Security Fails in the Last Year
This is the age of being perpetually connected. If you have a Twitter, Facebook or any other sort of account, your information is out there. The best thing to do is just keep the information you don’t want people to know offline. It’s just safer that way.
Now, let’s take a look at the times that the major companies have failed, big time. There are several of them, here they are.
1) Texas Workforce Commission – Identities Released: Social Security Numbers, Addresses, etc.
My home state (note: everyone on iSmashPhone is from a different part of the world). It was recently found that Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers and other personal info, according to website ComputerWorld. Two security chiefs were fired over it, and while the Attorney General’s office says that there is no evidence that the exposed data has been misused, they did say that we should be careful about being targets of a new phone scam. Here is that press release. And everyone is worried about Apple? This was personal info for people who truly had no choice in the Read more…
Google CEO: Phone tracking to enrich lives
Google chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt came out to defend tracking technology in smartphones arguing the technology will ultimately enrich and benefit the lives of consumers.
Recent debates regarding privacy have surfaced following the discovery of tracking files native to Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android mobile operating system.
“Today, you’re phone knows who you are, where you are, where you’re going, to some degree, because it can see your path. And with that and with your permission, it’s possible for software and software developers to predict where you’re going to go, to suggest people you should meet, to suggest activities and so forth,” he said. “So ultimately what happens is the mobile phone does what it does best, which is remember everything and make suggestions.”
Allowing your phone to know you, follow you and help you will allow users to enjoy their social experience more, he contended. The experience of will become increasingly Read more…
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