How to determine if the phone is wiretapped. Modern methods of wiretapping phones

Before you think about, say, how to listen to your wife’s mobile phone, it is worth taking into account the fact that any interference in a person’s personal life is completely illegal. And it doesn’t matter who he is to you: wife, husband, sister, mother, and so on. Therefore, if you suddenly decide to seriously concern yourself with this problem, keep in mind that all the actions you take are contrary to the law.

How to listen to a mobile phone legally?

The answer is simple - no way. Only law enforcement agencies can carry out actions to wiretap a phone, and only if they have a court order to do so. In this case, assistance is provided to them directly by the mobile communications operator, which is obliged, according to the decision made, to provide maximum assistance to law enforcement agencies.

An ordinary person will never be able to use this service from cellular operators. Unless you find a person working in law enforcement who agrees to help you solve this problem.

Are there other options for listening to a mobile phone?

In our modern times, when, as they say, progress is advancing by leaps and bounds, there are many ways to listen to a mobile phone. One of them is the use of special equipment. Taking this option as a basis, a person who needs to obtain certain information uses special, usually very expensive equipment, thanks to which the outgoing signal from the victim’s mobile phone is intercepted on the way to the base of the cellular operator.

Despite the fact that this method is more than expensive, it allows you to listen without making contact with the victim.

Strange MMS

It is no secret that most detective agencies employ former employees of secret intelligence services. Sometimes they reveal their secrets of how to wiretap a cell phone. This option is possible thanks to the genius of programmers or hackers. In order to use this method of eavesdropping, all you need to know is the victim's phone number. A special virus program is attached to a picture, which is sent as a regular MMS message to a specific number. As soon as the subscriber opens the message for reading, the Trojan program is quickly activated on the phone and begins its work.

Now we can talk not only about how to listen to someone else's mobile phone. This virus allows you to listen to conversations taking place outside the device. Even if the subscriber turns off the smartphone, listening will continue.

Smart phones

If we are talking about what types of listening devices exist for mobile phones, then first of all I would like to mention the device itself.

It is known for certain that there are certain models of smartphones that have built-in programs that allow not only to listen to a subscriber’s telephone conversations, but also to read all SMS correspondence, as well as listen to the surrounding environment. Of course, you won’t find such devices for free sale.

It is known that some Internet resources are actively selling listening devices and the smartphones described above in particular. If you have an idea to purchase such a phone to give to your spouse, then pay special attention to such offers. Otherwise, you risk paying 30 thousand for a regular Chinese smartphone without any spyware.

Should you trust sites on the Internet?

Believe it or not, it's up to you to decide. In fact, sources that offer help in deciding how to listen to someone else's mobile phone should be treated with extreme caution. If you look closely, the cost of any wiretapping equipment is quite high. Here we are talking not only about spy phones, but also about bugs and other devices.

You may be asked to pay only part of the cost. But this amount is also very impressive, especially considering the fact that there are at least a dozen people like you.

Therefore, before you rush headlong into the adventure of purchasing super-listening devices, think carefully about whether you are ready to throw a certain amount of money down the drain. Yes, just take it and throw it away! No? Then, maybe, it’s not worth trying, buying who knows what and who knows who?

Malware

In fact, you can manually install a virus on your phone that will spy and send you reports on the information received. In order to understand how to wiretap a cell phone using spy software, you will need the program itself and access to the victim's phone.

Install via the Internet, activate and... listen to everything and everyone. True, for this you need to have the software itself available. But, again, be vigilant, because there are plenty of people who make money by scamming users online.

As a rule, such “craftsmen” describe the delights of this program in all colors. They offer an absolutely ideal option for how to wiretap a victim’s mobile phone. Fraudsters justify their kindness by the fact that, for example, having once been deceived by a beloved wife or husband, they show solidarity and want to help everyone who finds themselves in such a similar situation.

Next, as a rule, a detailed description of the program is given, instructions for use are given, detailed screenshots are provided, and then it is suggested to download the installation file itself either through a paid file hosting service or by sending an SMS to a short number. Sometimes, after downloading a program, you suddenly discover the simplest software for installing bluetooth, for example.

In some cases, the program will download to your computer without an installation file, which you will be asked to purchase at a separate price.

Be vigilant

In fact, when deciding how to wiretap a mobile phone, you may find yourself under surveillance. Ask yourself: do you know exactly what files you are installing on your PC? What if they contain some Trojan viruses that will subsequently steal your personal information?

It's good if you have excellent antivirus protection on your computer. But it is known that some users simply neglect it.

When performing obviously illegal actions, think about the fact that to the question of whether a mobile phone that is in your personal use can be wiretapped, you may well receive an affirmative answer. I wonder how you would feel in such a situation? Will you be offended and outraged because you are an honest person? Think about it, perhaps the person you are planning to spy on is also not doing anything immoral. Maybe you just misunderstood something?

Almost every day we are asked how to wiretap a cell phone. I want to emphasize once again that we offer ONLY programs for monitoring a mobile phone! Other methods of wiretapping, such as complexes, through an operator, viruses, etc. we don’t offer, and we don’t have such opportunities... Today we will talk about how you can listen to any mobile phone in theory.

So, what types of wiretapping exist and can they be resisted?

Official, upon special request

Wiretapping method . The cellular operator, if required, is obliged to provide law enforcement agencies with the ability to wiretap, as well as provide access to the database (numbers, time, duration of incoming and outgoing calls, history of short messages, IMEI code of the mobile device, etc.). Naturally, a cellular operator will not provide such an opportunity to an ordinary person.

A way to avoid wiretapping. If you have good reason that you are being tapped in this way, do not use your previous phone number or the device itself. Either, as an option, use a special one, or use a crypto phone.

Unofficial, expensive

Wiretapping method . The method is that special equipment allows you to intercept a signal from a mobile device to a cellular operator’s base station and vice versa. This option is not available to the average person due to the high cost of the interception device, the price of which starts at $0.5 million.

In criminal circles, this technique is still in demand, despite its shortcomings: the signal capture radius from the phone is no more than several hundred meters and the existing probability of the operator changing the signal code. However, due to the fact that the method makes it possible to listen to conversations without the need to contact the “victim’s” mobile device or contact the telecom operator (as described above, this is impossible), it is actively used.

A way to avoid wiretapping. Apply protective equipment to such equipment. It works as follows: the equipment records the exchange of data from a mobile device with third-party equipment, after which pings are prohibited, after which it becomes difficult for attackers to intercept the conversation. A phone with an imei change will also help with this. But the best option is to use .

Using wiretapping programs

Wiretapping method . In order to wiretap in this way, the “victim” must have . The program will record all calls, messages, determine location and much more, then upload all the data to the server in your personal account. There are also disadvantages to this method: the need for physical access to the phone to install a “spy”.

A way to avoid wiretapping. Do not leave your phone unattended and do not allow strangers to install unknown programs on it. Use antivirus programs to scan for malware.

Now you know what options there are for wiretapping and ways to avoid it. We would also like to add: to prevent someone from listening to you during an important conversation, do not use mobile devices for this, try to resolve issues in person :)

Gaining access to a cell phone to listen to it is actually not that difficult. However, there are ways to prevent invasion of your privacy.

“Ruformator” presents a translation of an article from the Makeuseof.com portal, with the help of which you can determine whether you are “under the hood” or not.

Each of us has a cell phone. When was the last time you left home without a mobile phone? Surely it was an accident. It's no secret that we use phones very often; we actually already depend on them and their capabilities.

We're not trying to scare you, but do you know how easy it is to access them from outside? If someone wants to listen to your conversations, read SMS messages and track you using GPS, they will do it.

There are many reasons why a person wants to eavesdrop on someone else's telephone conversation. It could be a nosy boss, a jealous spouse, a burglar, or a telephone bully.

It's illegal to spy on someone's phone without the owner's permission, but it happens. This doesn't necessarily happen to you, but if you suspect someone is reading your SMS messages or listening to your conversations, here are some helpful tips on how to spot the bad guy.

Battery temperature

One of the likely indicators of the presence of wiretapping is the battery. Feel your phone when you're not using it - if it feels warm or even hot, it means it's still in use. Keep in mind that heat comes primarily from overuse. The battery can only be hot if the phone has been used for a while.

The phone runs out of charge very quickly

If you charge your mobile phone more often than usual, you will receive another sign of a potential threat. If you haven't used the gadget more than usual, it is possible that your phone was being used by someone without your knowledge. When a mobile phone is tapped, it loses battery power much faster. A tapped cell phone is constantly recording conversations in the room, even if it looks like it is lying idle.

You can use the BatteryLife LX or Battery LED iPhone apps to track your battery drain rate.

Note: Mobile phones tend to lose maximum battery level over time. If your phone is more than a year old, the battery capacity will steadily decrease depending on the amount of use.

Shutdown delay

When you turn off your phone and notice a lot of lag, the backlight staying on for a long time, or the phone simply refusing to turn off, then it's quite possible that you're on the hook. Always be aware of unusual phone behavior. Although, the problems described may be caused by failures in the phone's hardware or software.

Strange activity

When your phone is working, does it happen that the backlight suddenly lights up, some applications are installed by themselves, or it turns off spontaneously? Strange behavior could be a sign that someone is controlling the device remotely. By the way, this can also occur due to interference during data transmission.

Background noise

When you are talking, a wiretapped phone may cause interference. Something like echoes, electricity, clicks - these sounds can be caused by the environment, connection interference... or someone listening to you. If you hear a pulsating noise coming from your phone when you're not using it, it could be a serious problem.

If you use your phone in close proximity to other electronic devices (like a TV) and it interferes with them, then this may be due to the presence of foreign devices in the mobile phone case. In most cases, interference is normal, but if it happens when you are not using your phone, then this may well mean that you are “under the hood”.

Become a disinformer

If you suspect that your phone conversation is being listened to or recorded by someone you know, you can try to misinform the spy to confirm this suspicion for sure. Tell someone you trust your “secret” personal information over the phone. If you find out later that others have found out, then the answer may be yes.

Get Help

If you have reason to believe that your mobile phone is being tapped, seek help. The police are also an option, since they have equipment that can be used to check the phone, but you should only go this route if you are absolutely sure that you are being monitored

Conclusion

We again emphasize that the chances of someone being “hooked” are very small. Most of the problems described above can be explained by a poor connection, an old battery, or firmware glitches - but there are also signs that are worth paying attention to in any case. If you are a Good Samaritan, then there is a good chance that your phone is clean.

If you want to be safe, then you should lock your phone with a password and keep it with you at all times. If you are not using it, remove the battery from the compartment to be sure that you are not being tapped. By the way, it’s not necessarily the intelligence services that are listening. And this type of wiretapping is not their method of work at all. There are many systems for intercepting absolutely any traffic (voice, data). In Russia, this development was called SORM.

If you have reason to suspect that your cell phone or landline is being tapped, there are several signs that may help alleviate your concerns. Many of these indicators may be due to problems that are not related to phone tapping, so you may want to look for multiple clues rather than relying on just one. Once you have collected enough evidence, you can turn to law enforcement for help. Here's what you need to look out for if you suspect someone may have installed a listening device on your phone.

Steps

Part 1

Part 2

Listen to background sounds. If you hear static noise or other background sounds, there is a possibility that the sounds are being generated by a listening device.

• Background noise is not a good sign of listening, as echoes, static noise and clicks can be caused by random interference on the line or poor call quality.
• Static noise, grinding and popping noises can also be caused by a discharge when connecting two conductors.
• Another sign of listening is a high-pitched buzzing sound.
• You can check for sounds that the human ear cannot hear using a low-frequency sound sensor. If the arrow on the sensor goes off scale several times a minute, there is every reason to believe that your phone is being tapped.

1. Use your phone near other electronic devices. If you suspect you may be being monitored, move closer to the radio or television during your next call. Even if you don't hear any interference on your phone, interference may start near another electronic device, creating static noise.

   • Also watch for interference that occurs when you are not actively using your phone. An active phone's wireless signal can disrupt data transmission even without additional software or hardware installed on your phone, but an inactive signal should not.
   • Some bugs use frequencies close to the FM radio range, so if your radio squeaks when set to mono or at the extreme end of the range, a listening device may be nearby.
   • In the same way, listening devices can interfere with the TV on UHF frequency channels. Use a TV with an antenna to check the room for interference.

2. Listen to your phone when you're not using it. The phone should not make any sounds when you are not using it. If you hear beeps, clicks, or other sounds coming from your phone when you are not using it, they may indicate the presence of a listening device or software that is installed on your phone.

   • In particular, listen for pulsating static noise.
   • If you hear sounds coming from your phone, this may indicate that your phone's microphone or speaker is active even when you're not using the phone. In this case, any conversation within a radius of 6 meters from the phone can be heard.
   • On landline phones, if you hear a long beep while the handset is on the hook, this may indicate that the phone is being tapped. Confirm the presence of these sounds using an external volume amplifier.

Part 3

1. Monitor the battery temperature. If your cell phone battery gets very hot when the phone is not in use, this may indicate the presence of listening software. Such a program will continue to run in the background and consume battery power.

   • Of course, a hot battery can also indicate that it's been used too much, especially if your phone is more than one year old, as batteries degrade over time.

2. Keep track of how often you have to charge your phone. If your phone dies for no apparent reason and you have to charge it twice as often, this could indicate a bug on your phone. It is this that “eats” the entire battery charge.

   • In this case, you might want to consider how often you use your phone. If you've been using your phone a lot lately, it's quite possible that that's why the battery has been used up. Rapid battery drain may be something to consider if you haven't used your phone much or haven't used it more than usual lately.
   • There are apps that allow you to track exactly where your charge is going, such as BatteryLife LX or Battery LED.
   • Remember that your phone's battery will deteriorate and hold a charge less well as you use it. If you begin to notice that your phone begins to discharge quickly after a year of use, the reason for this may be a bad battery.

3. Try turning off your phone. If the shutdown process takes a long time or cannot be completed, this may indicate that your phone is being monitored by a listening device.

   • Observe carefully whether the process of turning off your phone takes longer than usual, and whether the backlight remains on even after turning off the phone.
   • Although the phone does not turn off or turns off for a long time, this may not only indicate a listening device, it may also be caused by problems with the system of your phone.

4. Watch out for strange activities. If your phone lights up, turns off, turns on, or starts downloading something without your intervention, this may indicate that someone has hacked your phone.

   • At the same time, all this can happen due to any interference during data transmission.

5. Pay attention to strange SMS messages. If you have recently received strange messages with strange sets of letters and numbers from unknown numbers, then you should be on your guard - such messages are a very serious signal that your phone may be tapped.

   Keep a close eye on your monthly bills. If the cost of your mobile Internet suddenly jumped, then you may be being eavesdropped. When listening, mobile Internet may be used, so your traffic will disappear very quickly.

   • Many spy programs send information from phones to online servers and use the mobile Internet to do this. Old programs use a large amount of Internet traffic, while new programs are harder to notice because they use very little bandwidth.

Part 4

1. Pay attention to your surroundings. If you suspect that your landline phone is being tapped, carefully inspect your home or office. If something is not where it usually is, such as a sofa or table, don't chalk up moving things up to paranoia. This may be evidence that someone outside has visited you.

   • Wiretap technicians may move furniture to get to electrical and telephone wires, so if something is out of place, you have every reason to suspect something is wrong.
   • Pay particular attention to the walls. Pay special attention to walls near telephone sockets, as they may show signs of distortion.

2. Look at the external telephone box. You may not know exactly what a telephone box should look like from the inside, but you should still open it and inspect it. If the box shows signs of being tampered with, or if the inside of the box looks like it has been recently touched, this may indicate that someone recently installed a listening device in it.

   • If you notice wires that look like they were quickly installed, have a professional take a look at them.
   • Take a close look at the "forbidden" side of the box. This side can only be opened with a special hexagon, so if you notice signs of forced entry on it, you have serious problems.

3. Count the number of trucks that are parked in front of your house. If you start noticing more trucks than usual, it may mean that they are not actually work vehicles. They may belong to people who are tapping your phone.

   • It is especially worth noting the cars that no one ever gets into.
   • Typically, people who tap phones should be between 152 and 213 meters away from the phone. Cars that are designed for wiretapping are likely to have tinted windows.

4. Beware of strange repairmen. If someone comes to you claiming to be a repairman or worker from your phone company, but you haven't called anyone, that person might try to bug your phone. Call the company that this person claims to work for to confirm their identity.

   • When you call this company, call the number you found yourself, not the one the stranger gave you at the door.
   • Even if you receive confirmation from the company, carefully monitor all the worker's actions.

Part 5

1. Use the device to detect listening devices. This device is a device that connects to your phone. As the name suggests, this device can detect listening devices on the line, confirming your suspicions.

2. Install the application. For smartphones, you can install a special application that can detect eavesdropping programs and hacking of your phone.

   • The effectiveness of such apps is also questionable, so even they may not provide you with all the evidence you need. Some similar applications only work to recognize bugs previously installed by other applications.

Ecology of knowledge. How can you listen to conversations on mobile phones, is it possible to protect yourself from this kind of attack, and how can a subscriber determine that his phone is being monitored? In light of the latest spy scandals, these issues are once again on the agenda. AIN.UA asked Ukrainian mobile operators to tell us what to do in such cases.

How can you listen to conversations on mobile phones, is it possible to protect yourself from this kind of attack, and how can a subscriber determine that his phone is being monitored? In light of the latest spy scandals These issues are once again on the agenda. AIN.UA asked Ukrainian mobile operators to tell us what to do in such cases.

Surprisingly, many market participants were unable to answer such questions - we received a full answer only from MTS Ukraine. Life:) did not respond to the request at all, and Kyivstar stated that the operator is not an expert in such matters, so they advised to contact government service representatives for comments. In addition to MTS's responses, we used information about wiretapping from open sources.

How operators protect their networks

GSM technology was initially developed and implemented taking into account the requirements of government agencies regarding the level of security. To maintain this security, most countries in the world prohibit the use and sale of powerful encryptors, scramblers, crypto equipment, as well as highly secure public communications technologies. Telecom operators themselves protect their radio channels by encryption, using quite complex algorithms for this. The choice of cryptographic algorithm is carried out at the stage of establishing a connection between the subscriber and the base station. As for the likelihood of subscriber information leaking from operators’ equipment, MTS claims that it is reduced to zero due to the complexity and controllability of access to facilities and equipment.

How can you “listen” to phones?

There are two methods of listening to subscribers - active and passive. Passive listening to a subscriber will require the use of expensive equipment and specially trained personnel. Now on the “gray” market you can buy complexes with which you can listen to subscribers within a radius of 500 meters; their cost starts from several hundred thousand euros. They look like the picture on the right. On the Internet you can easily find a description of such systems and the principle of their operation.

Manufacturers of such equipment claim that the system allows you to monitor GSM conversations in real time, based on access to the object's SIM card or the cellular operator's database. If there is no such access, then conversations can be listened to with a delay, depending on the level of encryption used by the operator. The system can also be part of a mobile complex for tracking and listening to moving objects.

The second method of eavesdropping is active on-air interference in control and authentication protocols using special mobile systems. Such equipment, despite its apparent simplicity (in essence, it is a pair of modified phones and a computer), can cost from several tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Working with such complexes requires highly qualified service personnel in the field of communications.

The operating principle of such an attack is as follows: the mobile complex, due to its closer location to the subscriber (up to 500 m), “intercepts” signals to establish a connection and transmit data, replacing the nearest base station. In fact, the complex becomes an “intermediary” between the subscriber and the base station with all the ensuing security problems.

Having “caught” the subscriber in this way, this mobile complex can perform any function to manage the subscriber’s connection, including connecting it to any number the attackers need, installing a “weak” encryption algorithm, or even canceling encryption for a given communication session, and much more.

An example of such listening is the events of the beginning of this year in the center of Kyiv. During mass protests against the Yanukovych regime, the crowd seized a car with SBU officers, from which they “wiretapped” the frequencies of the protesters’ radios and phones. What such equipment looks like can be clearly seen in the picture.

There is a third possibility for listening to conversations and intercepting mobile subscriber traffic. To do this, you need to install virus software on the victim’s smartphone. When installing malicious software, attackers can “independently” choose or cancel the encryption algorithm, unauthorized transfer (or destruction) of the subscriber’s confidential information, and much more.

How to determine if your phone is being tapped

As MTS Ukraine told AIN.UA, it is impossible to directly determine whether the phone is currently being tapped, but it is possible to obtain indirect confirmation of some probability of this. Many models of old push-button phones even displayed a special icon (closed or open lock), which demonstrated whether conversation encryption was currently in use or not.

Modern phones do not provide this function. However, there are special applications for smartphones that can inform the user about the configuration of the settings of the current communication session, including whether his speech is transmitted openly or using an encryption algorithm. Here are some of them:

EAGLE Security

A powerful program to protect phones from eavesdropping. It allows you to prevent connection to a false base station by checking the signatures and identifiers of base stations. In addition, it tracks the location of stations, and if a base station moves around the city or periodically disappears from its place, it is marked as suspicious and the program notifies the user about this. Using the program, you can also get a complete list of applications that have access to the microphone and video camera of your phone, as well as block access of unwanted software to the camera.

Darshak

The program helps to monitor any suspicious activity on the cellular network, including SMS that are sent without the user's knowledge. The program also evaluates network security in real time, shows which algorithms are used to encrypt conversations, and much more.

Android IMSI-Catcher Detector

Another software package that allows you to protect your smartphone from connecting to false base stations. True, it has a small drawback - the application is not on Google Play and you will have to tinker a little with its installation.

CatcherCatcher

CatcherCatcher, just like Android IMSI-Catcher Detector, allows you to distinguish a real base station from a false one.

In addition, MTS recommends using security applications, including encrypting conversations. For example, anonymous web browsers include Orbot or Orweb. There are also applications for encrypting telephone conversations, photographs and many secure instant messengers. published

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