How To Tell If Your Cell Phone Is Bugged

Lauren Weinstein writes to point us to his essay on the realities of using an idle cell phone as a bug, as a recent story indicated the FBI may have done in a Mafia case. From the essay: "There is no magic in cell phones. From a transmitting standpoint, they are either on or off... It is also true that some phones can be remotely programmed by the carrier to mask or otherwise change their display and other behaviors in ways that could be used to fool the unwary user. However, this level of remote programmability is another feature that is not universal... But remember — no magic! When cell phones are transmitting — even as bugs — certain things are going to happen every time that the alert phone user can often notice."

How to tell

[LiquidCoooled]

You could check the old fashioned way - slide off the back cover if an insect falls out you can be sure it is bugged.

Not a bug

[JonathanR]

It's not a bug, it's a feature!

great advice

[macadamia_harold]

When cell phones are transmitting -- even as bugs -- certain things are going to happen every time that the alert phone user can often notice.

For example, when using a Palm Treo 650, the phone will crash and reset often, and without notice.

Re:Not a bug

[dattaway]

640 minutes of evidence ought to be enough for anyone.
--Robert Gates [wikipedia.org]

Re:Easy way to detect a bugged phone

[conno]

And as an added bonus all of the mafia dudes would know who is the most baaadass among them (from the perspective of the FBI) just by who's phone is always flashing in a epileptic inducing technicolored lightshow.

Im sure they would love this.

Does it sound like Capt obvious here just got his first mobile telephonic device? fta

But if you're not on a call, and you hear a continuing rapid buzz-buzz-buzz in nearby speakers that lasts more than a few seconds and gets louder as you approach with your phone, well, the odds are that your phone is busily transmitting, and bugging is a definite possibility.

Re:That doesn't work, here's why

[CapitalT]

Them: "Is Mark there?" Me: "I'm sorry, there's no Mark here, you must have a wrong number." Them: "I'm sorry, are you sure you're not mark" Me: "you have a wrong number" Them: "Oh my mistake, thanks again erm Mr erm...." Me: "Bond, James Bond"

Re:Disposable phones

[cronius]

Yes, I recommend everyone to do this. I also recommend everyone to change the apperance of their face with plastic surgery once a year, just in case. Also, only use rental cars, and change these just as often. Only pay by cash, change what appartment you're living in as often as you can. Sleep with a gun underneath your pillow, have few friends, and don't tell them much about yourself. It's all about protecting yourself from the government, we're all suspects until proven guilty after all.

How to tell if your cell phone is bugged...

[kbox]

... It's when your girlfriend, for no apparent reason, says: "who is nikki and why is she telling you to get tested for syphilis?"

Re:Easy way to detect a bugged phone

[stormeru]

I can't use this method. I am talking on the phone with my imaginary friend all the time but I don't have to really make a call. Now everybody on the street will think I'm nuts if that LED thing won't blink.

Old, old news

[Toby The Economist]

The RISKS digest [ncl.ac.uk] carried this news a few years ago.

It's been long known that;

1. some providers can download arbitrary software to some phones
2. a phone can be running that software while appearing not to be making a call

The potential for abuse is obvious.

I gave up my mobile phone about a month ago now. I read through a full list of the ways in which the British State monitors me. When you read them all at once, it has quite an impact. The simple question I have is this: I am completely innocent. I have commited no crimes and am not suspected of committing any crimes.

SO WHY AM I BEING WATCHED?

Re:That doesn't work, here's why

[KDR_11k]

What happens when you answer "Yes, this is Mark, what do you want?"?

Oh so much easier in the old russian times

[A beautiful mind]

You could tell that your phone was bugged, because you had an extra wardrobe in your room.

Somewhere in a poorly lit dockyard...

[ettlz]

Gangster 1. OK, so I'll just phone [insert non-ethnocentric name here] to confirm the date of the shipment. How many kilos again?
Gangster 2. NO! Shh! Keep your voice down until you dial out — that thing could be bugged.
Phone. "This phone is not being used as a covert surveillance device. Please continue to arrange your morally and/or legally questionable activities as normal."
Gangster 1. Muh?!
Phone. "Please ignore this message."

Re:Disposable phones

[sbryant]

Just use a pay phone. Get rolls of dimes from the bank.

It's easier said than done. There aren't as many payphones about as there used to be*, and a lot of those that are left require phone cards.

Then, when you do find a suitable one, how do you know it isn't bugged already?

Lastly, getting a roll of dimes from the just isn't that easy in most of the countries in the world. Of course, most of the world's payphones don't accept dimes either...

-- Steve

* The UK has a unique situation: while the number of payphones in the UK may have decreased, the number of British Telephone Boxes has remained about the same - they've just moved to more exotic locations in other countries. The same goes for British Police Boxes, except that their movements appear not to be limited to the first three dimensions.

Re:Easy way to detect a bugged phone

[drgonzo59]

You mean you can't string 10 millions LEDs around a phone and light up a whole city for free while you talk on your phone? Stupid physics laws!

I have the ultimate protection against snoopers...

[The Famous Druid]

My life is so boring, spying on me is its own punishment.

Re:Oh so much easier in the old russian times

[aadvancedGIR]

It still happens anywhere to a lot of people, it's called wedding. The funny thing is that they can't really complain, since it is the only spying procedure that involve opt-in.

Re:How to tell

[Anonymous Coward]

I tell my phone everything that is going on in my life. When I hear the FBI agent snoring, I know my phone is being bugged.

Signed, /. reader

Re:I think it's call log profiling

[djmurdoch]

Not to mention all those AC posts they see you making...

Re:That doesn't work, here's why

[maddogdelta]

Them: Is Mark there? Me : I told you already! Them : No you didn't Me: Yes I did. Them : No you didn't Me : I most certainly did....

Re:I think it's call log profiling

[speculatrix]

make international calls to the far east,

Osama, is that you?

Re:That doesn't work, here's why

[spiderbitendeath]

I'm sorry, is this a 5 minute call, or the full half hour?

Zing!

[Legion303]

If your phone is warm to the touch even when not in use, is that an indication of bugging or a battery designed by Sony?

Re:Not a bug

[aplusjimages]

Does this include family and friend minutes? Or are those still free?

Look at the color of the wires

[gr8dude]

There is another approach - take off the cover which protects the battery. Underneath the battery, you will see how two wires are connected. If the color of the wires is green, then you're bugged. Otherwise, if the wires are red - it's a bomb.

Other colors are not defined by the standards, so if your phone has wires which are not green, nor red - you have a counterfeit phone.

Re:Disposable phones

[4solarisinfo]

Get rolls of dimes from the bank.

And a time machine...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payphone [wikipedia.org]
"In the United States, the coin rate for a local direct-dialed station-to-station call from a payphone has been 50 in most areas since mid-2001"

Figure out which app it is and delete it.

[Andy Dodd]

I can attribute every single crash/reset of my phone within the past six months to a year to particular apps on my phone. In this case, it's GNU Keyring. Keyring really likes to crash my phone if I haven't used Keyring in a while. It's Keyring's way of telling me it wants more love. :)

How to tell

[thaig]

Just phone your own land-line and then say, "Binladenbinladenbinladen" 10 times.

Wait 30 minutes.

If there are no black helicopters after 30 minutes then you probably aren't being bugged.

Re:Disposable phones

[Anonymous Coward]

British Police Boxes, except that their movements appear not to be limited to the first three dimensions.

I wish i had modpoints..

Re:I think it's call log profiling

[j_snare]

Osama, is that you?

No, it's Mark. Get it right.

Re:That doesn't work, here's why

[Anonymous Coward]

My name is Mark, and nobody calls me...

Re:How to tell if your cell phone is bugged...

[yanyan]

You lost me at "girlfriend."

Re:Well, I guess

[leon.gandalf]

The what now? I love it when people talk about mythical non existant things..... Liberal Media... what next Unicorns!!?!?!

Re:That doesn't work, here's why

[Garabito]

You: Hello?
Mark: Hello. My name is Mark. Is there any messages for me?

Don't bother - One time pad is the way to go

[sammyo]

If you're really worried, get a hex die from a gaming store. Then get
8-16 *different* friends to each buy you a prepaid phone. Number them.
When you need to make a call, roll the die, use the phone, toss it in
the trash or better, give it to a random teenager to use up the minutes.

Re:I'll try to record the conversations

[Ariven]

thats why you need to keep the telemarketer counter script handy... http://www.xs4all.nl/~egbg/counterscript.html [xs4all.nl]

Re:great advice

[roseblood]

When cell phones are transmitting -- even as bugs -- certain things are going to happen every time that the alert phone user can often notice.

For example, when using a Palm Treo 650, the phone will crash and reset often, and without notice.

Dude! My XP box must be bugged!

Re:Well, I guess

[stunt_penguin]

Ponies!!!

Re:Hanlon's Razor

[jafac]

Don't you mean; Hanlon's RAZR?

(In any case, this Hanlon fellow sounds like a big, gullible sucker. Scam artists thrive on people who attribute their malice to incompetence/stupidity.)