Jude 2

You won't believe what someone can do with your own cell phone... This is worth your 5 minutes to watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCyKcoDaofg

Exactly.

Worth the read concerning whether your phone is likely infected with spyware or not?

(1) You experience trouble when shutting off your phone. It seems to just sit there when you try to power down.

(2) Your phone continues to stay lit up for several seconds to a minute after you've shut it off.

(3) You notice that your phone will light up when you're not using it to make a call, or when no one is calling you, or when you're not using any of the phone's apps. Spyware has to "call" your phone to get information.

(4) You hear strange background noises or clicks when you're on a call.

(5) You notice an increase in GPRS activity. This indicates spyware is tracking your location.

(6) You notice the icon that shows the internet connection activates several times a day for no reason. Again, spyware is gathering information.
Step

(7) Your phone bill lists many more text messages than you remember sending.

(8 ) Your partner or someone else close to you has borrowed your phone to install a software program they say you'll like, or a wallpaper, or a ring tone.

(9) You let a stranger borrow your phone to make an "emergency" call. The number they called most likely installed spyware on your phone. This is commonly used to set up a program to send large numbers of text messages to your phone for which you are charged.

WOW.....that's crazy Pastorables. I didn't get to see the youtube video b/c of the length of it, but it sounds crazy. What's in the video?

Legacy wrote: What's in the video?

Are you on dialup? If not, watch the youtube link? Much faster?

3) You notice that your phone will light up when you're not using it to make a call, or when no one is calling you, or when you're not using any of the phone's apps. Spyware has to "call" your phone to get information

quote](2) Your phone continues to stay lit up for several seconds to a minute after you've shut it off. [/quote]

These happen several times a day...how can i check if there is spyware on it? I mean it stays lit several seconds after i hung up from a call.....

dalebert wrote:These happen several times a day...how can i check if there is spyware on it? I mean it stays lit several seconds after i hung up from a call.....

I've spoken to a Cellular South business owner and a police officer. Neither of these are familiar with Spyware for cell phones, etc.

I recently bought a new phone due to this particular lighting issue and a couple of other ones on the list. From what I understand, it's relatively easy for someone to put spyware on your phone (as simple as sending something for you to download with it attached, etc), yet very challenging to trace and confirm the presence of spyware on your phone.

pa

Makes complete sense as to how this could work. If you allow someone to install a program on your phone (by letting them use it, leaving it laying around, or opening some random unknown attachment), then obviously they can do pretty much whatever they want.

Having a password on your phone, and not letting others use it, is probably a big step toward preventing this type of thing. My BlackBerry has a password. It locks itself upon being inserted into the holster, or after it has been idle for several minutes. I also reprogrammed the left-side "voice memo" key (which I never used) to lock the phone, so if I set it down I always hit that button out of habit. (My phone does have some sensitive information on it, and it has special access to some servers, so I don't want random people using it.)

On an even scarier note: The passwords on some phones are fairly simple to bypass. On my last few phones (Verizon, not smartphones) I found an interesting feature: You can set a 4-digit security code to lock the phone. This defaults to the last 4 digits of your cell number, but you can change it. This is set (or re-set) upon activating the phone (if you give it to someone else, or change the number, the code gets reset.) Anyway, some of these phones will lock you from the information IN the phone, but still allow outbound calls while the phone is locked. If you know the last 4 digits of the locked phone, just dial *228 (the Verizon OTA activation number) and hit SEND. Pick option #1 (program your phone) -- NOT option #2. Option #1 will re-send the activation instructions to the phone. Once the phone reboots, the lock code is now the last 4 digits of the cell number. Unlock and enjoy.

Scary isn't it?

I am blown away at this.... How is it legal, police need warrants for such things, how do they get away with this?

Am I understanding that someone would need to have access to your phone?