Thai Site Enables Mobile Phones To Be Spied On

[george]

Thai site enables mobile phones to be spied on

Software allows criminals to turn your phone against you

With a simple program, someone could take control of your phone, listen to your calls, read your e-mails all while tracking your every move.

If you have a camera phone, they can even turn it on and look at you!

It happend to the Kuykendall family. "They've totally taken over her phone," says Heather.

Somehow, someone hacked into their mobile phones. The stalkers know what the family does, what they say and even what they wear.

"I can't sleep at night. I don't do, I worry constantly," says Courtney.

Authorities thought they were making it up. Heather says police told her, "They can't do what you say that they're doing."

But it is possible. And relatively easy. At least a half dozen internet sites sell software that turns mobile phones into spy phones.

One site is in Thailand. They sell a top of the line spyware for just over $400.

Our sister station tested it out. Brian Franco, and IT specialist, says, "This is pretty darn scary. From an IT perspective, they can steal my emails, they can track where I am. They can listen in on my conversations. "

The infected phone looks like it's off. But you can secretly listen in or watch you.

How does the software work? Someone can trick you to go to a website you don't know....and the spyware is installed whtout you knowing it.

The best thing you can do, don't visit websites you don't know and don't let anyone use your phone.

It only takes a few seconds for your mobile phone to be turned into a spyphone...that spys on you.

You should know, this is against federal law and is considered wire tapping.

Communication specialists say the only way to take the spyware off is for phone companies to install anti-virus and anti-phisihing software on their own servers to screen it out.

-- digtriad.com 2008-05-06

[petedk]

I heard a similar scare story a few years ago in Denmark but Telecom officials said it's pure Bullsh*t.

I doubt very much that a telephone that is switched off can "listen in" on you.

[stumonster]

and what are they trying to sell ?

[Bok63]

This technology has been around for a long time, is true.

[stumonster]

This technology has been around for a long time, is true.

so what phone operating systems , what browsers , how well does it hide itself and how does it infect ?

[ilyushin]

FYI

The FlexiSpy application captures call logs, text messages and mobile Internet activity, among other things. The software, released at the beginning of March, sells for $49.95 and is advertised by Bangkok, Thailand-based Vervata as a tool to monitor kids and unfaithful spouses. The data captured is sent to Vervata's servers and is accessible to customers via a special Web site.

Similar surveillance software for PCs already exists and has raised the ire of groups fighting domestic violence, who fear it may be used by abusive spouses.

FlexiSpy has attracted a different kind of criticism from security company F-Secure, which has labeled the software a Trojan, or a malicious program that disguises itself as something innocuous.

"This application installs itself without any kind of indication as to what it is," Jarno Niemela wrote on the Finnish antivirus maker's corporate blog Wednesday. "And when it is installed on the phone, it completely hides itself from the user."

FlexiSpy could be used by miscreants as part of malicious software that targets phones, Niemela wrote. Alternatively, an attacker could try sending the program to phones via a Bluetooth connection and trust that there are enough curious people to install it. F-Secure has updated its security software for mobile phones to detect the program.

Vervata in an e-mailed statement late Wednesday insisted that FlexiSpy is not malicious. ""FlexiSpy is not a Trojan horse, nor a virus, and does not require the purchase of F-Secure antivirus products to remove it," the company said. An uninstall option is provided, Vervata added.

"FlexiSpy is activity monitoring software that needs to be consciously installed by a human who knows exactly what the software does," Vervata said, to distinguish its product from a Trojan horse. "It does not self replicate, it does not pretend to be something it is not, and it always requires conscious human action for installation."

Sales of FlexiSpy have "exceeded all expectations," Vervata said, without disclosing any specific numbers.

FlexiSpy is available for cell phones that run the Symbian operating system, such as Nokia Series 60 handsets. Vervata plans to release by the end of April a version for Research In Motion's BlackBerry, as well as for devices that run Microsoft's Windows Mobile Pocket PC operating system, according to the company's Web site.

Vervata is still working on "FlexiSpy Pro," which will log e-mail and multimedia messages, in addition to the other data, according to the company's Web site. That version will also include a "monitoring" feature that lets the user call the target cell phone from a preset number and listen in on what's going on in the background, in much the same way a baby monitor works.

Quick Overview - How to spy on a cell phone, what is spyphone software and how does it work?

How to spy on a cell phone?

Have you ever wanted to spy on your special someone's mobile/cell phone? Now you can and it's a lot easier to do than you think. All it takes is for you to purchase spyphone software available from several online vendors. Within minutes of your purchase, you can be reading your loved one's sms messages, find out who they are calling or who is calling them, know their location, and even listen in on their surroundings.

**It's worth mentioning that another option is to buy a phone with spy software installed for you. These phones are usually referred to as "spyphones" and are sold by many online vendors. However, watch out for the cost. Spyphones can range from $500 - $1,500.

What is spyphone software?

Used by people who suspect their spouse is cheating, parents who want to monitor the kids, or employers who want to monitor phone usage by their staff, spyphone software such as Flexispy & Mobile Spy is software that you download into a mobile(cell) phone, which then secretly records the phone's activity such as sms messages sent or received, call history, etc. and then either uploads the data to a remote server or forwards to you via sms giving you complete visibility of all activitiy that occurs on the phone.

How does it work?

Once installed, the spyphone software is completely hidden from the user and starts to collect all available data such as SMS Messages, ingoing/outgoing call history, location tracking, GPRS, etc. and uploads the collected data to a remote server using GPRS. (Neo Call forwards the data via SMS)

You then simply access the webpage of the spyphone vendor, enter your account details, and then you have full access to all the data collected 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, regardless where you are in the world. You can read all sms messages (both incoming and outgoing), know who they are calling or who is calling them, where they were when the call was received, and more.

Here is an overview of the entire process:

Imagine if you are a wife who suspects their husband is cheating on them. Now you can read all their incoming and outgoing SMS Messages, find out who is calling them and where they actually are when they say, "Honey, I'm at the office." or if you are a parent worried about their children and want to monitor their sms messages. No more guessing what happens when your loved ones leave the house. Oh no!

Edited May 6, 2008 by ilyushin

[A_Traveller]

The software was being hawked around by a company in Rajdhavee I think called Vervata(?) for several years now. The software needs to be physically installed, and is based on Symbian so top level Nokia, and I read somewhere they were producing a version for Windows Mobile. By the by the trick to leave the mic on even when the phone is not 'in-use' is well known.

Regards.

PS my wonderful True connexion took so long Ilyushin has provided more data whilst I waited for a screen refresh!.

PPS LINK for corporate site, spy software is hived off onto another site

Edited May 6, 2008 by A_Traveller

[stumonster]

Removal using Symbian application manager

If you feel you want to remove Flexispy from your device, you can do that by doing the following:

1. Open the Application Manager (App. Mgr) from the Tools folder.

2. Find the application named RBackupPro.

3. Click options and select "Remove".

4. The application will uninstall.

5. Reboot the phone.

More info here

[Bok63]

This technology has been around for a long time, is true.

so what phone operating systems , what browsers , how well does it hide itself and how does it infect ?

Actually they can turn on your cell phone and listen to your conversation without any software.

Edited May 7, 2008 by Bok63

[grtaylor]

This technology has been around for a long time, is true.

so what phone operating systems , what browsers , how well does it hide itself and how does it infect ?

Actually they can turn on your cell phone and listen to your conversation without any software.

Sorry, but unless I can see some evidence, I don't believe that . . . .

[LivinLOS]

I heard a similar scare story a few years ago in Denmark but Telecom officials said it's pure Bullsh*t.

I doubt very much that a telephone that is switched off can "listen in" on you.

No however it is quite possible to reprogram a phone so that the 'off' button only turns off the screen with the appearance of the phone being off..

Pulling a battery however is going to be enough in a standard spec phone.

[A_Traveller]

^^ & ^ There was a case in the US where the evidence was gleaned by using two Nextel cell phone as 'roving bugs', that is mics permanently switched on. This takes the agreement of the cell provider to accomplish, or can be done by applying software to the cell phone. This in part takes advantage of the feature where a phone that is turned off wakes itself up for an pre-set alarm. As has been noted above the only way to really turn phones off {especially Nokias} is to take the battery out.

Regards

PS A search for roving bug will bring up some further discussion on this, much of it generated by judicial opinion on the case I mentioned, in 2006.

Edited May 7, 2008 by A_Traveller

[LiveSteam]

Wow, really incredible can you give us the site address. Better than a real detective on matters with your wife. It’s not against the law is it?

LiveSteam

[Cuban]

This technology has been around for a long time, is true.

Agreed - in a former roll back in farangland we revised downward some company cell phones for fears of this type of snooping.

The foot in the door that could be used to 'infect' a suitable phone would be via an open bluetooth connection - I believe that the software would need to be installed by the person with the cell phone in their hand - although the user could be tricked into doing this I expect that planting the software while the user of the phone is not present would be the best way to apply it to a phone.

Around Pattaya I get ocassional incoming Bluetooth links - simply click the Reject button.

Better than a real detective on matters with your wife. It’s not against the law is it?

If you own the cell phone in question and probably pay the bills - I would expect that it is not illegal. However is it right? In personal matters if you have cause to snoop on your partner you generally do not find out good things.

[PrBkkPr]

Apparently Vervata the company that sells the flexispy software at Rajthevee is a BOI sponsored company????? What the hel_l is going on?

[Jefferson]

This is absolutely hilarious.

Especially the part where it installs when you visit a site, without you knowing.

The story is a hoax in itself of course, no listing of what make/model phones would be affected, etc. It's written and intended to scare, for a good laugh.

I had a good laugh, anyway.

(By the way, of course you can write software (a trojan) to copy just about anything from the phone to anywhere else in the world, but the weak point in this hoax is that it just installs without you knowing.)

Edited May 7, 2008 by Jefferson

[Jefferson]

Also:

The infected phone looks like it's off. But you can secretly listen in or watch you.

So who in Thailand has his phone off, like, ever. You turn it on when you buy it and you basically don't turn it off until you accidentally drop it in your beer. Another weak point in this story.

Is it on snopes.com yet?

[Veazer]

...PS A search for roving bug will bring up some further discussion on this, much of it generated by judicial opinion on the case I mentioned, in 2006.

Here's some interesting info about that: http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2006...y_eavesd_1.html

[girlx]

I know the guys from Vervata and think they are genius... though I never really thought about how it could be used to stalk people... http://www.flexispy.com/

Edited May 7, 2008 by girlx

[Scott]

If they do that to my phone, they will die of boredom!

[Scott]

So what are the implications if Thai people are told there are ghosts in their mobile phones?

[sunsamourai]

So what are the implications if Thai people are told there are ghosts in their mobile phones?

Mwahahahaha !!!

What a wonderful software anyways, too bad it's 50 US ! Anybody got a link for a free pirate ? Is it in Panthip already ?

Soljenitsyne, Huxley, Orwell and many other writers who are thougth to be boring nowadays would write wonderful stories about the world we live in now ! Hail to progress !