Week 6: Mobile Security & Eavesdropping

Mobile Security & Eavesdropping

There is an ever growing sense of security and lack of questioning happening with the increased use of technology. People are much less likely to question sources and programs when there are so many available. The thought of having programs and applications so easily accessible is helping to create a generation of people that are download happy. These technologies have been around for long enough now that people do not even give a second glance at filling out surveys, questionnaires, or allowing a file to download in order to access a website or gain information. It is with this idea that people have such great power to gain any information they are looking for, but still need to remember that they have a specific responsibility to themselves to protect their security and personal information. There is now a major infestation of malware for cell phones and one of the newest threats of information stealing has become cell phone spyware.

In October of 2008, the National Institute of Science and Technology published a paper on the Guidelines on Cell Phone and PDA Security. Within this paper, they highlight some of the major threats presented to cell phone and PDA users. Some of these threats include malware, eavesdropping, and location tracking services. Each of these three threats seems to pose some of the largest ethical issues for cell phones today. They define malware as being “often disguised as a game, device patch, utility, or other useful third-party application available for download … malware can initiate a wide range of attacks and spread itself onto other devices.” This common and well-known issue among computer users has not been given as much thought among cell phone users. With the ever-increasing use of smart phones, people need to realize they have a computer on their phone now and they too are at risk for malware.  This malware can be a large privacy issue depending on the program it is running. There may be programs deleting your much-needed files and/or accounts. They can also prevent the use of the phone at all. Malware of this type definitely has ethical issues. However, if users continue to not take responsibility for researching their downloads, they may end up with a virus on their phone that may eventually spread to other phones and/or computers.

The next security threat out there for cell phones is eavesdropping. While people are often aware of virus programs coming from some hacker they don’t know, they should also be wary of companies placing eavesdropping programs on your phone. As stated in the Guidelines on Cell Phone and PDA Security,

“Electronic eavesdropping on phone calls, messages, and other wirelessly transmitted information is possible through various techniques. Installing spy software on a device to collect and forward data elsewhere, including conversations captured via a built-in microphone, is perhaps the most direct means, but other components of a communications network, including the airwaves, are possible avenues for exploitation.”

Often times, companies place these programs in the phones without the users knowledge in order to track specific information about their customers and claim the information is used to create solutions to common problems and better serve their customers. It is becoming even more of an issue with cell phone companies selling their user information to police and law enforcement agencies. This user information can range anywhere from the basic information to playing back recorded phone calls and showing text messages that have been sent or received.

  While digital eavesdropping is not exactly illegal, it brings about several ethical and moral dilemmas. The advancements in technology make it no longer necessary to come into physical contact with the cell phones in order to place the eavesdropping device. There are programs that use “… a notebook computer to impersonate a legitimate access point for a public wireless hot spot, such as a coffee shop or an airport first-class lounge, [allowing] client connections to be attracted and sensitive data captured from unsuspected patrons” (Guidelines). These programs are able to find contact lists, pictures, text messages, bank information, or anything else that you have on your phone. They are also able to take a legitimate domain name the user frequents and reroute the user to a malicious website. The advancements in technology are also allowing people to use their phones as a method of payment now since these phones can be connected to bank accounts.  This poses a whole new privacy issue and threat possibility. The ability to track where people shop, how much they spend, and where their account is linked leads to my next major privacy issue today of digital eavesdropping; tracking.

Electronic tracking is basically like having a GPS in your phone at all times. This GPS is a location finder for you though. It tells others where you are and can track where you have been. Often times these programs are advertised for parents to keep track of their children and for business managers to keep track of their employees during office hours (Guidelines). Some of the programs send a message to the user that requires authentication while others never inform the user they’re being tracked. It is up to the parents and business owners to be honest with their trackees. There is an app now as well that people are downloading which lets them see where their friends and contacts are (Trackster). This is a willing app people choose to have and allow others to see them. These programs are being utilized by law enforcement as well.

These cell phone security issues clearly have ethical and moral issues within them. The main one being privacy and another being users not giving consent. Is it ethical to "spy" on someone and listen to their conversations? This is a question that cannot be easily answered. Parents may say that yes it is ok since they are checking on their kids and making sure they are not getting into trouble. Some spouses may say it's all right as well because they are seeing if their spouse is cheating on them. This seems to me to be a large intrusion on privacy and huge lack of trust. We need to get back to talking to each other and discussing issues instead of just assuming and taking drastic measures. Whatever problems were there before I think will only be escalated. These programs are like most other programs out there where they are good programs, but it is the users that make them bad. There are several precautions to take to avoid these things, but I think that is another blog. The nice thing to think about is how useful these programs can be. Each of the initial programs began with a good and positive thought in mind. It was when people modified them and the wrong people got a hold of them that they were being used for the wrong purposes.

Other sources used:

New York Times: Police Usage

Plato: Computer and Information Ethics

Mobile Spyware: Ethical and Legal

Discovery: Cell Phone Spying

CNN: Mobile Phone Security

Government Darknets