Cellular phones,
seemingly innocent devices, are often used for carrying
out illegal actions. Today, a major security threat is
being acknowledged by more and more organizations
worldwide - the use of cellular phones as bugging
devices. Cellular phone technology has
dramatically changed eavesdropping techniques. While a
decade ago performing illegal eavesdropping was a
complicated task requiring professional expertise
(involving the installation of concealed transmitters
and receivers on-site), today cellular phones can be
easily converted into bugs and placed
anywhere. Popular cell-phone models made by
Nokia, Motorola and other market leaders, can transform
into sophisticated, easily operated bugging devices
through a small modification. By a simple press of a
button, a seemingly standard cell-phone device switches
into a mode in which it seems to be turned-off. However,
in this deceitful mode the phone will automatically
answer incoming calls, without any visual or audio
indications whatsoever. In most cases, such 'spy' phones
are concealed within the targeted area, for instance -
inside a houseplant. A well-placed bug-phone can be
activated on demand from any remote location (even out
of another country). Such phones can also
prove valuable in business negotiations. The 'spy'
phone-owner leaves the meeting room, (claiming a
restroom break, for instance), calls the 'spy' phone and
listens to the ongoing conversation. On return the
owner's negotiating-positions may change dramatically...
Since the airwaves are full with cellular phone
transmissions, it is almost impossible to locate such
cell-phone-based bugging devices. This task becomes even
harder since transmission occurs only when the
eavesdropper calls the cellular bug; hence practically -
unless one knows where to look for - there is no way of
detecting such bugs. Designed to fight cellular-based
bugs, the Cellular Activity Analyzer detects active and
dormant cellular phones. The CAA device is
based on a modified handheld computer, used to monitor
and detect all cellular communication activity in a
given area (such as an office or yard). Whenever
cellular transmission is detected, the CAA provides the
user with real-time audio and visual alerts. CAA also
creates a log-report of cellular activity that took
place during a certain period of time, logging the exact
time of every cellular-transmission, as well as
transmissions' duration, type & strength.
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