Even as a report in Outlook on the alleged tapping of the phones of political leaders and senior bureaucrats is creating ripples in political circles, the fact remains that ordinary citizens are vulnerable to eavesdropping what with the advanced equipment used for the purpose. The new off-the-air GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) monitoring device, which has been used to track calls in the present case as claimed by the magazine, can be deployed anywhere. The device needs no authorisation as the phone is not being tapped at the exchange; it is only the signals that are intercepted between the phone and the cellphone tower and recorded on a hard disk.
The equipment can track and tap into any cellphone conversation within a two-km radius.
If this is not impressive enough, there are technologies available in the market that can convert your cellphone into an intelligence system by activating special software, to spy on you. And this technology is available in India itself.
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A Noida-based company, which claims to be a leading provider of analysis and surveillance solutions, has a technology that allows one to listen in to all phone calls made or received by the target handset, and also forwards all incoming and outgoing messages (SMS) on the target handset to a pre-defined number.
It also allows you to track the location of the target phone to the nearest GSM tower.
Interestingly, the application allows one to listen to a room conversation from anywhere in the world. It enables the user from the pre-defined number to call the phone when it is switched off and listen to the conversations taking place around the phone.
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All you need to do is give a cellphone equipped with the application to whoever you want to listen in on.
The software can also be programmed to call you when there is an activity on the target phone. It calls you when the person is calling someone else or even when the person receives a call. There is no reason, therefore, for your missing a single communication.
The company — which announces on its website that all its equipment are for end-usage only by the government or the Ministry of Defence or its related agencies — also claims to have a product designed to protect your communication from eavesdropping and interception by providing “Military Grade” security for your confidential mobile phone conversations. The product is designed to encrypt GSM mobile phone calls and absolutely thwarts its tapping.