FBI Taps Cell Phone Microphones in Mafia Case

cnet-declan writes "We already knew the FBI can secretly listen in to car conversations by activating microphones of systems like OnStar. A new Mafia court case suggests that the FBI can do the same thing to cell phones. The judge's opinion and some background information [pdf] are available for reading online. The most disturbing thing? According to the judge, the bug worked even if the phone appeared to be 'powered off.' Anyone up for an open-source handset already?" From the article: "This week, Judge Kaplan in the southern district of New York concluded that the 'roving bugs' were legally permitted to capture hundreds of hours of conversations because the FBI had obtained a court order and alternatives probably wouldn't work. The FBI's 'applications made a sufficient case for electronic surveillance,' Kaplan wrote. 'They indicated that alternative methods of investigation either had failed or were unlikely to produce results, in part because the subjects deliberately avoided government surveillance.'"

Comments

open-source

[Loconut1389]

well, we may not have open-source handsets, but is open-mic good enough?

In Soviet Russia

[anagama]

In Soviet Russia, phone listens to you.

oh wait ....

Re:FBI?

[Anonymous Coward]

Industrial Espionage? Get over Euroself. AirBus got caught bribing officials.

Re:where's the news?

[AlHunt]

> sometimes the police install a second, hidden battery in the phone

You guys must have some awfully big c-phones there in Estonia.

Re:The Solution

[houghi]

I did that once and it must be broke. The thing lighted up all da time. Fohgedaboutit.