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Guide to DIY Wiretapping
Geeks are Sexy writes "ITSecurity.com has a nice piece this week on how wiretapping works and how you can protect yourself from people who wants to snoop into your life. From the article 'Even if you aren't involved in a criminal case or illegal operation, it's incredibly easy to set up a wiretap or surveillance system on any type of phone. Don't be surprised to learn that virtually anyone could be spying on you for any reason.'" Maybe I'm on the wrong track here, but I guess I assumed that wiretapping now happened in secret rooms at the telco, and not by affixing something physically to a wire in your home, but I'll definitely be aware next time I hear a stranger breathing next time I'm stuck on hold.
If someone is dumb enough to leave the microphone connected on an intercept phone, they deserve to get caught.
Still, if you're feeling paranoid, by all means check your phones. It's true, nosy neighbors could indeed be spying on you. Never underestimate the average person's voyeurism urges...
psmylie's dictionary: Godzillion (noun) Any number large enough to destroy Tokyo
It's the 90s bomb making/revenge/wiretapping text file guides all over again. Only this time it's Web 2.0
Because how can you wiretap something with no wires? It must be completely immune to wiretapping XD.
Yes, because corporate espionage is so often carried out by nefarious time travelers from the 70s and 80s. This gem should also include look for men with wavy hair and bright rays from the nearest time gate.
From TFA
"Listen to other people's calls through your own basic telephone by hooking up your phone to a part of the original line that runs outside the house of your target."
I can just see the Darwin awards on this one when some idiot mistakes the main power line for a phone line when looking for the "red and green wires". ZAP
Just wanted to say thanks for these articles. Now every single one of our paranoid customers is going to call us up and demand an inspection of their line.
I just want to get this off my chest for most people.... You aren't interesting enough to tap, nobody cares about your private business.
Neither am I. But I sometimes play one on the Internet; and then I keep an eye on the news to see what havoc my bad advice causes.
And yes, you could use a current loop probe, sorta like the one you link to. Just put it in the right place, hook up the correct other equipment (speakers are always good), put a paper clip in the nearest wall socket (you have to make sure you are earthing yourself so that you don't mess up the signal), and go for gold!
True story: I have a cordless phone and one time I was talking with my mom and the phone acted a bit weird. She sounded somewhat quieter and there seemed to be static. I shook the phone thinking there was a loose connection and the static was gone but her voice was still quieter.
She asked me what was going on and I told her, "Eh, must be the wiretap on my phone."
As far as I can tell, I have not had that problem since that time.
*cue spooky music*
We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
Couple of years ago, one of my neighbors narced on me because they thought I was playing video games too loud. This led to me getting a set of wireless headphones to listen to TV with.
:/
It completely surprised me the first time I put them on and couldn't get them to tune into the TV's transmitter because all the channels were full of wireless phone conversations.
Sadly, none of my neighbors have any secrets worth listening to. And even worst, most of them seem to have no issues with taking the phone into the shitter with them
In revenge, I've hooked up the transmitter to a cheap dvd player and leave anime porn running on a loop just before going to work, every few days....
I remember when I was younger, going around with a handset with roach clips at the end of the wire, opening phone boxes and plugging in. It was always a bit of a surprise when we tapped an active line, but MAN! So easy to do. I don't know if things are still setup the same way these days - I know the phone boxes around here are locked - not sure if the same key opens all of them anymore, but yeah - easy to tap a phone line? Sure, as long as you don't mind sitting in the bushes! I'm sure there is technology that can make it easier than that, these days.
Oh, the above story? Not me, of course. When I say I, I'm talking about someone else I heard stories about, of course. I'd never do anything remotely approaching illegal, such as making long distance phone calls on other people's lines. That's crazy!
Why would I want to wiretap myself?
One of our competitors trademarked the term "hypothesis". From now on, we will call them "boneheaded ideas".
It's even simpler in the USA to find out if the line is tapped. If the year is 2000 or later, it is.
"...a butt phone with monitor mode."
You must have had a shitty job listening to all of those crappy conversations.
That won't help me: all my calls consist of heavy breathing.
I am very small, utmostly microscopic.