Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Mobile Devices Banned From UK Cabinet Meetings Over Surveillance Fears

Posted by timothy on from the they-are-listening dept.

MightyMartian writes "British securities services fear foreign intelligence agencies have developed the ability to turn mobile devices such as phones and tablets into bugs without the owner's knowledge, allowing them to eavesdrop on confidential meetings. According to the article, UK security services fear China, Russia and Pakistan have figured out a way to turn mobiles into microphones, and have them transmit even when they're off. Ministers in sensitive government departments have been issued with soundproof lead-lined boxes, which they must place their mobiles in when having sensitive conversations."

6 of 116 comments (clear)

  1. Funny thing about backdoors by MacDork · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Funny thing about backdoors, they can be used against you. The FBI have had this capability for years. Just google for "roving bug." What could possibly go wrong? Other people who aren't supposed to be using it have figured out how to exploit it? Do tell.

  2. It's Okay When We Do It by SerenelyHotPest · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Per this, I feel comfortable saying cry me a river.

    The outrage over foreign spying--in particular Chinese backdoors--on the part of the American intelligence community is really a form of the same thing: it's okay when we do it, but as soon as anyone else does the same thing to us, it's a gross affront to our privacy and the relationship we have with the spying party and possibly an act of war. I realize intelligence agencies are trained to think this way, but is it really so terribly difficult to grasp that if you don't want it done to yourself, it's probably a sign you shouldn't be doing it to others?

    1. Re:It's Okay When We Do It by jc42 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      ... it's okay when we do it, but as soon as anyone else does the same thing to us, it's a gross affront to our privacy and the relationship we have with the spying party and possibly an act of war.

      Well, yeah; that's because we're God's chosen people, so everything we do to those foreigners is good and moral, but if they do it to us, they're evil and wrong.

      [Plug in your favorite country, and translate to that country's official language(s), if necessary, to reach full understanding of how human governments work.]

      --
      Those who do study history are doomed to stand helplessly by while everyone else repeats it.
  3. Fixed that for you by rainer_d · · Score: 5, Insightful

    According to the article, UK security services fear China, Russia and Pakistway have also figured out a way to turn mobiles into microphones...

    --
    Windows 2000 - from the guys who brought us edlin
  4. Its Rupert and co they by mjwalshe · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Should be worried about

  5. British gov't afraid of surveillance? by SeaFox · · Score: 2, Insightful

    We aren't even talking about citizens being the recorders (which would be super-ironic).

    When the people in your government don't trust their closest co-workers, there's reason to be concerned about the health of the entire leadership system.