The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the FBI
employs a number of high-tech hacker tactics in
its efforts to round up information on suspects,
including the ability to remotely activate
microphones on Android devices and notebook
computers, according to one of its sources who
is described as a “former U.S. official.” These
and other tools are brought to bear in cases
related to organized crime, counterterrorism or
child pornography, according to the WSJ report.
The tools it uses are both internally and
externally sourced, with some coming from the
private sector. Hacking at the FBI under court
order has gradually increased, as law
enforcement officials try to find ways to
circumvent new communication tech that’s
more resistant to traditional surveillance
methods like wiretapping. The specifics of its
methods are not generally brought to light in
public, but a warrant from earlier this year
revealed that one request involved using a
computer’s built-in camera to take photos of a
suspect without their knowledge. The request in
that case was denied.
According to the WSJ’s source, the FBI resorts
to these tactics when they’re out of options, and
“don’t have any other choice.” The tools used to
gather the data are often installed remotely,
using essentially phishing style links that injects
essentially Trojan software when clicked by a
suspect under surveillance. They can also be
installed via physical access and a USB drive,
the report says, and in all cases the FBI tries to
ensure only “relevant data” are gathered by its
hacking efforts, through the use of a screening
team that checks for relevancy before handing
information off to investigators working the
case.
The news that the FBI employs hacker tactics on
occasion to gather data about potential suspects
is not new, but the specifics of how it goes
about it, and how it might be able to employ a
user’s own hardware to record conversations
remotely is definitely going to raise some
eyebrows, especially in light of the attention
now focused on digital rights and privacy thanks
to the leaks around the NSA’s PRISM and
XKeyscore programs. In theory, the devices
could even be activated to eavesdrop on an in-
person conversation with a potential suspect
who doesn’t even own an Android device,
perhaps from the pocket of a friend who does.
PRISM reportedly involves a number of
prominent Internet companies, and Xkeyscore
seems to allow the U.S. security agency
unprecedented access to information about
emails, chat history and more, according to
information leaked by former U.S. government
security contractor Edward Snowden.
In this case, it sounds like the FBI’s tools might
involve Android and desktop PC malware, so
Google wouldn’t need to be complicit for claims
about using Android device mics remotely to be
accurate. We’ve reached out to both the FBI
and Google for comment, but have yet to hear
back as of press time.The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the FBI
employs a number of high-tech hacker tactics in
its efforts to round up information on suspects,
including the ability to remotely activate
microphones on Android devices and notebook
computers, according to one of its sources who
is described as a “former U.S. official.” These
and other tools are brought to bear in cases
related to organized crime, counterterrorism or
child pornography, according to the WSJ report.
The tools it uses are both internally and
externally sourced, with some coming from the
private sector. Hacking at the FBI under court
order has gradually increased, as law
enforcement officials try to find ways to
circumvent new communication tech that’s
more resistant to traditional surveillance
methods like wiretapping. The specifics of its
methods are not generally brought to light in
public, but a warrant from earlier this year
revealed that one request involved using a
computer’s built-in camera to take photos of a
suspect without their knowledge. The request in
that case was denied.
According to the WSJ’s source, the FBI resorts
to these tactics when they’re out of options, and
“don’t have any other choice.” The tools used to
gather the data are often installed remotely,
using essentially phishing style links that injects
essentially Trojan software when clicked by a
suspect under surveillance. They can also be
installed via physical access and a USB drive,
the report says, and in all cases the FBI tries to
ensure only “relevant data” are gathered by its
hacking efforts, through the use of a screening
team that checks for relevancy before handing
information off to investigators working the
case.
The news that the FBI employs hacker tactics on
occasion to gather data about potential suspects
is not new, but the specifics of how it goes
about it, and how it might be able to employ a
user’s own hardware to record conversations
remotely is definitely going to raise some
eyebrows, especially in light of the attention
now focused on digital rights and privacy thanks
to the leaks around the NSA’s PRISM and
XKeyscore programs. In theory, the devices
could even be activated to eavesdrop on an in-
person conversation with a potential suspect
who doesn’t even own an Android device,
perhaps from the pocket of a friend who does.
PRISM reportedly involves a number of
prominent Internet companies, and Xkeyscore
seems to allow the U.S. security agency
unprecedented access to information about
emails, chat history and more, according to
information leaked by former U.S. government
security contractor Edward Snowden.
In this case, it sounds like the FBI’s tools might
involve Android and desktop PC malware, so
Google wouldn’t need to be complicit for claims
about using Android device mics remotely to be
accurate. We’ve reached out to both the FBI
and Google for comment, but have yet to hear
back as of press time.

smells dat page things

This article just gives substance to my claim that Google Android platform is insecure. Recently I also read about how Google app store is full of malware and "fake" apps.
After watching several DEF CON Hacking Conference videos on youtube, my thought on what is actually possible with mobile technology has changed. With the installation of a signed app that contains malicious code, trojan, these hackers effectively own your phone. They can control your phone. Remember that the Android platform is an open platform "anyone" can freely develop and publish apps on google store.
With mobile and PC technology converging at a very fast pace, hackers' capabilities can only increase.
Hey, I'm not crying "the sky is falling, everyone abandon google android" No, for someone like me with keen interest on computer security, it bugs me that it can be done, not that people should be scared, but it is possible.

going back to my torchlight fone