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As our everyday activities shift more and more to the virtual realm, both risks and advantages emerge. The advantages are apparent, and, were it not for them, there would be no problem to discuss. Communication, work, running errands of different scale, entertaining yourself, monitoring your health and sports activity, finding your way through unknown territory, making purchases – what can’t you do on your smartphone nowadays? The convenience and time savings are incredible, but there’s always a price tag on everything, and this process is no exception.

What are the threats that a regular user going about his or her regular activities faces? First and foremost, it is the threat of privacy intrusions, which can lead to extremely dire consequences. One of the ways that data can be collected, aside from phishing apps, network sniffing, viral attacks, and many other hacking tools, there are sensor-related threats.

Types of sensors

Modern smartphones are stuffed with all kinds of sensors that are able to read incredible amounts of data related to our body, our phone usage and the environment, making them perfect access points for malicious surveillance and attacks. There are as many as 25 sensors typically installed on a modern smartphone, and their most common types are:

• Proximity (measures the distance of various objects from the touchscreen),
• Light (measures the light level at the location),
• Fingerprint/Touch ID (scans fingerprints),
• Accelerometer (measures the speed and vibration rate),
• Barometer (measures air pressure),
• Gyroscope (assesses device rotation degree and direction),
• Magnetism (evaluates the intensity of the ambient magnetic field),
• Gravity (reports the force of gravity).

The versatility provided by modern devices is amazing, and while we are mostly aware of how our data may be compromised via spying apps, the more recent development in this segment is sensor-based spying. User privacy may soon fall under another wave of new-type attacks. How can sensors give away more information about us than we would suspect?

Let’s take, for example, a set of data that would be extremely useful for potential invaders, namely, the user’s taps on the touchscreen. Seemingly innocent sensor data, such as shifts in the phone movement, easily betrays what they are typing – from passwords to intimate messages to sensitive company correspondence. The sensor-reading spyware is usually self-learning, so it’s only bound to get better at discerning your personal habits and patterns as time goes along.

While this type of malicious threat is not exceptionally widespread just yet, it’s merely a step away. Scientists have already created the apps that were thoroughly tested on volunteers, and which were able to reveal an incredible amount of information about their owners. From 70% of passwords on first guess to as many as 100% on the fifth attempt were cracked during the study conducted at Newcastle University.

Risk awareness and prevention of malicious access

Google has already removed dozens of potentially dangerous apps, which required suspicious amounts of access to sensor data seemingly unrelated to the purpose of the app itself, from its GooglePlay app store. Of course, new ones are bound to appear, and they are likely to get ever more intricate and harder to filter through, so it’s up to the user to pay attention to what is going on inside their device.

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Users are generally more aware of the more apparent risks that GPS data and spying through the camera and microphone pose, rather than heeding attention to the silent sensors. However, the silent sensors do not usually require explicit user permission to read the data, unlike camera, GPS and microphone, which makes them even more open for malicious access. Combined with the ever-more increasing computational ability of central processing units, the sensor data will reveal an increasing amount of data that we would most likely want to keep private.

Now that the public is growing more aware of the threat, the next question is – how to avoid subtle spying? Can we prevent the sensors from betraying our private matters to criminals? Well, there’s quite a bit we can do, but these are the same old tips that have been recommended by security experts in the past.

• Do change passwords and PINs on a regular basis.
• Uninstall unused apps.
• Close all unneeded apps running in the background.
• Don’t install applications from outside official app stores.
• Examine permission requests from all apps before installation.
• Scrutinize the app permissions already in place.
• Keep your operating system up to date.
• Update installed applications regularly.
• Consider using fingerprint authentication whenever possible.

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While cell phone tracking applications are growing in numbers and popularity, the discussions around the ethical and moral issues of their usage don’t stop either. However, popularity can’t compensate for certain limitations of the software – all such apps require physical access to a target phone to be effective.

Surely, the existing options are pretty much sufficient for many users, but how much better would it be if physical access was optional? Mobile tracking at entirely new level, almost DIY hacking for beginners. Yet, are there any such options already present in the market?

We have recently reviewed two backup extractors on our website – Auto Forward and DDI utilities. We did it because we had several reasons.

• These seemingly unrelated products have gained our attention due to the fact that both of them proposed:

1. for iPhone

2. for Android

• Which is quite extraordinary, by the way, considering the fact that all backup extractors require connection to a phone, regardless of the original backup location (i.e. iCloud or iPhone device itself.) These applications state that they don’t. They actually claim that no physical access is required; however, it is quite hard to understand how they actually work.
• Besides, both websites offer pretty much the same options as most cell phone spyware programs do – they grant access to all the backup data on the target phone, calls and text messages, media files and all. Well?..
• It’s also curious that Auto Forward used to be Auto Forward Spy and now changed its course. DDI Utilities hasn’t been noticed in any monitoring activity before; however, its website resembles Auto Forward in a number of ways, and they do have the same information when it comes to the payment step. So, is there any chance they are related?..

While there are are dozens of mobile tracking applications available today: mSpy, HighsterMobile, FlexiSpy, TeenSafe and SpyEra, and so on, none of them can be used absolutely remotely – the app has to be installed on a target phone right at the beginning for it to actually work.

If the aforementioned applications can access a target phone remotely, it’s fascinating, for one thing, and a matter for concern, for another. As a backup extractor such an app won’t provide its user with real-time information, live calls and keylogging option, however, it gives a sufficient opportunity to access all the past information that can be accessed. And it’s something to think of, really.

Most backup extractors are very useful and convenient apps that can save someone’s life, in fact. However, it seems the same application can be used in many ways. If “Enter the Apple ID and password of the device you want to” is all you have to know – you might actually do more than backup or recover YOUR data.

Needless to say, none of these applications claim to be mobile tracking software; however, there’s definitely a certain potential.

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The last decade’s social network euphoria has prompted many of us to ladle out personal information, which can be compromised and used against us. This may be the last thing you think about right now. However, as the euphoria subsides, privacy becomes a primary concern. We begin to realize that there is personal information we should not have posted, because it can cause us a lot of trouble if and when it falls into the wrong hands. Once you discover you do not want your personal information to show up online any more, you can take steps to mute your ‘fame’.

Cut down on social networks

Sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc., make us want to share tons of personal information. It may include names, job positions, social status, pictures, avatars, etc. Therefore, your accounts should be the first meat for the grinder, if you are really concerned about your privacy.

If it is Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn, they have options, which allow you to terminate your use of them. Select them and follow further instructions.

This is not only about social networks. We also share personal data when registering on other websites and forums. Some users have registered on dozens and even hundreds of resources, so they have trouble remembering them all. An average American user has over a hundred accounts and profiles per email address! Too much for human memory to handle, isn’t it? In this case, it is advisable to use a tool or service to track all your accounts and have them erased automatically.

Get them off your back

There is one thing you should be aware of: it will not disappear immediately from search engines. With Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, etc., it may take weeks for your profile data to disappear completely. Well, as long as the process continues, you can use other ways to mask your footprints.

Request search engines to delete results, which refer to your personal data. For example, you can use Googles’s URL removal tool. Once a result is removed from the database, the search engine will never show it.

Type in your name in a search engine and look where it pops up. Bookmark places where it appears. Because you cannot delete the floating content immediately, all you can do now is contact the resource and ask them politely to remove the data as soon as possible. This can be your employer’s website with your name still dancing on it, your relative’s website or blog, where he or she has posted images with you, etc.

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Because you cannot remove everything right away, and not all websites remove your data upon your request, do some cover-up tricks to distract users from your personal data. For example, you can create several profiles on same popular sites without posting any details on them except some general information, which cannot be compromised. Your ill-wishers will see nothing but blank pages and there will be nothing they can do about it.

If there are accounts you cannot delete, you can change them beyond recognition and trick visitors into thinking that you live in another city, have a different name, work at a different company, etc. use your creative potential!

Go the automated way!

As mentioned above, there are tools and services, which can help you deal with your accounts, if you have accumulated ton of them, in less than a few minutes. You know that not everything can be removed manually. Happily, there are websites, which can do the job for you. These services take great care about your privacy, and they use every chance to erase data instantly upon your request.

There you can find any network or resource, where you might have registered years ago, and the system will do the mop-up and give you the much-longed-for freedom and peace.

Most Americans are familiar with U.S. surveillance programs.

In accordance with the PEW research carried out in the previous year most Americans are aware about government surveillance programs; however, the attitude of general public greatly differs.

As the study showed, about 31% of all the U.S. population know (and 56% sort of suspect) that the government uses various strategies to monitor terrorist activity in the first place; and that these strategies involve cell phone and email monitoring as well as other means of communication.

Men are better aware of the fact, as the research showed – 37% vs. 26%; and college graduates have more information on the account than people who have only graduated from high school.

Who Cares

Another aspect that was studied in the PEW research is the level of public concern about the surveillance fact. Again, the answers differed to a degree. About 17% of the answers depicted “high” level of concern with the issue, 35% have “some” concern; 33% have “very little” concern over the issue and 13% are “not at all” concerned.

However, most people showed far more concern when it came to the issue of surveillance that related to their own activities (not some governmental terrorist monitoring programs). The reasons and spheres of concern here differ with different groups that were questioned.

• Search engine concerns gathered about 39%.
• Email monitoring collected about 38% of concerned answers.
• Cell phone monitoring issues bothers about 37% of the U.S. citizens.
• Facebook or Twitter and other social network monitoring by the government find concern in 31% of the audience questioned.
• Mobile apps monitoring represent concern for about 29% of people.

The statistic also shows that women are less likely to have concerns about government surveillance than men. However, they are much more concerned about the monitoring activities then the question is about their own private matters.

The U.S. citizens also more comfortable with the idea of targeted surveillance of others but only when it doesn’t concern their own matters.

Majority of Americans see targeted surveillance as a necessity in the light of all the terrorist events; they also see it acceptable to have leaders of the country under the radar, at least some part of the population finds it so.

• Monitoring of the terrorists under suspicion is ok with 82% of Americans.
• 60% find it right to be aware of the American leaders’ communications.
• 60% fins it normal to monitor foreign leaders.
• Communications from foreign citizens is not something to hide – supposes about 54% of Americans.

However, only 40% of the population inquired finds it unacceptable for the government to monitor their own people; about 57% find it downright unacceptable.

The research revealed several interesting patterns in the answers of the people questioned. The major pattern is that those people who are better aware of the situation with monitoring and government’s potential in this sphere are less likely to approve the idea in general, no matter the target – foreign or home citizens. The same refers to the difference in age groups – younger generations find it much less appropriate and acceptable than older ones.

To Cap It All

All in all, here is a brief summary:

• 77% of all American adult population is in favor of the government’s monitoring activities when the case is about a person who “ has visited a child pornography website”.
• 68% find it ok to have “someone who exchanged emails with an imam who preached against infidels” under the radar.
• 67% are in favor of the idea that a person with ties and connections to “known anti-American groups” should be monitored.
• For 65% it is acceptable to have a person with weapon-related keywords in the search engines monitored.
• 51% even find it ok to monitor a person with “unusual withdrawal” withdrawals from a bank.
• The usage of encryption software is a reason for monitoring activity for about 49% of people.
• 49% think usage of “hateful language about American leaders” is the reason sufficient enough for such a person’s activity to be monitored.

More information and full report can be acquired on the official PEW website.

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As of FBI official information there appeared a number of USB/charging devices that work a keyloggers and are able to read and transmit all the information from the wireless keyboards.

Everyone who follows the new in the sphere should remember KeySweeper by Samy Kamkar that represented a normally-looking USB-charger.

The device works as a wireless sniffer, it actually is able to decode, store and send any keystrokes detected from a wireless keyboard. All the interested audience was able to check the vitality of a product as well as to follow the stages of its creation on the blog of its creator.

It is pretty hard to get why FBI decided that it’s high time to take measures to the device that appeared a year ago; but be it as it may, KeySweeper is now closely monitored by the law enforcement officials.

One of the major issues that FBI names with regards to such devices is that they are pretty easy to use, or, rather, misuse. They look totally normal to the eye, can be placed anywhere around an office or any other place where wireless keyboard or other devices are used. Thus, cybercriminal are able to steal everything with regards to personally identifiable information or intellectual property, any login/password info, trade secrets, and other confidential information.

The problem is that decoded information is transferred at such speed that it is quite hard even to understand that something crucial was stolen.

FBI report also claim that the aforementioned data was received in the course of some classified investigation. In accordance with the journalists’ who contacted Samy Kamkar the latter had given no information to the aforementioned organization in the first place.

There has never been reported any of the attacks with the usage of such USB-turns-Keylogger device; however, FBI suppose that the one who is forewarned is forearmed.