Eavesdropping on phone conversations, GPS tracking, obtaining bank account numbers and passwords from text messages... A high-tech version of "Infernal Affairs" has extended its prying eyes and ears into our daily lives. This time, however, the undercover agent is spy software that "hides" in your phone. This software can not only listen to your every move but also cause your phone to crash or the screen to go black.
Reporter Investigation:
Spy Software Sold Openly
When the reporter entered "mobile spy software" online, numerous download addresses and purchase links immediately appeared. After reviewing netizen comments, the reporter discovered that there is almost no such thing as a free lunch - websites offering free downloads often have software that cannot be downloaded or are unusable after downloading. It seems that if you want to snoop on someone else's privacy, you must be prepared to spend some money.
The reporter randomly opened a website selling spy software and found many so-called "success stories" on the webpage. Spyware for peeking into personal privacy was described as a great tool for "protecting marriage and family." It could not only supervise children's studies and keep tabs on a partner's activities outside the home but also uncover company traitors... These "buyers'" thank-you letters were not only live advertisements but also served to absolve the act of spying on others' privacy. In fact, incidents of using spy software to obtain trade secrets occur from time to time.
Industry Insider Says:
3000 Yuan More Cost-Effective Than Hiring a Detective
The reporter subsequently contacted a salesperson in Wuhan via QQ. According to the product price list provided by the salesperson, the spy software comes in three versions: Professional, Enhanced, and Flagship, priced at 1580 yuan, 2680 yuan, and 3680 yuan per set respectively. The reporter noticed that the Flagship version includes 11 functions, such as call content recording monitoring, SMS interception, call record (number) interception, and mobile base station positioning.
"Only 3000 yuan, how much would hiring a detective cost?" The salesperson claimed "support for Taobao, support for trying before paying" while refusing to negotiate prices. "After successful installation, the software will hide and lie dormant in the controlled user's phone without being detected."
Authoritative Interpretation:
Upgraded Transmission Methods and Functions
Professor Xinyang from the Information Security Center at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications told reporters that at the end of 2006, the first mobile spy software "X Undercover" entered China and spread freely online. In recent years, with the explosive growth of smartphones, mobile spy software has also grown rapidly. Only the clearly advertised types for profit have increased from one or two to twenty or thirty, and it is estimated that there are even more non-publicly marketed types.
Not all monitored targets are suspicious. Ordinary people like you and me may also become victims. According to Xinyang, current mobile spy software can be divided into targeted implantation and non-targeted transmission based on the characteristics of the infected objects. The former aims to implant specified phone numbers to obtain their daily data. Online, it is mainly used to monitor children and spouses or for commercial eavesdropping purposes. The latter has an infectious nature and enters victim's phones through deceptive means (such as being bundled with software sold in app stores). Users clicking on URLs in multimedia messages might unknowingly "fall prey," becoming monitored targets without realizing it. This method can spread on a large scale, with uncertain listening targets.
Lawyer Chuanwei Wang from Jianwei Law Firm stated that providers and users of mobile spy software are suspected of joint infringement. Such behavior akin to hackers stealing privacy should be prohibited. Lawyer Wang believed that illegal profiteering software sellers should bear civil liability for infringement according to the Tort Liability Law. Once buyers use the software for illegal purposes, they infringe upon others' right to privacy and property rights.
■ Expert Advice
1. Set a lock screen password.
2. Turn off unnecessary services like GPS and Bluetooth.
3. Avoid using cracked systems, such as "jailbreaking" iPhones.
4. Do not install software from unknown sources.
5. Remove the SIM card when repairing the phone to prevent others from duplicating or recording information on it.
6. Pay attention to abnormal phone behaviors. For example, faster battery consumption, sudden activation of network indicators, longer than normal startup/shutdown times, inability to start/shut down the phone, unintended screen illumination, and unusual noise during calls could all indicate that spy software is running in the background.
Morning Post Reporter Lu Zhang