“Any time you have technological advancements, you also have the downside that comes along with it as far as privacy is concerned,” said Kevin D. Murray, a consultant on eavesdropping detection and counterespionage services, based in Oldwick, NJ.
Murray, who advises business and government, said people who are concerned about privacy or who transmit sensitive information should know that smart phones are vulnerable. Someone with access to a smart phone can load spyware on it within minutes.
He urges wary individuals to restrict access to their phones by using a strong and unique password and by always keeping their phone in sight. Another form of protection, he said, is to use an old-fashioned phone without Internet capabilities. Phone companies, he said, aren’t likely to improve security because it’s not in their financial interest, since they make money from transmissions.
Many of the companies that sell spyware are based outside the country, making them tough to prosecute, Murray said. (more)
