Comments on: Spooky Spy Service http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2007/10/01/spooky-spy-service/ Russell Buckley and Carlo Longino on mobile technology. Tue, 22 May 2012 09:13:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: raddedas http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2007/10/01/spooky-spy-service/comment-page-1/#comment-116793 raddedas Wed, 03 Oct 2007 13:01:23 +0000 http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2007/10/01/spooky-spy-service/#comment-116793 Presumably this must be smartphone-OS only; from their web site they imply Nokia Series 60 without stating it (from what I could see). All new devices would need a signed app to achieve this, as Paul notes above, and to install over Bluetooth or any other means the user would have to give explicit permission - so really this can only be installed by stealth if you leave your S60 phone on its own for some time without a PIN set; I'd say you're more at risk of having it stolen than bugged unless you hang out with the wrong crowd... There is no reason why a spyware/virus checker could not detect this app, it's just currently they presumably do not (and most people don't have them anyway, as really even S60 handsets have near negligible risk without considerable (wilful?) user error). So mildly disturbing, but only of concern to the small minority of users on S60 who leave their phone regularly unattended in places where phone theft is uncommon... Presumably this must be smartphone-OS only; from their web site they imply Nokia Series 60 without stating it (from what I could see). All new devices would need a signed app to achieve this, as Paul notes above, and to install over Bluetooth or any other means the user would have to give explicit permission – so really this can only be installed by stealth if you leave your S60 phone on its own for some time without a PIN set; I’d say you’re more at risk of having it stolen than bugged unless you hang out with the wrong crowd…

There is no reason why a spyware/virus checker could not detect this app, it’s just currently they presumably do not (and most people don’t have them anyway, as really even S60 handsets have near negligible risk without considerable (wilful?) user error).

So mildly disturbing, but only of concern to the small minority of users on S60 who leave their phone regularly unattended in places where phone theft is uncommon…

]]> By: miki http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2007/10/01/spooky-spy-service/comment-page-1/#comment-116777 miki Tue, 02 Oct 2007 10:30:48 +0000 http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2007/10/01/spooky-spy-service/#comment-116777 I'm relieved to see that tech/marketing people like you are spotting the drawbacks und risks of technology, user profiling and the loss of privacy ... We (our society) should indeed be very attentive in the near future. strange things are going on - at least in my perspective. btw: nice new design I’m relieved to see that tech/marketing people like you are spotting the drawbacks und risks of technology, user profiling and the loss of privacy … We (our society) should indeed be very attentive in the near future. strange things are going on – at least in my perspective.

btw: nice new design

]]> By: Tom http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2007/10/01/spooky-spy-service/comment-page-1/#comment-116776 Tom Tue, 02 Oct 2007 10:07:47 +0000 http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2007/10/01/spooky-spy-service/#comment-116776 Hoping bill shock might alert victims to the abuse? There must be some cost in replicating all this traffic, via data charges or phantom SMSs? Hoping bill shock might alert victims to the abuse? There must be some cost in replicating all this traffic, via data charges or phantom SMSs?

]]> By: Boing Boing http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2007/10/01/spooky-spy-service/comment-page-1/#comment-116763 Boing Boing Mon, 01 Oct 2007 15:47:13 +0000 http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2007/10/01/spooky-spy-service/#comment-116763 <strong>Man wants shared custody of other man's leg...</strong> Three years ago, John Wood's leg was amputated after it was injured in a plane crash. He kept the leg and dried it so it could be someday buried with him. Eventually the limb ended up in a barbecue smoker in a storage facility. After Wood stopped payi... Man wants shared custody of other man’s leg…

Three years ago, John Wood’s leg was amputated after it was injured in a plane crash. He kept the leg and dried it so it could be someday buried with him. Eventually the limb ended up in a barbecue smoker in a storage facility. After Wood stopped payi…

]]> By: Paul Coulton http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2007/10/01/spooky-spy-service/comment-page-1/#comment-116762 Paul Coulton Mon, 01 Oct 2007 15:07:50 +0000 http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2007/10/01/spooky-spy-service/#comment-116762 I recall this app caused a bit of a stir on one of the developers blogs as many thought that it should have been signed without which it would have to alert the users when active. This brought up an interesting debate about the responsibilties of the code signing authorities. I recall this app caused a bit of a stir on one of the developers blogs as many thought that it should have been signed without which it would have to alert the users when active. This brought up an interesting debate about the responsibilties of the code signing authorities.

]]> By: once more with feeling » Blog Archive » The mobile phone with eyes that follow you across the room http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2007/10/01/spooky-spy-service/comment-page-1/#comment-116760 once more with feeling » Blog Archive » The mobile phone with eyes that follow you across the room Mon, 01 Oct 2007 13:28:19 +0000 http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2007/10/01/spooky-spy-service/#comment-116760 [...] Spooky Spy Service Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...] [...] Spooky Spy Service Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]

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