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Thread: Mobile phone location & privacy

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    Default Mobile phone location & privacy

    Situation: mobile phone provided by employer. I know there's some 'secret squirrel' software on the phone (doesn't appear in app list but some suspicious looking services running), which facilitates geolocation of the phone. Employer states that our location will soon be tracked. Fair enough.
    That is, until it comes to the end of the work day. Will turning off location services and background data be enough to stop geolocation? I know the mobile network can locate a phone without any co-operation from the handset itself, but how accurate is that, and is that data accessible to others?



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    iPhone or android?

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    Quote Originally Posted by mitaux8030 View Post
    Situation: mobile phone provided by employer. I know there's some 'secret squirrel' software on the phone (doesn't appear in app list but some suspicious looking services running), which facilitates geolocation of the phone. Employer states that our location will soon be tracked. Fair enough.
    That is, until it comes to the end of the work day. Will turning off location services and background data be enough to stop geolocation? I know the mobile network can locate a phone without any co-operation from the handset itself, but how accurate is that, and is that data accessible to others?
    The network (via nearby towers) and your mobile telephone are continually talking to each other. It has to in order to maintain a connection with the strongest tower signal in your proximity. Without this 'chatter' the mobile telephone system would not work.

    Therefore turning off location services and background data will not prevent geolocation. It takes place automatically. This is how law enforcement agencies are able to locate (with appropriate permission) and track particular mobile telephones.

    The only way to prevent this is by turning the mobile telephone (itself) off.

    More info. can be gleaned from watching the relative presentations from annual DEFCON and Blackhat security conferences.

    DEFCON .

    Blackhat .



    Graphic from a recent DEFCON conference presentation.
    Last edited by tristen; 01-12-18 at 10:25 PM.

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    I have an app on my tablet that can track my location. It's accuracy is scary! It can track me virtualy down to what room of the house i'm in. Just took it on holidays and the thing could determine where I was sitting in a restaurant, where I was on ferry and so it went. I can only imagine what a serious locator could do.

    As for switching off the phone.... Mate got lumbered with a company phone he is required to have on him at all times and take calls after hours... of which there are many. He does not get paid for it when I believe he should and the supplied phone cannot be switched off. If they check it and see he has a missed call they want to know why?

    I fixed the problem for him. Found a small metal cash tin in his office. Phone fits nicely and guess what? Will not get a signal inside the thing. No missed calls, straight to voicemail, the number isn't available right now.... Putting it in the metal Filing cabinet at home works well too. Probably make an envelope out of a few layers of Folded aluminium foil and kill the signal as well.

    They have got the phone back several times to make sure it's not been tampered with. You think an IT company would be able to work it out.

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    Quote Originally Posted by mitaux8030 View Post
    That is, until it comes to the end of the work day. Will turning off location services and background data be enough to stop geolocation?
    Depending on what had been installed, both iOS and Android have the ability to continue tracking with location services and background data off. Even something as basic as ‘Find My iPhone’ on iOS will continue operating with those services switched off.

    The solution is to switch it off at the end of the work day. Can’t be tracked then.

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    I've been surprised with google asking me about my recent trip and how accurate it was when I had location services on. I usually have it off but was using a Hema map app.
    Is there a phone without all this tracking crap?

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    Quote Originally Posted by LeroyPatrol View Post
    I've been surprised with google asking me about my recent trip and how accurate it was when I had location services on. I usually have it off but was using a Hema map app.
    Is there a phone without all this tracking crap?
    Nokia 5110

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    Quote Originally Posted by Au_radio View Post
    Nokia 5110
    Can you prove that assertion?

    Details of proof please.

    Book, chapter and verse.

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    didn't know they worked on 4G !!!

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    Quote Originally Posted by LeroyPatrol View Post
    didn't know they worked on 4G !!!
    Didn’t know they worked on 3G!!

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    Default oops

    Quote Originally Posted by peteramjet View Post
    Didn’t know they worked on 3G!!
    dint know that they worked at all

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    Quote Originally Posted by hinekadon View Post
    dint know that they worked at all
    Touché!

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    In addition to what I stated in my post #3, there is a very informative article on the ABC News website entitled My phone is spying on me, so I decided to spy on it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Au_radio View Post
    Nokia 5110
    I used to call them arsehole phones. People would ask what was wrong with them?
    I'd say nothing far as I know, just everybody has one!

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    I had one and it was a very good phone.

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