Re: Cell Phone Encryption/Security in The USA

From: John Navas (spamfilter0_at_navasgroup.com)
Date: 07/11/03 

Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2003 16:45:32 GMT

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <3F0EDFCB.9E2A7C5C@t-online.de> on Fri, 11 Jul 2003 18:03:23 +0200,
Mok-Kong Shen <mok-kong.shen@t-online.de> wrote:

>John Navas wrote:

>> True, the microprocessor continues to run in a very low power mode in order to
>> keep the clock updated. The transmitter and receiver are nonetheless
>> completely *off*, and with the transmitter off, there is *no* way for the
>> phone to be tracked.
>
>As said previously, I have no exact knowledge about the
>matter,

No offense, but that's painfully obvious.

>but the following is from a post of Signal Tracker
>in the thread 'Blocking / Shielding wireless signals for
>privacy' of sci.crypt of Oct 02:
>
>-------------------------------------------------------
>"Tom St Denis" <tomstdenis@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>news:<3d99d6b8$1_3@news.teranews.com>...>
>> There is a reason why people invented the off button.
>
>>
>> If I don't want my cell to be active, I do the magical age-old idea of
>> "turning it off".
>>
>> Tom
>
>The new G3 phones and other new wireless tech. are "always on". RFID
>tags, Bluetooth, 802.11a, 802.11b, Wi Fi ...
>------------------------------------------------------

There are no "G3" phones. True "3G" phones are just coming on the market.
RFID tags are passive devices (never actually "on") with very short range.
Bluetooth is off when turned off. Likewise 802.11. (WiFi is 802.11b, not
something else.) This all raises serious questions about the credibility of
the source. Be very skeptical of what you read on the Internet (including
what I post:) -- there's some good stuff out there, but there's also a
tremendous about of utter rubbish.

Many (most?) modern electronic devices *do* continue to run in a low power
mode in order to provide minimal services like keeping the clock updated and
responding to your IR remote control, as I noted. Nevertheless, the cell
phone transmitter and receiver are completely *off*, and with the transmitter
off, there is *no* way for the phone to be tracked by the carrier.

This is pretty obvious to anyone with any electronics knowledge. If, for
example, the cell phone was staying in touch with base stations when turned
off, then it WOULDN'T NEED TO SEARCH FOR SERVICE when turned on. In addition,
the BATTERY WOULD BE RAPIDLY DEPLETED, since the radio transmitter and
receiver consume far more power than the low power mode of the microprocessor
-- in effect, the phone would be on STANDBY with the display off, and standby
time is limited.

The notion that you can be tracked with your phone off is silly, but if you're
still worried, have your phone checked for RF emissions when it's turned off.
Tip: There won't be any. 

-- 
Best regards,
John Navas     <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/>           HELP PAGES FOR
CINGULAR GSM + ERICSSON PHONES: <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>