A Growing Problem..

Industrial espionage or corporate espionage is espionage conducted for commercial purposes instead of national security purposes.

The term is distinct from legal and ethical activities such as examining corporate publications, websites, patent filings, and the like to determine the activities of a corporation (this is normally referred to as competitive intelligence). Theoretically the difference between espionage and legal information gathering is clear. In practice, it is quite difficult to sometimes tell the difference between legal and illegal methods. Especially if one starts to consider the ethical side of information gathering, the border becomes even more blurred and elusive of definition.

Industrial espionage describes activities such as theft of trade secrets, bribery, blackmail, and technological surveillance. As well as spying on commercial organizations, governments can also be targets of commercial espionage—for example, to determine the terms of a tender for a government contract so that another tenderer can underbid.

Industrial espionage is most commonly associated with technology-heavy industries, particularly the computer and automobile sectors.

Espionage takes place in many forms. In short, the purpose of espionage is to gather knowledge about (an) organization(s). A spy may be hired, or may work for oneself.

 

 

Spying on your cell phone

These days nearly everybody has a cell phone and most can't imagine living without it.  That wireless communication link to the digital world could also be a conduit to wreaking havoc in your life.  Anything you do, anything you say, anything you write, anywhere you go.

It's thanks to something called cell phone spyware, a piece of software that anyone can download straight to your phone without you even knowing it. 

Different versions of cell phone spyware are available to download all over the internet.  All advertise different features that any unscrupulous person can use against you and it sounds like something straight out of a Hollywood spy movie.

What is the person next to you on the bus texting?  Uncover employee espionage. Bug meeting rooms and check babysitters, even catch cheating spouses and partners.  All claim nothing is logged and that the snooping will go on with no trace.

PDA and internet-enabled phones like the Blackberry and i-Phone are the most susceptible to spyware.  Someone can download the spyware if you leave your phone unattended or send it to you through an email or a text. 

Another way the spyware can end up on your phone is through your Bluetooth connection.  Once the user has downloaded the spyware onto their phone, they can look for victims who have their Bluetooth enabled, connect to that victim's phone and then the spying can begin.

There are different versions of the spyware available but most offer the same types of features.  Among them, each time the victim's cell phone makes or receives a phone call, the program alerts the user so they can secretly listen in.

The same goes for text messages.  Every time the victim sends or receives a text message, a copy of that message comes straight to the phone of the person spying.  They can see every word typed. 

Through GPS tracking, the person spying can also see every place you stop or even where the phone is at during any given time.

The scariest function of the spyware is that the user can remotely turn on the microphone on your cell phone any time they want, even if your cell phone is powered off. 

That allows the person spying on you to hear anything that happens within earshot of your cell phone and that could include things you probably wouldn't share with most family members. 

Trips to places like the bank could leave someone with personal information like your bank account number or social security.

Just like any piece of technology you use that connects you to the online world, a few simple steps can help keep your cell phone conversations to yourself:

• Never leave your cell phone unattended or with someone you don't trust
• Use the password feature to protect your phone from intruders
• When you're not using it, keep your Bluetooth turned off. It's like leaving your computer wide open to hackers.
• Get an anti-virus program for your phone.
• If you think your cell phone has been tapped, remove the battery until you buy a new phone or get the spyware removed

Some signs that might indicate your cell phone has been tapped or someone is using spyware against you:

• Your cell phone or the battery is hot to the touch even though you haven't been using it
• Phone lights up or blinks on its own for no apparent reason
• You hear a beeping or clicking noise while you're on the phone

Posted: May 20, 2009 04:04 PM CDT