If deployed in the field, special ops soldiers can approach a terrorist safehouse, and activate this device to hack into any cell phone that may be vulnerable. Then they could simply listen in on the safehouse without ever being even 500 feet away, and can discern their movement if necessary.
All this translates into being able not to tip off the bad guys that you are coming, and still able to glean important intel.
If deployed in the field, special ops soldiers can approach a terrorist safehouse, and activate this device to hack into any cell phone that may be vulnerable. Then they could simply listen in on the safehouse without ever being even 500 feet away, and can discern their movement if necessary.
Instead of putting troops at risk on the ground trying to hack an individual phone, our intelligence community can just intercept the communication once it reaches a cell tower or satilite. Indeed, intercepted phone messages are a mainstay of the US government's signals intelligence [nsa.gov] program.
By the time special forces are there on the ground, they aren't going to be using their rifles for hacking.
No, that's not what I mean (and if I put it poorly, it is my fault).
I understand the value of sigintel. What I was trying to point out was the device's tactical value. The ability to turn on the phone without the owner noticing, essentially using the phone to monitor the room, would help special ops make last-minute or on-the-scene decisions. What if you hear an unexpected voice in the safehouse, and that person's being there suddenly changes the situation? What if you learn that there are suddenly hos
Interesting Military Application (Score:5, Interesting)
All this translates into being able not to tip off the bad guys that you are coming, and still able to glean important intel.
Re:Interesting Military Application (Score:1)
Instead of putting troops at risk on the ground trying to hack an individual phone, our intelligence community can just intercept the communication once it reaches a cell tower or satilite. Indeed, intercepted phone messages are a mainstay of the US government's signals intelligence [nsa.gov] program.
By the time special forces are there on the ground, they aren't going to be using their rifles for hacking.
Re:Interesting Military Application (Score:2)
I understand the value of sigintel. What I was trying to point out was the device's tactical value. The ability to turn on the phone without the owner noticing, essentially using the phone to monitor the room, would help special ops make last-minute or on-the-scene decisions. What if you hear an unexpected voice in the safehouse, and that person's being there suddenly changes the situation? What if you learn that there are suddenly hos
Re:Interesting Military Application (Score:2)