Is Your Smartphone Eavesdropping on Your Converstaions?

What's happening: In late October, Indonesian developer Sheran Gunasekera released mobile-phone software that can help someone eavesdrop on your conversations.The free application, called PhoneSnoop, can be downloaded onto your BlackBerry, remotely turn on the microphone, and listen to conversations held in proximity to the device.

What it means: PhoneSnoop and the similar FlexiSPY are two of a growing number of applications that can be downloaded onto a smartphone without a user's knowledge. Smartphones and the growing number of people using them are becoming a bigger target for unauthorized and potentially harmful software, including worms, viruses, and spyware that tracks a user's Web activity.

What to Do: Configure your smartphone so apps can be downloaded and installed only with your approval. Make sure IT staff is staying on top of this growing threat.

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Smartphones: A bigger target for security threats