Can switched off phones be tracked? : OpSec | Torhoo darknet markets
I have phones that I use tethered internet to access dread that I use well out the way of where I live. After my use I simply switch off my phone. My question is can it still be tracked when switched off?
You wouldn't, but some people have complicated cases that makes removing the battery troublesome, and some phones don't have a removable battery.
IIRC, Snowden had reporters remove the battery *and* put the phones in a freezer, presumably to cage them. Maybe he was worried about something in a reporter's phone having enough capacitance to leak a ping or something. But that was espionage level stuff, and our enemy is not the same, at least not directly.
Also just for conversation, I tested a cheap RF shielding bag I bought once (DHGate I think), disabled WiFi, ran a ping against Google and popped it into the bag for a minute. It didn't interrupt the ping. I bought the bag on a fluke, just one of those impulse things you add to a larger order when you are a geek with a spare $4 or something, so it wasn't a big deal. That certainly doesn't mean those bags don't work, but it does mean that cheap Chinese crap can't be counted on for anything important. That is hardly new information, just be sure to test it first if you go that route.
Interesting read mate I was just about to get rid of my smartphones that aren't simple to pull out. will do a bit of research and will buy an RF bag from a reliable uk or us branded site. Will update if I find one that works
Some phones will pretend to be switched off even when they are not if they have spyware installed. You should get a phone that has a removable battery to allow you to pull it if something like that is needed at a certain time.
1. it wont keep it powered indefinitely and would surge power when recharged and suck battery juice quickly
2. phones just do not have these in them from the factory so it would need to be a modified and planted or swapped phone
Remove battery and place in a container that to prevent penetration of the radio waves will still resolve this issue completely so you wont have to worry.
There are some mods for certain phones for installing a physical power switch too.
IIRC, Snowden had reporters remove the battery *and* put the phones in a freezer, presumably to cage them. Maybe he was worried about something in a reporter's phone having enough capacitance to leak a ping or something. But that was espionage level stuff, and our enemy is not the same, at least not directly.
Also just for conversation, I tested a cheap RF shielding bag I bought once (DHGate I think), disabled WiFi, ran a ping against Google and popped it into the bag for a minute. It didn't interrupt the ping. I bought the bag on a fluke, just one of those impulse things you add to a larger order when you are a geek with a spare $4 or something, so it wasn't a big deal. That certainly doesn't mean those bags don't work, but it does mean that cheap Chinese crap can't be counted on for anything important. That is hardly new information, just be sure to test it first if you go that route.