In this article guide, allow me to showcase to you the mobile code to check if your phone is being monitored by someone else. Whilst, bearing in mind, that monitoring activities on a phone can be an important part of security and surveillance. When reading the term “Mobile Code” many folks are left scratching their heads. In this blog, we explain what mobile code is.
As well as the simple steps to use a USSD Mobile Code to prevent your cell phone from being monitored without your consent. In addition to the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) requirements related to mobile code and how you can meet them. According to the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST), mobile code is a software program.
Or part of a program obtained from remote systems, transmitted across a network, and executed on a local system without explicit installation or execution by the recipient. That said, have you ever tried to complete an online training course, and then it asks you to make sure that Java on your computer is updated to the latest version? What’s the reason behind that?
Well, that is because the online training course is provided to you through a Java program. This means, that Java programs are a very good example of what a “mobile code” really is. Forthwith, let’s learn more so that you get the full idea.
What A Mobile Code Usually Entails
Firstly, a mobile code is not an app that you install on a computer. Neither is it an app that you install on your phone. Rather, a mobile code is a program that is generally provided to you by a server over the internet that runs on your computer. You are not required to install the program rather it runs on your computer in an application such as your internet browser.
If you have a CMMC level three, four, or five requirements then you will need to “control and monitor the use of mobile code (SC.3.188)”. You can control mobile code by deploying relevant security configuration settings to your workstations and servers. The settings will generally impact your browsers such as Internet Explorer and Google Chrome.
Resource Reference: Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) Apps Verification Tool
There are also applications such as Adobe Acrobat and Java. After deploying these settings users may have difficulty accessing mobile code when they visit a site or function that uses flash, java, or ActiveX. This can create significant IT overhead. The CMMC model doesn’t specify how or who specifically in your organization has to “monitor mobile code”.
One option is to block the execution of mobile code in the browser but grant the user the liberty to allow mobile code to run. This can be accomplished via group policy settings. Granting users the ability to allow mobile code does expose them to even more threats. However, training these users on mobile code threats can greatly help reduce such unforeseen risks.
Some examples of mobile codes include:
- Java: Often used for smaller applications (a famous example is Minecraft).
- JavaScript: Used on websites to improve interactivity like anytime you hover over a site button and it changes color.
- ActiveX: Used by Microsoft’s Internet Explorer to load media.
- PDF: Used to present documents independent of an Operating System (OS) and other software applications.
In addition, there are also what we call Flash Animations in this sample case scenario as well. Remember those old cartoon-like videos on the internet before the YouTube days? Those were likely flash animations. Ever played a game on New Grounds in the early 2000s? To be precise, if your answer is yes, you probably played a flash-enabled game as a result.
Realistically, if you have plenty of IT staff then only allowing mobile code when there is a business need is the best approach. This should be done in line with your change control procedures. Again, your IT staff will be dealing with a lot more tickets but if your business can afford it then this approach works best for controlling and monitoring the use of mobile code.
Can You Tell If Your Mobile Phone Is Being Monitored?
With the recent increase in surveillance by the government, many people are concerned about their phones being monitored. Luckily, you can use a Mobile Code to check if your phone is being monitored to help you determine if your device is safe. Technically, the USSD Code can be used to check for specific phone features like microphones and camera presence.
Can you tell if your phone is being monitored? That’s a question that’s been on people’s minds more and more lately as the world has become increasingly connected. And with good reason: surveillance technologies have become increasingly affordable and sophisticated. Whilst, allowing governments and other organizations to track the activities of individuals.
More so, without their knowledge or even consent. But, can you really tell if your phone is being monitored? Well, there are a few ways to check if your mobile phone is being monitored or not. You may already know some, but it’s good to know more.
Some useful guides to follow:
- Turn off all your mobile phone notifications and alerts.
- This will disrupt any tracking or spying software that may be installed on your device, assuming it actually exists.
- Check for unusual activity on your phone’s logs.
- If there have been unusually high numbers of calls or texts sent or received from or to your device, that could be an indication that it’s being monitored.
Equally important, you can also use the USSD Mobile Code to check if your phone is being monitored or not. Block your cell phone from being monitored by anyone else. Or even encrypt your mobile device to safeguard your data. If all these tips fail, try to remove the mobile phone battery for some time or rather destroy the cell phone device in the worst cases.
The USSD Mobile Code To Stop Being Monitored
With the recent news of the NSA spying on phone calls, emails, and other private information, many people are looking for ways to protect their privacy. One way to do this is to encrypt your data. Encryption is a code that is used to secure information. When you encrypt something, it becomes difficult for someone else to read or understand it.
There are a number of ways to encrypt your data. You can use encryption software on your computer, you can encrypt your hard drive with a password, or can use an encrypted phone. Be that as it may, if you want to keep your phone completely private from surveillance, there are a few things you need to do. So that both your phone and personal safety are clear.
Consider the following tips:
- First, you need to get an encrypted phone.
- Secondly, you need to install the best encryption software available and configure it properly.
- One way you can block access to certain parts of your phone is by using a password.
- This method is relatively secure, but it requires that you remember the passwords.
- Another option is to use Apple’s Restrictions feature.
- This feature allows you to set restrictions on how many apps can be installed, the storage space to be used, etc.
NB: The only downside of using Apple’s Restrictions feature is that it’s not as user-friendly as some of the other options.
How To Block Your Phone From Being Tracked
Cell phone tracking is the process of monitoring the location and movements of cellular phones. Tracking can be done manually or through automated systems. There are a number of ways to block cell phone tracking:
- Turn off cell phone tracking completely by blocking the tracking service on your device.
- Disable location services in your device’s settings,
- this will disable GPS and other location-based features on your device,
- but it may not disable other forms of tracking like cell tower triangulation.
- Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to encrypt all of your internet traffic and make it unreadable by third parties,
- this will also protect your cell phone data from being tracked.
What about web tracking? Well, this type of tracking lets companies or governments track the websites that someone visits. So, what do you do if your phone is trapped or monitored? On that note, if you find that your phone is trapped or monitored, there are a few things you can do to free to make sure that there are no unwanted web tracking by third parties.
Here are a few measures to take:
- First, try replicating the emergency call to see if it works from another phone.
- If it does not, your phone may be trapped in a security setting or monitoring network.
- Next, try finding the emergency contact information for your service provider and trying to reach them directly.
- If you still cannot get through, go to customer service or the customer support website for your wireless carrier.
If neither of those options works, consider destroying the device or removing its battery to make sure it cannot be used by anyone else. Last but not least, if all else fails and you know that the phone is locked and is not accessible by anyone else other than yourself, seek criminal or civil help to retrieve it safely. Or even Contact Us freely if you’ll need more support.
Other useful tools:
- Quantum Assessor
- Compliance Accelerator
- Supply Chain Verifier
Markedly, just as you’ll learn more in the next link, ISP Tracking is the practice through which ISPs record information about your online connections and activities. This means, that everything from your search history to your email conversations is monitored and logged by your Internet service provider. So, it’s good to know also if your ISP is tracking you.
Likewise, tracking a phone or someone is so easy too. You can use a specialized mobile tracker solution such as Spyine to track phone locations or even find someone’s location by cell phone number. This works remotely from your web browser. You install the app and then receive periodic location updates on the target device (both on Android and iOS devices).
Resource Reference: How To Track Phone Location Or Someone | Legal Ways & Best Apps
And now, in conclusion, it’s important to know if your phone is being monitored in order to protect your privacy. As you can see, there are various ways to check if your mobile phone is being monitored or not. And, as such, the USSD Code herein can help you get started. However, be sure to consult with an attorney if you want to take greater precautionary measures.
