Privacy security

Edward Snowden claims GCHQ can turn mobile phones on and off

The former National Security Agency analyst, a fugitive in Russia since he revealed many of the NSA's secrets, said that the UK Government Security Headquarters (GCHQ) has a programme called "the Smurfs", named after the popular Belgian cartoon characters.
The programme's existence has also previously been reported on by Amnesty International.
As well as turning a phone on and listening in, it also allows agents to track a subject's movements with greater than usual accuracy, Mr Snowden said in an interview with the BBC's Panorama.
Mr Snowden, who now lives in Moscow, told the programme: "Dreamy Smurf is the power management tool which means turning your phone on and off without you knowing.
"Nosey Smurf is the hot mic-ing tool, so, for example, if it's in your pocket they can turn the microphone on and listen to everything that's going on around you."
He said a third tool, called Tracker Smurf, allows the phone to be tracked closely, adding: "They want to own your phone instead of you."