Electronic surveillance

Apple anti-snooping system to thwart police mobile phone surveillance

Apple is developing anti-snooping technology that would thwart police forces' ability to track mobile phone users’ locations and messages.

The iPhone maker has patented a way to encrypt the signals sent between phones and mobile towers, thus masking a handset’s identity.

The technology would hinder so-called “Stingray” boxes which mimic phone masts and can be used to track phone users' locations and listen in on phone calls.

Several police forces around the UK have been revealed to use Stingrays, otherwise known as IMSI catchers, but have been reluctant to reveal the extent of their use or even to confirm their existence.

The devices pose as mobile phone towers in order to trick mobile phones...