Landlines are very easy to tap. Can even be done without severing the cables, all you need is the probe used with a tone generator for tracking cables in larger installations. Used to be able to hear conversations when I worked for phone company, just by holding the probe next to the cable
Also, if target has a cabled alarm, it might go off because of power fluctuations on the wrong side of the alarm installation.
For cell phones, all you need is a femtocell.
Cpt. Crunch.
I used to deliver to the Amish. No phone, pre-GPS.
They all went to church gatherings together so they all knew each other so all I had to do was ask someone.
I would definitely prefer a good IMSI-Catcher for this purpose.
Yea I’m in the UK and our weather isn’t that extreme. Even so if you are using a dumbphone that cost £20 killing the battery isn’t the end of the world.
Well, really pessimistically speaking it could, as you’d be wanting to use it in an emergency.
But if you regularly check on it and notice it before an emergency occurs, then no, not a big deal.
Maybe it shouldn’t be treated as “set it and forget it”.
That would work too, probably even better.
It usually is. But sometimes…
My point was not to try and have secure calls over a landline. Rather to have a landline for all mundane reasons such as govt, services, etc. and not use it for anything sensitive and have my sensitive communication elsewhere. If I understand correctly a landline is safe in that it’s not mobile so it cannot be used to track your location.
Can they tap your landline and use it as a microphone alexa-style even when you are not in a call?
For the line to be open on analogue (PSTN) landlines the phone ought to be off the hook. Circuit is open, no current flowing, so no signal can be carried. Which means, you can’t send a signal, nor can they. When you close the circuit, pick up the phone, 48V (at least in Europe) flows through, and you have a carrier wave active. Now you can do whatever you want really, DSL, TV, phone, whatever on that line. Could be, activate your mic remotely on advanced/modern units, or if the phone is old ass analogue, listen to nearby conversations.
There are also some limitations for them to be able listen, depending on the network topography, since carrier wave has to be routed. Up until the first routing point, it’s essentially one direct line, and is therefore easy to tap. This happens on a street, village or area level. ~1500 connections in some of the fatter cables. Biggest I ever spliced was 2000 pairs, haven’t heard about bigger, at least around here.
Yeah, they’d have to switch the handset for one that allows open connections / funnels connections back to their office.
Easier to install bugs in the actual home, but more time consuming.
Much easier to convince the population to carry a locating & spying device on them at all times… oh wait…
Hah, weird question. But it is legal not to have a phone number and a phone number. That depends on the wishes and habits of each of us.