How to Listen to Cellphone Conversations from Another Phone

Mobile monitoring tools and remote access toolkits allow someone else to listen to your cellphone conversations from another phone. There are paid legal, paid surveillance apps available and borderline solutions to tapping a phone. Here we’ll be taking you through a look at how to listen to cellphone conversations from another phone, exposing the various methods used to switch on your mic and listen in or record all your calls.

Remote Access Toolkits

Remote access toolkits (RATs) can be installed as either standalone applications similar to commercially available mobile surveillance software, or malicious users can bind the RAT to a legitimate app. If the hacker has gone as far as getting this compromised app digitally signed you may not even have to enable ‘Unknown Sources’ for it to install.

The only thing which will give away the fact that a remote listening tool is on your device is the heightened battery use, the spike in data use and the irregular functions which it affects on your phone. Always pay close attention to the permissions of any app which you are installing. If it wants access to your entire device, requesting permission for everything from the microphone to the accessibility features, then you’re dealing with something designed to listen to your cellphone conversations.

Mobile Surveillance Software

Whether you are using a remote access toolkit developed in the underground for purpose-driven hacking or have resorted to a commercially available tool such as FlexiSpy, mSpy or any other Android spy tool easily available, the app will let your calls be listened to.

The attacker generally has the option of switching on your microphone and listening live while some apps even let you view video. In cases where this is not possible, still photos can be taken. Listening real-time is a great feature but what is even scarier is the ability to record your phone calls. Malicious parties don’t even need to be in front of their phone or computer to have all your conversations recorded for easy-access.

Call-recording Apps

In addition to spy applications for Android, you also get a range of call-recording apps. Not everyone resorts to elaborate means to spy on you. Go through your apps and make sure that your would-be privacy invader has not installed an automatic call recorder on your phone or tablet. Call-recording apps are easily available and take just seconds to install and set up.

Each and every voice call is then recorded on your phone occupying valuable space in addition to divulging all of your details. If you find an app installed, leave it there to strategically exposure your attacker or remove it immediately if you’re not concerned who they are.

Mobile Spying Apps

There are numerous forms of spyware which you can legally purchase and use for employee and/or child monitoring. While it should be obvious that these are two of the least-common uses, apps to spy on you range from free tools taking quite a bit of setup to mainstream alternatives at a nominal fee.

Almost every single app will require the attacker to get hold of your phone or other device or con you into confirming permissions that you shouldn’t physically. If you suspect that you’re being spied on, go through your installed applications and look for any of the following surveillance apps, removing as is needed:

• mSpy
• FlexiSpy
• TheTruthSpy
• Whatsapp Spy
• Revcode
• WebMonitor
• SpyNote
• Droidjack
• Omni
• Revwire
• Xnspy
• SpyHuman
• Copy9
• Guestspy
• TheOneSpy
• Mobile Spy
• TiSPY

Cellphone Cloning

A cloned cellphone receives the exact same messages and voice calls as the original. The process of cloning a phone involves making a physical copy of its SIM card but if your attacker has gone this far, they just need to get within reach of your cellphone tower to hear your calls. Most mobile phones older than 10 years can be cloned. CDMA is the most susceptible technology. GSM phones without an ESN carrying only an IMEI are harder to clone but it is possible.

Determining that you are the victim of cellphone cloning is very difficult as unless your attacker makes a mistake and speaks while listening in, you’d never know that they were there. Even though a cloned phone makes an effective listening device, once cloned your attacker can only intercept your calls when connected to the same mobile broadcast tower. This means that they need to stay relatively near to you while listening in.

Cellphone cloning is only used in regions of the world where the populace still uses a large number of old cellphones instead of smartphone technology. Even in such areas, cloned cellphones are detected very quickly thanks to the unique radio fingerprint which every device emits regardless of its other identifying information.

When a phone is successfully cloned it will only stay functional for a limited window and the location of use is also likely to be tracked. There are ways to listen in on calls which carry a far higher degree of anonymity and are easier to pull off.

Call Interception

Specialized radio equipment conventionally used for digital forensics can tap in and listen to your call. Similarly, an attacker on the same Wi-Fi network as you has a huge range of backdoors at their disposal. Call interception using radio technology normally generates audible interference.

If you notice the same interference pattern over and over again, appearing frequently in the background of your calls then it could be likely that someone has a radio setup to listen to you. Specialized assistance will be needed to track the source of the attack; however, changing you phone and phone number is a much easier short-term solution.

Always protect the key of your Wi-Fi network and switch off the broadcasting of its SSID so that it is not found by broad random scanning attempts of would-be malicious parties. It is however far more likely that someone will hack your phone or tablet using your local network rather than resorting to high-end listening devices which are scarcely available.

Privacy Breached?

If someone has managed to listen to your cellphone conversations from another phone, it is highly likely that they have access to the rest of your personal information as well. This includes screenshots of lock patterns, logs of your keystrokes, button presses and screen taps, and full access to all of your files.

The same software which is used to give access to your mic would have compromised everything from your accessibility features to your front and back camera. The best remote access tools even share your GPS location and capture your instant messenger communications from apps like WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter.