Monitor Phone Traffic
In the NSA’s case, they received what’s called “session identifying information”–this includes the physical location of the nearest cell phone tower to where mobile calls are made, the phone number dialed, the number of the person making the call, how long the call lasted, telephone calling numbers, internal phone company information, and the user’s unique International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number.
Metadata is data tagged to emails, files, documenting, and a million other things. Basically considered to be “data about data,” it helps transmit the internal regulations that ensure your friends see your Facebook wall posts and your telephone call goes to the right number.
This app was a lifesaver I was debugging a problem with failure of SSL/TLS handshake on my Android app. Tried to setup ad hoc networking so I could use wireshark on my laptop. It did not work for me. This app quickly allowed me to capture network traffic, share it on my Google Drive so I could download on my laptop where I could examine it with Wireshark! Awesome and no root required!
Packet Capture Android app implements a VPN that logs all network traffic on the Android device. You don't need to setup any VPN/proxy server on your PC. Does not needs root. Supports SSL decryption which tPacketCapture does not. It also includes a good log viewer.
Not as far as the leaked court order shows (though that creepy NSA Data Center in Utah has fueled plenty of speculation, both reasoned and intelligent and crazy wingnut, that they might be doing just that). But, however, the NSA is collecting metadata related to the phone calls. This metadata is amazingly extensive and helps to explain cryptic public warnings by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Mark Udall (D-CO) that the American public would be “shocked” by the extent of domestic surveillance of citizens by the Obama and Bush administrations. Both senators serve on the Senate intelligence committee and have access to classified information they are not permitted to share with the public.
A lot. Just ask John McAfee. McAfee, the colorful anti-virus software pioneer, quit corporate life to move to Belize and start a harem, and embark on a second career that may or may not have included drug manufacturing and serious crimes. After McAfee was labeled as a “person of interest” by Belize authorities in the death of his neighbor, he went on the lam with a team from Vice. A photographer with Vice took a picture of McAfee and apparently forgot to scrub the metadata.
In the NSA’s case, they received what’s called “session identifying information”–this includes the physical location of the nearest cell phone tower to where mobile calls are made, the phone number dialed, the number of the person making the call, how long the call lasted, telephone calling numbers, internal phone company information, and the user’s unique International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number.
The kicker, however, is that circumstantial evidence implies the NSA has been monitoring Verizon phone calls in bulk for years. Evidence in on-the-record court orders, found by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), found that mass communications spying had been taking place for at least seven years. This spying also includes AT&T landline and mobile customers, and could include customers of all major telecommunications providers.