SIGforum
Cell Phone tracking

This topic can be found at:
https://sigforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/320601935/m/5210036115

October 31, 2024, 03:30 PM
selogic
Cell Phone tracking
Can a Cell Phone be tracked when it's turned off ?
October 31, 2024, 05:12 PM
architect
Yes. The only way to turn off a modern smartphone is to remove all power including the main battery and any reserve power source included in the design to preserve user settings, contacts, favorites, etc. This reserve might be a small coin-sized battery (uncommon) or a non-removable capacitor with enough charge to last for months.

Bottom line, if you don't want to be tracked, leave the phone at home.
October 31, 2024, 05:19 PM
trapper189
Or tie it to a random dog.
October 31, 2024, 06:12 PM
radioman
Diecast Aluminum Box with EMI proof cover/edges.

https://www.mouser.com/datashe...r110_111-1389922.pdf

then nothing will track it Smile

there are cheaper alternatives, but I know this one works.


.
October 31, 2024, 06:19 PM
mark123
A Faraday bag can prevent cell phone tracking.
October 31, 2024, 06:21 PM
LS1 GTO
I bet if you ask Mossad, they would know Wink

Big Grin Big Grin Big Grin






Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.



"If dogs don't go to Heaven, I want to go where they go" Will Rogers

The definition of the words we used, carry a meaning of their own...



October 31, 2024, 06:25 PM
radioman
quote:
Originally posted by mark123:
A Faraday bag can prevent cell phone tracking.


but until I personally know of someone who has tested one in an EMI chamber, then I'd never trust these.

I've used the Hammond die cast Al boxes in an EMI chamber so I know they are good to go.


.
October 31, 2024, 06:36 PM
Speedbird
100% yes. See this article supposedly they can track large crowds also

https://x.com/TonySeruga/status/1851409121385595006

https://x.com/TonySeruga/status/1851409121385595006
October 31, 2024, 06:51 PM
mrvmax
The Unplugged phone has an external switch (the kill switch) that kills all power.


Kill Switch
October 31, 2024, 07:21 PM
Beancooker
quote:
Originally posted by mrvmax:
The Unplugged phone has an external switch (the kill switch) that kills all power.


Kill Switch


You beat me to it. Now if only Apple would install that for me on the iPhone, I’d be quite happy.



quote:
Originally posted by sigmonkey:
I'd fly to Turks and Caicos with live ammo falling out of my pockets before getting within spitting distance of NJ with a firearm.
October 31, 2024, 07:37 PM
mrvmax
quote:
Originally posted by Beancooker:
quote:
Originally posted by mrvmax:
The Unplugged phone has an external switch (the kill switch) that kills all power.


Kill Switch


You beat me to it. Now if only Apple would install that for me on the iPhone, I’d be quite happy.

I haven’t even used it yet, but it is there if I need it.
October 31, 2024, 08:01 PM
911Boss
30-45 seconds on high in the microwave and it can't be tracked... Wink






What part of "...Shall not be infringed" don't you understand???


October 31, 2024, 11:23 PM
CPD SIG
RFID wallet

https://countycomm.com/collect...fid-electronic-pouch


______________________________________________________________________
"When its time to shoot, shoot. Dont talk!"

“What the government is good at is collecting taxes, taking away your freedoms and killing people. It’s not good at much else.” —Author Tom Clancy
November 01, 2024, 05:57 AM
bfm1851
quote:
Originally posted by CPD SIG:
RFID wallet

https://countycomm.com/collect...fid-electronic-pouch

Now this is something I could get behind.
November 01, 2024, 07:24 AM
selogic
Thanks
November 01, 2024, 09:12 AM
cas
quote:
Originally posted by mark123:
A Faraday bag[/url] can prevent cell phone tracking.


So say the people who sell them. Wink

The people who actually DO track phones would only say they work if they didn't.

See the problem here?
November 01, 2024, 10:07 AM
P220 Smudge
quote:
Originally posted by cas:
quote:
Originally posted by mark123:
A Faraday bag can prevent cell phone tracking.


So say the people who sell them. Wink

The people who actually DO track phones would only say they work if they didn't.

See the problem here?


The Thyrm Darkvault blocking version got quietly pulled from the market early last year. They still offer the regular version, and then introduced a 2.0 blocking version, but I wonder.


______________________________________________
"If the truth shall kill them, let them die.”

Endeavoring to master the subtle art of the grapefruit spoon.
November 01, 2024, 10:22 AM
sourdough44
I wouldn’t have thought a cell phone could be tracked when turned ‘off’, I do defer to the experts.

I think if one is worried about such, better to try deception, or leave the phone home, wherever.

With that Brian guy coming up to trial for the Idaho college student murders, he turned his phone off, and/or left it home during the murders. The one article mentioned that itself as suspicious, even though the cell signal didn’t put him at the murder site. He tried some deception technique.

For the most part, not something I get concerned about.
November 01, 2024, 10:31 AM
Beancooker
quote:
Originally posted by sourdough44:
I wouldn’t have thought a cell phone could be tracked when turned ‘off’, I do defer to the experts.



iPhones are fully capable of being used, on or off. “FindMy” the app on iPhones that allows you to track/find your phone has a lot of features. If the phone is turned off, you can turn it on. If the phone is on silent, you can make it play a sound. You can erase all content. This can all be done remotely, even if the phone is powered off. If the battery is dead, it shuts the phone off. When the battery is “dead”, there is still enough of a charge that you can power it on, find its location, erase all content, or play a sound. It’s not a lot a lot of reserve, but there is some there. It’ll even show the last location prior to going truly dead.

So yes, it’s completely traceable when powered off.



quote:
Originally posted by sigmonkey:
I'd fly to Turks and Caicos with live ammo falling out of my pockets before getting within spitting distance of NJ with a firearm.
November 01, 2024, 10:39 AM
rduckwor
All the best spies buy burner phones and pull the batteries and the SIM card when not in use. But, now that eSIMs are coming into use, what's a spy to do??

RMD




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Remember: After the first one, the rest are free.