Experts told how you can protect your phone from eavesdropping

Methods for wiretapping vary from technically complex to relatively simple and accessible.

There are actually three key methods for organizing wiretapping. Passive methods involve intercepting mobile network signals using sophisticated equipment, but they require significant financial investments and are less commonly used.

Active methods are more common and involve interfering with the network, for example through fake base stations or tools such as IMSI Catcher.

The third way is to use spyware. Programs like Pegasus or SonicSpy can not only intercept calls, but also access the camera, microphone, text messages, application data, and even the geolocation of the device owner.

Indirect signs of eavesdropping can be seen if you are attentive.

Rapid battery drain, unusual smartphone overheating, increased data transfer volumes, or unexpected device reboots can indicate suspicious activity. Also suspicious are the appearance of strange noises during calls or messages with incomprehensible content, which can be used to install spyware.

There are methods available to check the phone for eavesdropping. In particular, USSD commands such as *#21# and ##002# allow you to detect the presence of call and message forwarding. If forwarding is active, this may be a signal of interference with the device. You can deactivate it through the appropriate phone settings.

Prevention of eavesdropping requires compliance with a number of measures.

Among them: installing reliable antivirus programs, regularly updating the operating system, downloading applications only from trusted sources. Particular attention should be paid to messengers with end-to-end encryption, such as Signal, WhatsApp or Telegram. Using two-factor authentication also significantly reduces risks.