Law-enforcement officials in the U.S. are expanding the use of tools routinely used by computer hackers to gather information on suspects, bringing the criminal wiretap into the cyber age.

Federal agencies have largely kept quiet about these capabilities, but court documents and interviews with people involved in the programs provide new details about the hacking tools, including spyware delivered to computers and phones through email or Web links—techniques more commonly associated with attacks by criminals.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2013/08/...#ixzz2b7BjIVCX




Please keep in mind that cell phones have always had service routines built in that provide for remotely powering on without any external indication that they are on via a command signal from the cell tower. This is only if the device has power and can hear a signal. What this means is whatever audio and video a device can capture is available to cell providers and those who utilise them to spy on people.