Throughout the insightful article, The Criminal Indictment That Could Finally Hit Spyware Makers Hard, written by Kim Zetter refers to incidents and consequences of on-line threats. This article displays the legal case against Hammad Akbar, CEO of the firm InvoCode designed StealthGenie, a spy app for Android phones, iPhones and Blackberry devices (Zetter 1). Within the beginning portion of the article, Zetter explains how the cellular device app had the capability to “secretly record phone calls and siphoned text messages and other data from a target’s phone, all of which customers of the software could view online” (Zetter 1). Not only did the threat of having phone calls and text message privacy invaded, the threat of the app also “allowed
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The matter of installing spyware onto a devices that unknowingly hacks into individuals phones and intercept phone calls is completely illegal. Hammmad Akbar, was charged for legal matters dealing with wiretapping laws. Akbar’s StealthGenie app intercepted call in real-time, which ultimately violated federal laws,“prohibiting the manufacture, advertising and distribution of any system designed to surreptitiously intercept oral or electronic communications in real time” (Zetter 3). Adding to intercepting calls in real-time, StealthGenine also had the additional capability to transmit message data in close-to-real time, meaning almost immediately. An important point writer Kim Zetter makes note of, is the possibility of Akbar not only being brought up on fraudulent wiretapping charges. The authorities also have to opportunity to charge Hammad Akabr and other commercial spyware makers alike, with “file conspiracy charges under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act or use the Stored Communications Act, in situations where stolen data isn’t intercepted in real time. However Zetter also explains how criminal liability and consequences for the sellers of spyware depend on the overall extent and usage of the produced spyware program along with how the program makers market the
The matter of installing spyware onto a devices that unknowingly hacks into individuals phones and intercept phone calls is completely illegal. Hammmad Akbar, was charged for legal matters dealing with wiretapping laws. Akbar’s StealthGenie app intercepted call in real-time, which ultimately violated federal laws,“prohibiting the manufacture, advertising and distribution of any system designed to surreptitiously intercept oral or electronic communications in real time” (Zetter 3). Adding to intercepting calls in real-time, StealthGenine also had the additional capability to transmit message data in close-to-real time, meaning almost immediately. An important point writer Kim Zetter makes note of, is the possibility of Akbar not only being brought up on fraudulent wiretapping charges. The authorities also have to opportunity to charge Hammad Akabr and other commercial spyware makers alike, with “file conspiracy charges under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act or use the Stored Communications Act, in situations where stolen data isn’t intercepted in real time. However Zetter also explains how criminal liability and consequences for the sellers of spyware depend on the overall extent and usage of the produced spyware program along with how the program makers market the