Re: The FIREWALL CHIP. U're phone always offhook?

[Ben <samman@CS.YALE.EDU>]

On Thu, 2 Feb 1995, Gary Jeffers wrote:

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> 
>          THE FIREWALL CHIP!  U'RE PHONE ALWAYS OFFHOOK?
> 
>    We have potential bugging devices in all our houses - The telephone!
> Of course, when it is onhook, the microphone does not transmit... or
> does it? Would the phone have to be rewired to render it always
> "offhook" or would it be an operation at the central phone company?
> If the present models would have to be rewired, then how about future
> models? Much function is done thru chips & so could many of the models
> on the current market be remote programmable? See the latest issue of
> Mondo 2000.

Use an encrypted cordless phone.  When its not in use, take the battery 
out of the phone.  As long as the model you own doens't have a speaker 
phone you're cool.

If you start thinking that all phones that you buy have other hidden 
mikes in them, then I start wondering about paranoia.

Ben.