I have a question about tracking devices for a story that I am writing. (cell phone, reader)
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Yeah he would be pretty much non-knowledgeable of it. However, he does have a computer hacker acquaintance, that he is using to help find out the suspected villain's identity earlier. Maybe a person like that would know how to whip up a tracking device, or the main character can just buy one?
Plausible hacker knowledge. I would know how to do it and could get up to the state of the art in a couple of days...though I did it for decades as an engineer/computer scientist. Been only a hacker though for the last two decades. I still follow the tech literature though. Even build some stuff.
So ascribe the skill to the hacker. And he can use off the shelf devices. You can almost make a plausible story off of Amazon and particularly the reviews of such devices there.
Okay thanks, but when it comes to the tracking devices you buy, how do they send the signal to one's cellphone exactly?
They send cellphone signals to the nearest tower. They may use a cellphone protocol so they look like one but they may also use some other data protocol or some different protocol agreed to with the cell phone company. I can for instance run my home system reasonably well off my cellphone hot spot if my primary broad band hookup is down.
Oh okay. Well since the main character is doing this on his own, he doesn't want any record of it. So the tracking device is sending it's signal to a cell phone tower, will that mean there will be a record?
Oh okay. Well since the main character is doing this on his own, he doesn't want any record of it. So the tracking device is sending it's signal to a cell phone tower, will that mean there will be a record?
Yes. If you want a plausible scenario simply invent your own device. An RF transmitter on a public frequency fed by a GPS. That is of course possible and the needed devices are readily available. Enough hacker knowledge to program the system and you are in business.
In the real world you can have trouble with a poor connection or something jamming the signal or such. But in your world those will only occur if you find them useful.
Or simply make up a commercial device that meets your needs. You are close enough to reality that it will appear plausible.
Okay thanks. So if I don't want the signal to be recorded by the cellphone tower though, how does one send the signal from the tracking device, to a cellphone, without it going to the tower first?
Okay thanks. So if I don't want the signal to be recorded by the cellphone tower though, how does one send the signal from the tracking device, to a cellphone, without it going to the tower first?
You can't. Just send it to the black box receiver the cop has in his car or at home. The car is more plausible.
Yeah he would be pretty much non-knowledgeable of it. However, he does have a computer hacker acquaintance, that he is using to help find out the suspected villain's identity earlier. Maybe a person like that would know how to whip up a tracking device, or the main character can just buy one?
raspberry-pi... plugged in hidden in glove box/center console usb ?
You infect his phone with software that tracks him, monitors his communications, etc. This can be both real time surveillance and fully recorded for viewing later. If you “own” his phone you can also see into his past, the past communications/texts/call logs/location data. You can see where he is, and turn the microphone on and listen, even the camera. You don’t have to worry about charging it, he will charge it for you, and carry it with him for you.
The cop character can go on the dark web and purchase the software anonymously with cryptocurrency.
You could just do the simple location tracking/recording through your malicious software on his phone, or you could go full owning of all the info/sensors on the phone, including all of his passwords to his online accounts/email etc.
raspberry-pi... plugged in hidden in glove box/center console usb ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken_N
Here is a different angle...
You infect his phone with software that tracks him, monitors his communications, etc. This can be both real time surveillance and fully recorded for viewing later. If you “own” his phone you can also see into his past, the past communications/texts/call logs/location data. You can see where he is, and turn the microphone on and listen, even the camera. You don’t have to worry about charging it, he will charge it for you, and carry it with him for you.
The cop character can go on the dark web and purchase the software anonymously with cryptocurrency.
You could just do the simple location tracking/recording through your malicious software on his phone, or you could go full owning of all the info/sensors on the phone, including all of his passwords to his online accounts/email etc.
A couple of good ideas. I would certainly start out with some version of a Rasberry Pi. And add the blocks for the transmitter and GPS.
But the dark web purchase is even more interesting. Note though such tools leave tracks that the authorities may well be able to find.
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