{"id":7600,"date":"2026-01-23T15:35:44","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T15:35:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/?p=7600"},"modified":"2026-01-23T15:35:44","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T15:35:44","slug":"how-much-can-your-devices-really-hear-a-former-cia-agent-explains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/how-much-can-your-devices-really-hear-a-former-cia-agent-explains\/","title":{"rendered":"How Much Can Your Devices Really Hear? A Former CIA Agent Explains"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Today, our phones are practically glued to us. From navigation to messaging, shopping to streaming, life without one feels nearly impossible. But what if your phone isn\u2019t just a tool\u2014it\u2019s also listening? Former CIA operative John Kiriakou has shared a chilling warning about just how vulnerable our devices really are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of us know our phones track our location or collect data to make apps work. But few realize that they can be exploited as constant listening devices. Speaking on The Diary of a CEO<\/em> podcast, Kiriakou revealed the unsettling truth: it\u2019s not just governments you might worry about\u2014phones can be hacked remotely by intelligence agencies around the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou think your devices are secure?\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019re not\u2014at all. It\u2019s not just the NSA, CIA, or FBI. The British, the French, the Germans, the Canadians, the Australians, the New Zealanders, the Russians, the Chinese, the Israelis, the Iranians\u2014they all have the capability. Everyone. You have to be very, very careful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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John Kiriakou. Credit: Youtube\/The Diary Of A CEO<\/sup><\/sub><\/kbd><\/mark><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Continue reading on next page…<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Kiriakou, who became the first CIA staffer convicted for exposing the agency\u2019s enhanced interrogation program in 2012, explained that these breaches go far beyond eavesdropping. Hackers\u2014or intelligence agencies\u2014can intercept communications, remotely access smart devices, and even turn a smart TV\u2019s speaker into a microphone without your knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He referenced the infamous Vault 7 leaks: in 2017, a CIA software engineer leaked tens of thousands of highly classified documents to WikiLeaks, revealing just how deep the agency\u2019s access could go. \u201cIt can hear everything being said in a room and broadcast it back,\u201d Kiriakou said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the risks aren\u2019t limited to privacy violations. Kiriakou warned that sophisticated hacking can take control of car systems remotely, with the potential to manipulate or even crash a vehicle. \u201cThis isn\u2019t science fiction. The technology existed decades ago, and now it\u2019s more advanced than ever,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Shutterstock.com<\/sup><\/sub><\/kbd><\/mark><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The takeaway? Phones are convenient\u2014but they\u2019re far from invincible. Being aware of the risks, securing devices, and staying informed are now essential steps in protecting your privacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your thoughts matter! Do you feel safe using your phone, or has this warning changed the way you think? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the conversation.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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