Canada and the UK intelligence services use specialized software to spy on users of smartphones, according to The Intercept. The program, codenamed BADASS (slang expression in English) is designed to intercept data in applications on mobile devices.
With BADASS intelligence agencies collect personal information from metadata that is sent between the social and ad networks. At one secret slides provided by Edward Snowden, there is a phrase: "Abuse BADASS for fun and profit", on yet another: "We know how badly you play Angry Birds».
"Programmers often embed code third-party services in the application, because it helps them to answer some questions: How often the user opens the application, and what time of day? Where does the user? Where the user is working? Where is the user? On what version of iOS or Android device works? What is IP-address of the user? It is already common in the IT-industry, so it is not surprising that our information can easily steal "- writes the resource.
According to available data, BADASS able to track information in many services, including Flurry, Google AdMob, Mobclix, Mydas, Medialets, MSN Mobile Advertising and others.
In early January, it was reported that in the UK are planning to introduce a bill on personal data of users (so-called "spy Charter"). It provides for the possibility of wiretapping users.
Prime Minister David Cameron said he supported the modernization of the British legislation on wiretapping. He supported the "spy Charter," the resolution intelligence services the same e-mail access of citizens (as well as to social networks on the Internet) that security services at the moment are the traditional means of communication.