Shields Up: BlackBerry spy apps

US-CERT (United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team) has issued a warning about a new app that could allow someone to eavesdrop on a BlackBerry user’s phone conversation. The app, called PhoneSnoop, is free and was released by an Indonesian man who said he just wanted to make a point that the BlackBerry platform isn’t infallible despite its strong security features.

“My intention was to raise awareness that even though the BlackBerry is one of the more secure platforms, there are still means where its users can be spied upon,” Gunasekera wrote in an e-mail on Tuesday. “I wanted to highlight that even with such technical security controls, the human element can be exploited through social engineering.”

The app doesn’t hide itself once installed, so a user should be able to easily figure out it’s there. For those wondering what else may be lurking on their BlackBerry devices, another free app, called Kisses, will find and display all hidden apps on the device.

If you’re looking for something even stronger, there is a full fledged security suite available for the BlackBerry as well. SMobile Security Shield offers two versions. The Security and Anti-Theft version is $19.99 and offers malware protection and web based services including remote wipe, GPS tracking, locking and backup and restore. The Parental Control version is $29.99 and allows parents to monitor their children’s BlackBerry use from a web based console. They can monitor emails and text messages and be alerted when the child’s contact list is updated, track their location via GPS and monitor social networking apps like MySpace and Facebook.

Both apps are available for download from BlackBerry App World. The US-CERT strongly recommends password protecting your device and being very careful of what you download onto it and who you let use it.