Can a bug or tracker be installed without my knowledge

[BuellSki]

Hi. I work at a place with high security with a lot of classified info. I'm not allowed to have a camera phone. Well the other day I got caught with my Samsung S4. As you know it has a camera on it. Well it was confiscated and everything was looked through. I was wondering if they could have possibly installed a bug or some type of tracker? Something to see what I'm doing on the phone? I took the back off and the screws don't look tampered with or a little stripped. I couldn't find any apps running or installed. But then again I'm new to android so I don't exactly know what I'm looking for. But this is a High government organization so they could have hidden something.

Thanks

 

[lunatic59]

Given the level of programming expertise at the government's disposal and their concerns about security, it is plausible that an app like that was installed to replace a system app with "additional functions".

If you are that concerned, the only way to be sure is to flash the phone back to stock (not a factory reset - if system apps were modified, a reset won't wipe them out.) And thank your lucky stars you weren't fired or worse.

 

[SiempreTuna]

As lunatic59 says, if they were going to monitor your phone it's way more likely they'd use software than hardware and a factory reset would be your best - though not perfect - solution.

Any hardware monitoring is most likely to have been 'baked-in' at the factory - the reason the US military doesn't use Huawei kit

 

[BuellSki]

Ok thanks for the replies. I'll look into a factory reset

 

[funkylogik]

As lunatic said, a factory reset wont help if an apps been planted in the system. A reflash will. How long did they have your phone?