[dmix]

The odds of this being actively exploited by a nation state is higher than it not being exploited. It's too juicy of a attack target, while being almost universally deployed since 2008.

Even 14 years ago the FBI was using off cellphones as microphones, recording in-person conversations in a restaurant between some Mafia targets. It was acknowledged during a criminal trial, which means it was probably old-hat by then:

> Kaplan's opinion said that the eavesdropping technique "functioned whether the phone was powered on or off."

> He ruled that the "roving bug" was legal because federal wiretapping law is broad enough to permit eavesdropping even of conversations that take place near a suspect's cell phone.

https://www.cnet.com/news/fbi-taps-cell-phone-mic-as-eavesdr...

Getting access to laptops/PCs regardless of power state with long-term persistence and very low detectability, regardless of traditional OS monitoring, would be top of the list in terms of requirements for any intelligence agency.