• Corporate espionage in Canada: how HR leaders can guard against insider threats
• Deel and Rippling corporate espionage case takes a turn as accused ‘spy’ agrees to cooperate
• US is increasingly vulnerable to espionage threats, analysts warn
• Former Spy: Unstoppable AI-Powered Threats Target All
• Russian espionage group focused on corporate espionage, mainly targeting organizations in the US
• North Korea hackers go after business executives in latest info-stealing scheme
• DOGE Purge Is Boosting China’s Espionage Activities Against U.S.
• '$35 million gone in one call': Deepfake fraud rings are fooling the world's smartest firms: Impersonating CEOs for wire fraud to creating fake hostage videos for extortion
Friday, March 28, 2025
Man Charged with Installing Eavesdropping Device
A Missouri man was charged with installing an eavesdropping device in an Oak Grove home Wednesday night.
Oak Grove Police told WKDZ that 34-year-old Manual Alvarez was arrested after a camera was found in the headboard of a bed in the home of a woman with whom Alvarez had a child in common.
Alvarez reportedly claimed he put in the camera due to things being stolen and said it was not hidden. more
Alvarez reportedly claimed he put in the camera due to things being stolen and said it was not hidden. more
A Chinese Spy Network is Targeting Former US Officials Laid Off by Musk and Trump
While the companies involved remain obscure, the operation's methods resemble those used in previous Chinese intelligence activities. The U.S. government is aware of the potential risks and is urging former employees to remain cautious about such offers...
Lesser, who shared his findings with Reuters, warned that "the network seeks to exploit the financial vulnerabilities of former federal workers affected by recent mass layoffs." These recruitment efforts closely resemble previous tactics used by Chinese intelligence to obtain valuable information under the guise of employment opportunities.
A Web of Fake FirmsFour companies—RiverMerge Strategies, Wavemax Innovation, and two others—are allegedly part of this recruitment network. Their websites share overlapping designs, are hosted on the same server, and exhibit other digital connections, raising suspicions of a coordinated effort. Lesser’s research, along with Reuters' investigation, found that all four companies’ websites were hosted alongside Smiao Intelligence, an obscure Chinese internet services firm. more
Student: Allegedly Secretly Recording Videos in Girls' Restroom
A now-former student at the Gwinnett School of Math, Science and Technology is facing felony charges after police say he recorded videos inside a girls’ restroom multiple times.
The most recent incident occurred on Feb. 25, but warrants reveal the teen is accused of similar actions at least 13 times since October 2024.
According to a police report, the 17-year-old male student entered the girls’ restroom and took a picture or video of a 17-year-old female student without her consent. Investigators collected the student's cell phone as evidence.
Officials credited a student's vigilance in reporting the incident, which led to swift action by administrators. more
According to a police report, the 17-year-old male student entered the girls’ restroom and took a picture or video of a 17-year-old female student without her consent. Investigators collected the student's cell phone as evidence.
Officials credited a student's vigilance in reporting the incident, which led to swift action by administrators. more
Not So Secure: Drones Can Now Listen to Underwater Messages
Researchers from Princeton and MIT have developed a method to intercept underwater communications from the air, challenging long-standing beliefs about the security of underwater transmissions.
The team created a device that uses radar to eavesdrop on underwater acoustic signals, or sonar, by decoding the tiny vibrations those signals produce on the water’s surface. In principle, the technique could also roughly identify the location of an underwater transmitter, the researchers said. more
Cool Spycraft at the Tip of Your Finger
Only $3.18.
This is a Near-Field Communications (NFC) chip. Very small. Very thin. NFC is a short-range wireless technology that enables data exchange between two devices within ~4 cm. The chip contains a small amount of memory, a radio antenna, and a controller. It can be operated in one of two modes.How you might want to put your new spy power to work...
1. Covert Information Drops
This is a Near-Field Communications (NFC) chip. Very small. Very thin. NFC is a short-range wireless technology that enables data exchange between two devices within ~4 cm. The chip contains a small amount of memory, a radio antenna, and a controller. It can be operated in one of two modes.
- Passive: No battery, powered by the electromagnetic field from the reader.
- Active: Has its own power source and can initiate communication.
1. Covert Information Drops
• Spy embeds NFC tag in a common object (book, card, clothing tag).
• The chip links to a hidden or encrypted file or payload.
• Handler taps the object with a phone to retrieve information without direct contact.
2. Target Tracking
• Spy plants an NFC tag on a person or vehicle.
• The chip contains a unique ID or triggers background logging when scanned by compromised devices.
• Useful in tight surveillance environments.
3. Access Credential Spoofing
• Clone an NFC badge or card to gain unauthorized access.
• With a reader and software, a spy can harvest data and replicate a target’s access card.
4. Payload Delivery
NFC chip programmed to:
• Open malicious URLs.
• Trigger phone actions (e.g., Bluetooth pairing, contact injection).
• Launch scripts on rooted devices or with social engineering.
• Planted in public items (posters, flyers, seats, hotel room items).
5. Dead Drops with Geofencing
• NFC chip triggers a secure drop message only when tapped in a specific location.
• Adds plausible deniability; nothing visible unless in context.
6. Asset Authentication & Deception
• Tag gear or documents with NFC chips claiming authenticity (e.g., fake origin metadata).
• Alternatively, verify real gear during handoff using known chip signatures.
7. Remote Trigger Mechanism
• NFC tag acts as a trigger for another device (e.g., when tapped, it signals a hidden recorder to start transmitting).
• The chip links to a hidden or encrypted file or payload.
• Handler taps the object with a phone to retrieve information without direct contact.
2. Target Tracking
• Spy plants an NFC tag on a person or vehicle.
• The chip contains a unique ID or triggers background logging when scanned by compromised devices.
• Useful in tight surveillance environments.
3. Access Credential Spoofing
• Clone an NFC badge or card to gain unauthorized access.
• With a reader and software, a spy can harvest data and replicate a target’s access card.
4. Payload Delivery
NFC chip programmed to:
• Open malicious URLs.
• Trigger phone actions (e.g., Bluetooth pairing, contact injection).
• Launch scripts on rooted devices or with social engineering.
• Planted in public items (posters, flyers, seats, hotel room items).
5. Dead Drops with Geofencing
• NFC chip triggers a secure drop message only when tapped in a specific location.
• Adds plausible deniability; nothing visible unless in context.
6. Asset Authentication & Deception
• Tag gear or documents with NFC chips claiming authenticity (e.g., fake origin metadata).
• Alternatively, verify real gear during handoff using known chip signatures.
7. Remote Trigger Mechanism
• NFC tag acts as a trigger for another device (e.g., when tapped, it signals a hidden recorder to start transmitting).
Monday, March 24, 2025
FutureWatch: Sophisticated & Smart Surveillance Electronics To Become Smaller and Cheaper
The MCU packaging is only 1.38 square millimeters in size... TI says the product is aimed at small products including medical wearables, earbuds, stylus pens and electric toothbrushes. The product includes a 12-bit analog-to-digital converter and has 16KB of flash memory and 1KB of SRAM and runs at 24MHz...
Vinay Agarwal, vice president and general manager of MSP Microcontrollers at TI: "With the addition of the world's smallest MCU, our MSPM0 MCU portfolio provides unlimited possibilities to enable smarter, more connected experiences in our day-to-day lives."
William Luk, a consultant and technology expert at Quandary Peak Research, said the MCU shrinkage opens up opportunities in areas where miniature devices weren't previously possible.
"One of the important verticals for micro-devices is in healthcare and surgical: smart pills, embedded sensors, or even surgical devices that can reach places like never before," Luk said. more
Bank of Ghana - Planted Spy Devices at Home
Retired Colonel Festus Aboagye has accused former Bank of Ghana (BoG) Governor, Dr Ernest Addison, of installing unauthorized electronic surveillance equipment at his residence, allegedly linked to the central bank.
The claim follows a controversial search conducted by National Security operatives at Dr Addison’s residence, which Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin condemned, alleging that personal belongings, including cash and jewellery belonging to Addison’s wife, were seized.
However, Rtd. Col. Aboagye insists that the operation was based on credible intelligence suggesting Dr Addison had set up surveillance devices that enabled remote monitoring of BoG activities.
Speaking on TV3, he stated, “Monitoring is a very diplomatic word. This is spying, this is surveillance,” adding that sources within National Security had confirmed the presence of such “back door electronic devices” at Addison’s home.
He emphasized that no former BoG Governor had the authority to install systems that allowed remote oversight of the bank’s operations. more
However, Rtd. Col. Aboagye insists that the operation was based on credible intelligence suggesting Dr Addison had set up surveillance devices that enabled remote monitoring of BoG activities.
Speaking on TV3, he stated, “Monitoring is a very diplomatic word. This is spying, this is surveillance,” adding that sources within National Security had confirmed the presence of such “back door electronic devices” at Addison’s home.
He emphasized that no former BoG Governor had the authority to install systems that allowed remote oversight of the bank’s operations. more
"The Wildest Stories of Corporate Espionage We've Ever Heard"
Using Drones for Peeping, Burglaries on Rise: “It’s Gotten Dramatically Worse”
Illicit drone use has not only continued despite states passing strict laws but in recent years has proliferated, says Mike Fraietta, an FAA drone pilot and founder of security company Gargoyle Systems. Drone security systems are on the rise as companies and event producers look to secure their airspace. Professional, military-grade drone-detection systems — the kind used for sporting events, for instance — can cost about $200,000...
Drones are typically detected by their noise or the radio frequency (RF) an operator uses to pilot the craft. Fraietta says the technology is innovating in three ways: using AI to program portions of a preplanned flight path instead of relying on RF, making drone wings quieter, and using a wire like a kite string. “A tethered drone sounds silly at first,” he says. “But they’re fiber optic wires that also allow for 4K streaming, and the drone is not detectable by the police looking for a radio frequency. So they’re able to get away and move drones a lot quicker and quieter than a year ago.” Such teathers can literally be miles long. more
Notes From ‘Watchers’ of Spy Kim Philby Made Public
Secret surveillance of Britain’s notorious double agent, Kim Philby, made public for the first time in archived documents, reveals how keenly the Security Service wanted to confirm or disprove early suspicions of his high-level treachery.
In daily bulletins submitted to MI5 in November 1951, undercover operatives describe how Philby, codenamed Peach, moved about London...
In daily bulletins submitted to MI5 in November 1951, undercover operatives describe how Philby, codenamed Peach, moved about London...
Philby, who later worked for the Observer as a Middle East correspondent, has been called the “Third Man” because he was suspected by both MI5 and the Americans of being the elusive double agent who had tipped off the two spies before they could be questioned, allowing them to flee to Moscow via France...
Philby finally fled to Moscow, handing over a written confession to his old MI6 friend, Nicholas Elliott. He had been accused by Flora Solomon, a former girlfriend, who said he had once tried to recruit her...
Philby spent 25 years in Moscow, instructing trainee spies in the techniques of “tradecraft”. When he died, in 1988, he received full KGB honours. more
An El Cheapo Laser Listener (<$30.)
As SomethingAboutScience explains, a laser microphone works by shining a laser beam at a window or picture frame in a room. The beam’s reflection is captured by a photodiode, which converts the vibrations through the glass into audio. A red light laser isn’t necessary; a covert infrared laser can be used instead.
For a more in depth look at laser eavesdropping, click here.
RIP: Oleg Gordievsky, KGB Spy Who Defected to the UK - 86
Gordievsky died on March 4 in England, where he had lived since defecting in 1985. Police said on Saturday that they are not treating his death as suspicious.
Historians consider Gordievsky one of the era’s most important spies. In the 1980s, his intelligence helped avoid a dangerous escalation of nuclear tensions between the USSR and the West. more
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