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. 

• Passive: No battery, powered by the electromagnetic field from the reader. 
• Active: Has its own power source and can initiate communication.

How you might want to put your new spy power to work...

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).

10 High-Octane Spy Movies That Can Compete With James Bond

Skip the Hallmark Channel this season with this hit list...

10
The Bourne Identity (2002)
The James Bond Franchise's American Twin

9 

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
A Timeless Film With Quieter Thrills

8 

Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)
Everything That's Great About James Bond Cranked Up To 11

7 

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)
Ethan Hunt Is A Great James Bond Rival

6 

Atomic Blonde (2017)
A Unique Spy Movie That Stands On Its Own Against Hits Like James Bond

5 

Sicario (2015)
Trades The Glamor Of James Bond For A Grim Spy Story

4 

Tenet (2020)
Bond For Physics Enthusiasts

3 

Argo (2012)

2 

Bridge of Spies (2015)

1 

The Hunt for Red October (1990)

Then,  for stress relief...

Top Secret! (1984)

“The Conversation” to be Remade as a TV Series

Francis Ford Coppola‘s 1974 masterpiece “The Conversation” will be remade as a TV series, with “Margin Call” and “All Is Lost” filmmaker J.C. Chandor attached to both write and direct the series, IndieWire has confirmed.

Chandor will direct via his CounterNarrative Films banner alongside Temple Hill, producer Adam Fishbach, and executive produced by Coppola’s American Zoetrope. Erin Levy, known for her work on “Mad Men” and “Mindhunter,” will be the showrunner on “The Conversation” remake. 

MRC is the studio behind the series, and the company optioned the TV remake rights directly from the Coppola estate. more

...and for old times' sake...

The Future of AI that Never Was (from 2012)

Enjoy the weekend!

The first 1:54 is all you need...

Download a Free 2024 Chinese Espionage Calendar

Looking for that perfect addition for your office? 

A year long reminder of the threat? 

Download and print a 2024 Chinese Espionage Calendar for that special counterintelligence or insider threat specialist. 

Complementary. (No info requested.)

Provided by Shinobi Enterprises, LLC.

Send Your Name to Jupiter’s Moon Europa

NASA's Europa Clipper will investigate Jupiter’s moon Europa to determine whether there are places below Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa, that could support life. 

The mission’s detailed investigation of Europa will help scientists better understand the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond our planet.

Join the mission and have your name stenciled on a microchip that will be attached to the spacecraft as it travels 1.8 billion miles to explore Europa. Sign up to send your name on NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft by Sunday, Dec. 31. HERE

Shady Things You Can Do With a Flipper Zero

Since it’s evil week at Lifehacker, let’s take a look at a gadget that can be used for mild evil: the Flipper Zero. Despite its toy-like looks, this pocket-friendly multitool can be used for all kinds of hacking and penetration testing. 

It gives anyone, even newbs, an easy-to-understand way to interact with the invisible waves that surround us, whether they’re RFID, NFC, Bluetooth, wifi, or radio. It’s a like a hacker Swiss army knife that you can buy for less than $200.

You can use a Flipper Zero to control your TV, cheat your Nintendo, replace your work ID, open your hotel room door, and more. I’m sure you could see where the “evil” part could comes in. But on the other hand, it’s just a tool, and its ability to commit crimes is... more

Flipper Zero – Corporate Security Threat

Quiz - Would You Make a Good Spy?

Test yourself for fun. Learn what makes a good spy. (Before you hire any TSCM inspection / counterespionage consultant make sure they know what makes a good spy, too.)

This quiz was originally published in, A Handbook for Spies, 1980, Wolfgang Lotz (a real spy), Harper & Row, Publishers, New York, NY and is available at amazon.com.

The following questionnaire has been designed to determine the degree of your suitability as a prospective secret agent. The results of this test will also indicate what type of spy or agent you are likely to become – for example, an informer, a “stinker”, a double agent, a resident, master spy, a spymaster.

These terms will be explained later. For the present you should approach the test with an open mind. You will not have to show your answers to anyone, and therefore you can afford to be absolutely honest in your replies.

There are three to five possible answers to each question. Mark the one that is closest to the truth, and after you have answered all ten questions, award yourself the number of points indicated in the key that follows the questionnaire. An evaluation of your point total and an analysis of each of the questions follows. You may study it at your leisure only after completing the test. (If you want an honest and comprehensive appraisal, don’t look ahead now.) THE SPY QUIZ

Weekend Project - Two-Tube Spy Transmitter

From the look around his shack Helge Fykse (LA6NCA) really has a thing for old technology. The typewriter, the rotary phones, the boat-anchor receiver — they all contribute to the retro feel of the space, as well as the circuit he’s working on... The tiny transmitter is built into a small metal box, which is stuffed with the resistors, capacitors, and homebrew inductors needed to complete the circuit... Almost every component used has a vintage look... But does it work? Of course it does! more

Last Minute Xmas Gift for Your TSCM Nerd

Most of these T-shirts are available on amazon.com

Can You Solve the GCHQ Christmas Card Challenge?

Today we've released the 2022 #GCHQChristmasChallenge. The puzzle, masterminded by a team of our in-house puzzlers, features on our Director's annual Christmas card. 

The card is sent to partners in the UK and around the world who work with us to counter threats, including hostile state activity, terror groups and organised crime gangs.

Whilst the Challenge has been designed for schools and colleges, we're also encouraging the wider public to take on the challenge to pit their wits against our puzzlers. more  video   And, of course, count on the Security Scrapbook to provide the solution.

50 Spy Movies That’ll Keep You On The Edge Of Your Seat

As kids, all of us loved play-pretend games, and though there's a myriad of variations, one theme that was by far the most thrilling of them all - playing spies on a secret mission. 

Such secrecy and importance sure seemed thrilling, and emulating the super cool tricks we saw on the cinema screens felt like the best thing in the world. Naturally, most of us grew out of these play-pretend frolics, but the infatuation with everything spies hasn't gone anywhere. And what's a better way to relive these thrilling fantasies than by watching some of the best spy movies ever made? 

So, here we are with our list that'll cater to even the pickiest spy movie connoisseur and give you some pretty decent choices for your next adventurous viewing... more

Hidden Wisconsin Restaurant Serves Espionage Fun With Food

A truly exceptional themed restaurant needs to go further than some wall decor and select menu items, it needs to provide a full theme experience, something that the SafeHouse Restaurant and Bar in Milwaukee, Wisconsin seems to have nailed completely. Let's put it this way, when you arrive at the 'hidden' SafeHouse, you need to provide a password to gain entry, but once you get inside the real show begins. more

Personal recommendation... The Mission Impossible - Go rogue with this mission. A large fishbowl filled with Bacardi Superior Rum, Roaring Dan's Dark Rum, orgeat, lemon, orange, pineapple, and grenadine - serves 2 spies nicely or 1 brave agent. more

Spy Trick # 712 - The Memory Card Ring (Make Your Own!)

Honus, a former bicycle industry designer turned professional jeweler can teach you how to make your own spy ring.  

This is how spies (and corrupt employees) can sneak file cabinets of documentation out of companies, no matter how good their security is. more  
more spy rings
Secret Message Decoder Ring Great Christmas gift

A New "Mobile" Phone - Complete with No Apps

Ever wish you had a mobile phone that would really turn heads?
One where you could call your friends, real or imaginary?
One that would look at you with loving eyes? 

Your past is now your future...  

Have a Little James Bond in You? Have I Got a Car for You!

ASTON MARTIN DB5 JUNIOR

No Time To Die Edition

From Goldfinger to No Time To Die, Bond has never been far from his Aston Martin DB5. This car has arguably been part of his DNA for over 50 years. Now, an exclusive partnership between Aston Martin, EON Productions and The Little Car Company brings you the Aston Martin DB5 Junior No Time To Die Edition.

Limited production run of 125 vehicles.

Created at 66% scale of the original, with a fully electric powertrain, the DB5 has been reimagined for Bond fans worldwide. As an official Aston Martin model, the No Time To Die edition will pay homage to the rich history of the brand with Silver Birch paintwork, Smiths instruments, and individually numbered chassis plates. Complete with Aston Martin and 007 badging, this car is unmistakably Bond.

The DB5 Junior is designed to offer seating for an adult and child side by side, to allow all generations of Bond fans to share the love of driving. more

Spy Tip 592 - How to Eavesdrop More Effectively

Dr Anthony Youn explained that there is a way you can listen into a chat that wasn’t meant for you.

He explained: “Try listening with your right ear and not your left – your right ear is connected to the left side of your brain which processes speech and language.”

His posts on body hacks have gone viral and include a range of tricks and trips.

He also revealed how you can get rid of hiccups. more

Why You Can't Get James Bond's Custom Martini These Days

 via Futility Closet... (worth subscribing)

In the first James Bond novel, 1953’s Casino Royale, Bond orders a drink of his own invention:

‘A dry martini,’ he said. ‘One. In a deep champagne goblet.’

‘Oui, monsieur.’

‘Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?’

‘Certainly monsieur.’ The barman seemed pleased with the idea.

‘Gosh, that’s certainly a drink,’ said Leiter.

Bond laughed. ‘When I’m … er … concentrating,’ he explained, ‘I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold, and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad. This drink’s my own invention. I’m going to patent it when I think of a good name.’

The name he thinks of is the Vesper, ostensibly inspired by the character Vesper Lynd. But in fact the recipe wasn’t original to Bond — Fleming had first received the drink from the butler of an elderly couple in Jamaica — it was named after vespers, a service of evening prayer. Bond says, “It sounds perfect and it’s very appropriate to the violet hour when my cocktail will now be drunk all over the world.” He’d have trouble getting one today — Kina Lillet was discontinued in 1986, and the strength of Gordon’s Gin was reduced in 1992.

Animal Surveillance Tech - Bird Buddy

You want a Bird Buddy? It’s a smart bird feeder that notifies you via an app when a feathered friend has approached the vicinity.

The in-built camera turns on, records and takes pictures of the wee thing as it pecks away at the bird seed. And you can get your kicks as you watch it and take pictures on your phone.

The team behind the Bird Buddy says it captures their photos and organizes them in a “beautiful collection that is easy to view and share." more

Note: This is a crowd-funded project.
$7,132,542 USD by 30,767 backers
$5,092,995 USD by 22,921 backers on Jan 14, 2021 with another platform

This Blast from the Past Kickstarter Funded Fast: "The Prisoner" Action Figures

 In 1967 the cult classic TV series, THE PRISONER, came bursting onto the screen. The series, about an unnamed British intelligence agent who awakes to find himself trapped in an idyllic seaside village, was not only an instant hit with viewers at the time, it went on to be watched and re-watched obsessively by fans, quickly gaining cult status. 

While there have been several collectables released over the decades, THE PRISONER has never received a line of OFFICIALLY LICENSED ACTION FIGURES… and Wandering Planet Toys is working with our licensing partners at ITV Studios to bring to life 4-inch RETRO STYLE ACTION FIGURES that celebrate Patrick McGoohan’s brilliant series. 

But we need the crowdfunding support of PRISONER and ACTION FIGURE fans to make these figures a reality! 

Want to get information about these figures? Good, because by hook or by crook you will! 

Feeling like a prisoner?
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