Fry Spy: What's Done in an Air Fryer Doesn't Stay in an Air Fryer

UK consumer champion Which? wants you to know that your air fryer might be spying on you and sharing your data with third parties for marketing purposes.

The perhaps not-so-surprising findings from the buyer's friend are that smart devices in general are engaged in surveillance of their owners, and that data collection often goes "well beyond" what is necessary for the functioning of the product...

Testing out products across four categories, the outfit discovered that all three air fryers it looked at wanted permission to record audio on the user's phone, for no specified reason.

One wanted to know gender and date of birth when setting up an owner account, while the Xiaomi app linked to its air fryer was found to be connected with trackers from Facebook, Pangle (the ad network of TikTok for Business), and Chinese tech giant Tencent.

Air fryers from brands Aigostar and Xiaomi both sent the owner's personal data to servers in China – although this was flagged in the privacy notice, for what it's worth. more

Spybuster Tip # 823: Store Your Car Key Fobs in a Metal Can

Thieves have perfected the art of stealing the code from that key fob sitting on a kitchen counter or hung on a hook by the door. And tools that make theft fast and easy can be purchased on the internet. Worse, the latest theft devices allow criminals to amplify a vehicle's radio signal so that thieves can better access and copy the key fob signal to steal a vehicle...

The Relay Attack, a two-person attack, is when a thief walks up to the victim’s home with a piece of equipment that captures the signal from the key fob and then transmits the signal from a car key fob. "An accomplice waits nearby at the car door, usually with another device, to open the car when the signal is received," the AARP website said. The copied signal can fool the car into starting the ignition.

Spybuster Tip #823: Store your car key fobs in a metal container when not in use.

Your other fobs are at risk too. Learn more here.

Is This a Bug?

This question comes from Reddit, where someone answered correctly.

We have a collection of many other "Is This a Bug?" photos and explanations.

Also, what to do if you think you found a bug.

China Is Becoming a No-Go Zone for Executives

Foreign executives are scared to go to China. 

Their main concern: They might not be allowed to leave. 

Beijing’s tough treatment of foreign companies this year, and its use of exit bans targeting bankers and executives, has intensified concerns about business travel to mainland China. Some companies are canceling or postponing trips. Others are maintaining travel plans but adding new safeguards, including telling staff they can enter the country in groups but not alone.

“There is a very significant cautionary attitude toward travel to China,” said Tammy Krings, chief executive of ATG Travel Worldwide, which works with large employers around the world. “I would advise mission-critical travel only.” Krings said she has seen a roughly 25% increase in cancellations or delays of business trips to China by U.S. companies in recent weeks. more

Baby Monitors & Smart Speakers Enabling Abuse, say MPs

Fitness trackers, home security systems and baby monitors are among the devices that MPs warn are enabling the growing issue of tech-enabled domestic abuse.

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee says there are on average nine such "smart" products in UK homes. It found they were being used to "monitor, harass, coerce and control" victims by collecting recordings and images.

The MPs say the government must tackle the situation. (hear! hear!) more

Hugh Grant Accuses The Sun Used 'Bugging' to Obtain Private Information

The Sun newspaper used "burglaries to order" and "breaking and entering" to obtain private information through "bugging, landline tapping and phone hacking", Hugh Grant has claimed in court.

The 62-year-old actor made the allegations in a witness statement read out as part of his lawsuit against News Group Newspapers (NGN) - the publisher of The Sun and the now-defunct News Of The World.

The British star attended the final day of a hearing at London's High Court where NGN is bringing a bid to have claims by him and Prince Harry thrown out. more

Doctor Slipped Cleaner into Spouse’s Tea - He Installed Cameras

...now she’s charged.

A Mission Viejo dermatologist is accused of using liquid cleaner to try to poison her husband. Suspicious about the taste of his tea, he installed cameras at home. 

Growing suspicious, Chen secretly installed cameras around his Irvine home where, according to the restraining order request, he captured video of Yu pouring liquid drain cleaner into his cup when he left it unattended... 

According to prosecutors, video showed Yu pouring the chemical into the tea on July 11, 18 and 25. more

From Phone Bugging to Kidnapping...

 ...these are the biggest security concerns of the super-rich...

Armed burglaries, kidnapping, offshore bank account hacking - when it comes to security risks of the super-rich, nothing is off the cards.

‘UHNWs often have unique security concerns due to their wealth and high profile’, says David Webb, Managing Director at Valkyrie, a specialist security consultancy firm. ‘These issues are not just specific to them but can also involve their families and close friends...

In addition to the investigation we conducted a TSCM sweep (Technical Surveillance Counter Measures aka bug search), cyber review and device compromise check, as it was believed the blackmailer had access to the clients systems and possibly had planted eavesdropping devices in his house and office – which ultimately proved true.’ more

MA - Lawmaker Hopes to Change Wiretapping Law

MA - A Massachusetts state lawmaker outlined his reasons for updating the state wiretapping law to allow victims of domestic violence to record their abusers...

Alex Fopiano was in court today as his lawyer asked the judge to dismiss the criminal charges against him. He is accused of attempting to suffocate his wife, Shauna Fopiano, with a pillow...

She was criminally charged with eight counts of illegal wiretapping for making secret recordings of her husband, her alleged abuser. In a deal approved earlier this month, the charges will be dismissed in six months as long as she commits no other crimes.

"I was shocked that this is something that could still actually happen to somebody in Massachusetts," said state Sen. Patrick O'Connor, R-Weymouth.

The state's wiretapping law makes it a criminal offense to record someone without their permission. O'Connor said it should be updated to include an exemption to give victims of domestic violence the chance to record their abusers. more

17 CIA Tips - Think like a spy and stay safe while on vacation

The CIA is releasing these tips – or travel tradecraft, in spy parlance – as part of its ongoing effort to demystify its work in assisting the American public, according to agency spokesperson Walter Trosin.

I found the CIA's best practices, culled from the experience of its officers in the field, are exceptionally helpful, easy to adopt and especially relevant to Americans in these fraught times.

Here’s how to think like a spy on the ground overseas... more

The CIA Shares How to Travel Like a Spy

Staying in a high-rise hotel on vacation this summer? ... The CIA is offering these tips and more to Americans... “Call it travel tradecraft,” the agency said, publishing the new advice on its website. 

“Whether you’re off to a bustling city or a secluded getaway this summer, we hope these CIA ‘travel tips’ help you journey with more confidence and safety.” 

Some of the guidance is standard practice for seasoned travelers... But some of their advice is more spook savvy...

“Don’t look like an easy target,” the guidance reads... “You’ll want to be alert and maintain situational awareness, especially in an unfamiliar country.”

Once you have arrived at your destination, the CIA suggests familiarizing yourself with the emergency escape routes. more  The CIA Tips

Things Often Mistaken for Eavesdropping Bugs

“Is this a bug?” is a question we are often asked.

Usually the answer is, “I understand why you are asking is this a bug. Some bugs do look similar to this. But, here is what you actually found.”

Real electronic eavesdropping devices are getting smaller. So are lots of other little electronic bits which are part of our everyday lives. Distinguishing between the two can be tricky. 

If the object you found makes you think, is this a bug, keep reading. You stand a good chance of finding your answer here...  more

Personal Security: Remove Your House from Apple Maps, Google Maps & Bing Maps

If you’d like to opt out of a property you own or rent appearing in one of these street-level views, you can use a reporting or request method in each service:

• Apple: Apple requires that you email them “to request that a face, license plate, or your own house be censored.” The address is MapsImageCollection@apple.com.
• Google: Visit maps.google.com and go to the address of concern. Expand the side panel on the left, then click the photo in the side panel to have it enlarge in your browser. Look for an info box in the upper left of the photo and click on the icon of the three vertical dots. In the pop-up that appears, click “Report a problem” and select what you would like to have blurred from the “Request blurring” list of options. You can also submit via the Google Maps app.
• Microsoft: Visit Bing Maps, click “Report a privacy concern with this image” at the lower-left corner of the page, and select House (or another option) from “What kind of concern do you have?” You can describe in the text box below that you want to have your house blurred. more

Your Own Personal License Plate Reader

via Theodore Claypoole, Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP 

Somewhere along the path between doorbell cameras and anti-tank weapons lies the newest home protection equipment – privately-owned license plate readers. A new company straight out of Y Combinator is offering machine-learning license plate capture technology for your home and office. Flock Safety, a start-up that describes itself in press releases as a crime-solving company, offers for sale TALON, a national network of automatic license plate readers. Anyone can own a node in this network.

Until recently, license plate readers had been the province of law enforcement... more

OK, how much?

The Flock Safety Falcon camera is $2,500 per camera per year, with a one-time $250 installation cost. This price includes everything — installation, maintenance, footage hosting, cellular service, and software updates. The Sparrow camera (a lighter and smaller version of our Falcon camera) costs slightly less with the same basic subscription model. more

Tips for Closing Hard-to-Delete Online Accounts

 via Consumer Reports

Tips for Deleting Old Accounts

Deleting your old accounts can be a time-consuming and sometimes frustrating process. Some guidelines to speed things along...

• Check to see if anyone has figured out the steps. Google “how to delete [company name] account” and you’ll often find instructions. (A step-by-step guide to deleting two dozen common accounts.)
  
• Go to the Settings page first. Companies sometimes put the delete button in settings, account menus, or pages to edit your profile; it varies by company.
• Try the privacy policy. Privacy policies often include instructions, and you can search for words like “account,” “delete,” “close,” or “deletion.”
• Explore the Help menus. If there’s a Help menu or an FAQ section on a website, you can often find deletion instructions there.
• Try customer service. When available, text chats are usually faster than phone calls in my experience.
• Take advantage of privacy laws. California’s privacy law, the CCPA, requires most businesses to let state residents delete data collected from them. Companies don’t have to fulfill a deletion request if you’re not a resident, but some honor requests from anyone. Look for “California” or “CCPA” in privacy policies for details.
• Don’t forget the accounts you’ve forgotten. You may have registered for accounts years ago that have slipped your mind. A whole article with detailed instructions on how to find them. Some tips to get started: Google your email address and old usernames; check for saved log-ins in your web browser or password manager; search your email inbox for old “welcome” messages. Try variations on phrases like “welcome to,” “new account,” “password,” or “confirm your email.” more
  

Vishing — Phone Call Attacks and Scams

via Jen Fox, SANS OUCH Newsletter...
While some of today’s cyber criminals do use advanced technologies, many simply use the phone to trick their victims...

The greatest defense you have against a phone call attack is yourself. Keep these things in mind:

• Anytime anyone calls you and creates a tremendous sense of urgency or pressure, be extremely suspicious. They are attempting to rush you into making a mistake. Even if the phone call seems OK at first, if it starts to feel strange, you can stop and say “no” at any time.

• Be especially wary of callers who insist that you purchase gift cards or prepaid debit cards.

• Never trust Caller ID. Bad guys will often spoof the number, so it looks like it is coming from a legitimate organization or has the same area code as your phone number.

• Never allow a caller to take temporary control of your computer or trick you into downloading software. This is how they can infect your computer.

• Unless you placed the call, never give the other party information that they should already have. For example, if the bank called you, they shouldn’t be asking for your account number.

• If you believe a phone call is an attack, simply hang up. If you want to confirm that the phone call was legitimate, go to the organization’s website (such as your bank) and call the customer support phone number directly yourself. That way, you really know you are talking to the real organization.

• If a phone call is coming from someone you do not personally know, let the call go directly to voicemail. This way you can review unknown calls on your own time. Even better, on many phones you can enable this by default with the “Do Not Disturb” feature. more
  

Exercise Like Your Walter Mitty Secret Agent Life Depended On It

via Justin Harper, Business reporter, BBC News, Singapore

I was the hero in my very own spy story, speeding from one checkpoint to another to foil the bad guys.

The plot came from a running app called Running Stories, which casts you as a secret agent in a story playing out with a heart-thumping soundtrack.

It is one of the latest apps designed to make exercise more entertaining, using real-time data that integrates the plot with your surroundings.

Key events in the storyline are triggered when a runner passes specific GPS markers and landmarks.

From being shot at by snipers to racing to catch a speedboat along the river, the plot kept me engaged and burned plenty of calories. more