Roach Coach for Spy Tech

Spy Cockroaches and AI Robots...

Germany plots the future of warfare.

Sven Weizenegger, who heads up the Cyber Innovation hub, the Bundeswehr's innovation accelerator, said the war in Ukraine was also changing social attitudes, removing a stigma towards working in the defence sector. "Germany has developed a whole new openness towards the issue of security since the invasion," he said.

Some of the ideas under development feel akin to science fiction – like Swarm Biotactics' cyborg cockroaches that are equipped with specialised miniature backpacks that enable real-time data collection via cameras for example...

"Our bio-robots - based on living insects - are equipped with neural stimulation, sensors, and secure communication modules," said CEO Stefan Wilhelm. "They can be steered individually or operate autonomously in swarms...

"We just need to get to this mindset: a strong defense industrial base means a strong economy and innovation on steroids," said Markus Federle, managing partner at defence-focused investment firm Tholus Capital. more

So, A Man Steals A Cherry-Picker...

...while undercover L.A. sheriff’s deputy is using it to remove concealed surveillance cameras!

A man carjacked an L.A. County Sheriff’s Department bucket truck early Wednesday morning while a sheriff’s deputy was precariously positioned high above the ground in the bucket, authorities said....

Two undercover deputies were using the truck to remove concealed cameras when a man jumped into the vehicle, said he had to go to the hospital and began to drive away, law enforcement sources told The Times.

When the carjacking took place, one of the deputies was elevated in the bucket.

The man conducted a takeover of a 2011 Ford F550 utility bucket truck on the corner of Spring and Temple streets around 5 a.m. while two deputies were in the vehicle, according to a department bulletin. A deputy received minor injuries during a struggle with the carjacker and was treated at a hospital, according to a department statement. more

P.S. I'll bet there is at least one very nervous citizen who frequents that part of town.

Cameras Are Popping Up in Eldercare Facilities

Roughly 20 states now have laws permitting families to place cameras in the rooms of loved ones. Facility operators are often opposed...

Though they remain a contentious subject, cameras in care facilities are gaining ground. By 2020, eight states had joined Minnesota in enacting laws allowing them, according to the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care: Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Washington.

The legislative pace has picked up since, with nine more states enacting laws: Connecticut, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nevada, Ohio, Rhode Island, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming. Legislation is pending in several others. California and Maryland have adopted guidelines, not laws. The state governments in New Jersey and Wisconsin will lend cameras to families concerned about loved ones’ safety. more

Dr. Seuss on Surveillance

Dr. Seuss wrote a story about a Hawtch-Hawtcher Bee-Watcher who had a rather peculiar job. He was tasked with keeping an eye on his town’s only lazy bee. 

The idea was that if a bee is watched, it’ll work harder, right? 

Well, guess what? That didn’t seem to work at all! So, they decided to assign another Hawtch-Hawtcher to watch the first one, and then another to watch the second… and so on. Before you know it, the entire town was watching each other watch a bee!

AI is Watching You Drive, And it Knows More Than You Think

SUMMARY

• AI traffic cameras are becoming widespread, detecting violations like texting or not wearing seat belts.
• Location determines enforcement methods, with some countries automating citations while others involve human officers.
• AI cameras can improve road safety by catching distracted drivers, but data security, accuracy, and bias concerns remain.

Think you can sneak a quick text or drive without buckling up? AI traffic cameras may have other plans. These high-tech cameras are popping up everywhere, and they're no longer only looking for speeders. They can detect way more than you think.

As you drive past, the camera snaps a high-resolution photo of your car. These images capture the license plate, front seats, and “driver behavior.” Then, AI software analyzes the image to detect violations, like if you’re holding a phone or riding without a seat belt.

• Acusensus heads-up system snapshot of a passenger not wearing a seatbelt.

The system doesn’t issue tickets right away. Instead, it assigns a “confidence level.” This is basically a guess at how sure the AI is that you broke the rules. If the confidence is high enough, the flagged image goes to a human officer, who makes the final call.

If they decide you are breaking the law, you get a ticket. If not, the image is deleted. more

The Atlas of Surveillance

The Atlas of Surveillance, which documents police surveillance technology across the US. See how your city is spending its money. 

1984 or 2025 - What the Flock?

Flock Safety, a maker of license plate-reading cameras, is said to be valued at $7.5 billion — a 56% increase from a year ago — in a funding round to be led by Andreessen Horowitz. The startup plans to raise $250 million. more

Not everyone is thrilled, and the courts have not weighted in yet. When they do, it will be boom or bust.

A Spymaster Sheikh Controls a $1.5 Trillion Fortune. He Wants to Use It to Dominate AI

His real name is Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed al Nahyan. A bearded, wiry figure who’s almost never seen without dark sunglasses.

Tahnoun is the United Arab Emirates’ national security adviser—the intelligence chief to one of the world’s wealthiest and most surveillance-happy small nations. He’s also the younger brother of the country’s hereditary, autocratic president, Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan. But perhaps most important, and most bizarrely for a spymaster, Tahnoun wields official control over much of Abu Dhabi’s vast sovereign wealth. Bloomberg News reported last year that he directly oversees a $1.5 trillion empire—more cash than just about anyone on the planet...

But in recent years, a new quest has taken up much of Sheikh Tahnoun’s attention. His onetime chess and technology obsession has morphed into something far bigger: a hundred-billion-dollar campaign to turn Abu Dhabi into an AI superpower. And the teammate he’s set out to buy this time is the United States tech industry itself. more

Security Director Alert: Latest Electronic Surveillance of Corporate Executives

What is going on at Boohoo?
• Espionage claims arise as boardroom battle continues.

• Cautionary tale.

The past few months have been turbulent for Boohoo, to say the least. Yet, last week, things seemed to come to a head when claims of espionage arose at the fast fashion giant.

According to a report by The Times, three current and former executives of Boohoo are believed to be the victims of stalking and surveillance. The alleged espionage is said to have been committed against Boohoo’s co-founder and executive chair Mahmud Kamani, chief executive Dan Finley and former CEO, John Lyttle.

The allegations were brought to light after the company informed the Information Commissioner’s Office (IOC) of a related incident taking place outside of its Manchester headquarters. The report was confirmed by the IOC in a statement to the press, which read: “We can confirm that Boohoo Group has made us aware of concerns regarding the discovery of surveillance equipment outside its head office.”

In a more recent update, the Times has now reported that police in Manchester and Kent are investigating the claims, with Greater Manchester Police stating to the media outlet that it was looking into allegations “involving serious distress”. No arrests have been made, so far. more

Spybuster Tip # 675

Prior to any attack (physical, information theft) some form of surveillance tradecraft (audio, video, data or visual surveillance) will be used. 

If you are a business executive don't ignore this. 

More tips here.

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

Surveillance News in the Digital World

• AI companies, including Google and OpenAI, are intensifying their screening of new hires due to the threat of Chinese espionage. more

• MICROSOFT ADMITS THAT MAYBE SURVEILING EVERYTHING YOU DO ON YOUR COMPUTER ISN’T A BRILLIANT IDEA... After announcing a new AI feature that records and screenshots everything you do, Microsoft is now delaying its launch after widespread objections. The company broke the news in a blog post detailing its decision not to ship the feature, dubbed Recall, on new computers so that it can continue to "leverage the expertise" of its Windows Insider Program (WIP) beta-testing community. more

• Zoom wants to make sure you’re paying attention. The company filed a patent application for “scrolling motion detection” in video calls.

• Chinese Spy Tech Driving Junta Internet Crackdown: Justice For Myanmar... China supplied the spy technology and technicians that allowed Myanmar’s junta to intensify its internet surveillance and censorship late last month, Justice for Myanmar (JFM) said on Thursday, warning that China’s increased support for the junta will cost more lives. This support will allow the junta – which has imprisoned more than 25,000 people since the 2021 coup – to identify and jail more people who express dissent. more

• Canada - Public servants uneasy as government 'spy' robot prowls federal offices... A device federal public servants call "the little robot" began appearing in Gatineau office buildings in March. It travels through the workplace to collect data using about 20 sensors and a 360-degree camera, according to Yahya Saad, co-founder of GlobalDWS, which created the robot. "Using AI on the robot, the camera takes the picture, analyzes and counts the number of people and then discards the image," he said. more

If You Have a Smartphone, Fog Reveal Probably Has Your Number

What is Fog Reveal? A legal scholar explains the app some police forces are using to track people without a warrant...

Government agencies and private security companies in the U.S. have found a cost-effective way to engage in warrantless surveillance of individuals, groups and places: a pay-for-access web tool called Fog Reveal.

The tool enables law enforcement officers to see “patterns of life” – where and when people work and live, with whom they associate and what places they visit. The tool’s maker, Fog Data Science, claims to have billions of data points from over 250 million U.S. mobile devices.

The tool – made possible by smart device technology and that difference between data privacy and electronic surveillance law protections – allows domestic law enforcement and private entities to buy access to compiled data about most U.S. mobile phones, including location data. It enables tracking and monitoring of people on a massive scale without court oversight or public transparency. more

Kid's Jewelry - Ankle Bracelet for the Wrist

Google announced the Fitbit Ace LTE, a surveillance-forward ("Know where your wild things are") smartwatch featuring all the features youngsters love, such as having their location and habits constantly under observation by adult customers of the world's largest advertising company. 

It's about 45mm across and a little over 13mm thick, comes with 4G LTE and GPS/GNSS, allows calling and messaging up to 20 contacts, and has NFC so yer littluns can buy stuff too. 16 or more hours of battery life is promised on a charge and there's an array of sensors. more

Hikvision Takes A Hike

Chinese surveillance industry giant Hikvision has suspended operations in Russia, joining the ranks of over 1,000 companies that have scaled back business in the country since Russian President Vladimir Putin's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Hikvision's Russian website is currently offline, a development flagged by Russian security systems adviser Videoglaz on the social media platform Telegram last week. The precise date operations ceased is unclear...

Hikvision, along with its budget brand HiWatch, comprised some 30 percent of Russia's surveillance camera market in 2021, according to Russian media agency RSpectr. more

6 Ways Remote Workers Can Stop Bosses Spying on Them

1. Separate Personal Devices From Company Ones
2. Mouse Jigglers
3. Avoid Email and Social Account Monitoring
4. VPNs
5. Secure Browsers
6. Know Your Rights
Details here.

Spybusters Tip #725: How to Find an Apple AirTag Hidden in Your Car

Apple AirTags are useful devices for locating commonly misplaced items like keys and wallets, but they can also be hijacked for more sinister purposes, such as tracking your whereabouts without your knowledge or consent. 

For a rogue AirTag to reveal meaningful surveillance information to its owner, it must be traveling with you: hidden in a pocket, purse, or vehicle you drive regularly. In most cases, Apple should alert you if it detects an unknown AirTag with a notification to your iPhone (or iPad) like "AirTag Found Moving With You." - Turn on AirTag alerts / Find an AirTag in your car... more

Disney’s AI CCTV

Disney wants to know what you’re up to in the “Happiest Place on Earth.”

The company wants to patent a system for “predicting need for guest assistance,” which would track guests’ behavior at Disney properties using machine learning analysis of video data. Disney’s filing lays out an AI-based system which determines whether or not a guest’s behavior is normal, and uses that to predict if they need something. 

Disney’s system would work in tandem with CCTV systems collecting a constant stream of video data. That data is fed to a deep learning model to determine if a guest’s actions differ from a predetermined set of “normal guest behaviors.”

If a guest’s behavior is deemed abnormal, the system will alert the operator that they may need some kind of assistance.

FutureWatch - What the Well-Dressed Spy Will be Wearing

 ...SMART e-PANTS

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is throwing $22 million in taxpayer money at developing clothing that records audio, video, and location data.

THE FUTURE OF wearable technology, beyond now-standard accessories like smartwatches and fitness tracking rings, is ePANTS, according to the intelligence community.

The federal government has shelled out at least $22 million in an effort to develop “smart” clothing that spies on the wearer and its surroundings. Similar to previous moonshot projects funded by military and intelligence agencies, the inspiration may have come from science fiction and superpowers, but the basic applications are on brand for the government: surveillance and data collection.

Billed as the “largest single investment to develop Active Smart Textiles,” the SMART ePANTS — Smart Electrically Powered and Networked Textile Systems — program aims to develop clothing capable of recording audio, video, and geolocation data, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence announced in an August 22 press release. Garments slated for production include shirts, pants, socks, and underwear, all of which are intended to be washable. more

Next up... Stylish wear by Faraday.

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

"Wireman" by Pat Spatfore (book)

“Wireman,” from Newman Springs Publishing author Pat Spatafore, invites readers to look through the lens and become part of a profession that connects them to electronic surveillance, presidential assassins, counterintelligence, and criminal investigations.

The former president and chief executive officer of Secure Communications Service Inc., has completed his new book, “Wireman”: a revealing memoir that gives readers an inside look into a career in law enforcement.

Author Pat Spatafore served in the U.S. Navy as a communications technician and has been a sworn member of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. His specialties include electronic surveillance, criminal investigations, and security administration.

Mr. Spatafore worked for a District Attorney’s Office located in New York State and served as a criminal investigator, a senior criminal investigator, and director of the district attorney’s Narcotics Initiative Task Force, retiring at the rank of deputy chief criminal investigator. He was responsible for electronic surveillance and criminal investigations. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master’s degree. more