3 Charged in Theft of Shoes from Train

Three men have been charged with breaking into a BNSF train and stealing more than $300,000 in Nike merchandise while the train was parked in the Mojave Desert and then transporting the stolen goods to Anaheim....

In an effort to prevent theft, Nike placed a GPS tracker in the shipment of Air Jordan 11 Retro shoes...

Investigators with the California Highway Patrol tracked the GPS tracker to a U-Haul truck in an Anaheim parking lot and found 1,278 Air Jordan 11 Retro shoes valued at $311,832 inside the rental truck. more

Global Surveillance Free-for-All in Mobile Ad Data

Excellent (long) article on services that track and sell your movements. Via Kreb's on Security

Not long ago, the ability to digitally track someone’s daily movements just by knowing their home address, employer, or place of worship was considered a dangerous power that should remain only within the purview of nation states. But a new lawsuit in a likely constitutional battle over a New Jersey privacy law shows that anyone can now access this capability, thanks to a proliferation of commercial services that hoover up the digital exhaust emitted by widely-used mobile apps and websites.

Delaware-based Atlas Data Privacy Corp. helps its users remove their personal information from the clutches of consumer data brokers, and from people-search services online. Backed by millions of dollars in litigation financing, Atlas so far this year has sued 151 consumer data brokers on behalf of a class that includes more than 20,000 New Jersey law enforcement officers who are signed up for Atlas services...

Babel Street’s LocateX platform also allows customers to track individual mobile users by their Mobile Advertising ID or MAID, a unique, alphanumeric identifier built into all Google Android and Apple mobile devices.

One unique feature of Babel Street is the ability to toggle a “night” mode, which makes it relatively easy to determine within a few meters where a target typically lays their head each night (because their phone is usually not far away). more

Pakistani Journalist Finds his Car Bugged...

... mocks spy agency's old tech!
The relationship between journalists and state surveillance is as old as the profession itself, though surveillance methods have evolved with advancing technology. In Pakistan, however, veteran journalist Azaz Syed recently revealed that while the government may be keen on surveillance, the technology remains as outdated as the economic challenges facing the nation. 

In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Syed shared that his mechanic, while installing a new number plate, found a tracking device secretly attached to his vehicle...

Syed poked fun at Pakistan’s intelligence agency for using "old technology." He pointed out that while modern GPS devices are compact and lightweight, the device he encountered was large and cumbersome. Sarcastically, he remarked, “I expect Pakistan’s intelligence agencies to be smart enough so at least I don’t catch your spying devices.” more

She used an AirTag to bait thieves. It worked!

Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies were called for a report of mail theft. This was not the first time the woman's box was hit.

She decided to take matters into her own hands and mailed herself a package containing an Apple AirTag, a tracking device that can be used to help people find their personal items through a Bluetooth signal. 

Her mail was stolen Aug. 19, according to the Sheriff’s Office, including the package with the tracking device. The woman showed deputies that she was able to track the package to the 600 block of East Sunrise Drive in Santa Maria. Deputies found the woman’s mail, including the package with the AirTag along with items that were probably stolen from more than a dozen additional victims, according to the Sheriff’s Office. more

Tag You're It

Police departments in the United Kingdom are using a “forensic spray” to tag motorcyclists, e-bikes and other small vehicle riders that are causing a nuisance in Manchester.

The spray, called SmartTag, contains a unique traceable forensic code tied to the bottle, enabling the police department to easily decide where and when the individual was tagged. Only an extremely small amount of liquid is needed to be able to identify whether or not someone or something has been sprayed.

The liquid also cannot be washed off nor can it be detected by the naked eye, making it a suitable tool for law enforcement. more

Previously reported in the Security Scrapbook...
Saturday, May 15, 2010 - SmartWater - "I've been slimed!"

Corporate Espionage: Steward Health Care Deployed Spy Outfits to Thwart Critics

Despite its financial turmoil and eventual bankruptcy, Steward Health Care allegedly spent millions spying on its adversaries, hiring intelligence companies to track and intimidate critics worldwide.

In what resembles a poorly written spy novel, Steward's leadership hired agents who placed tracking devices on the car of a financial analyst, accessed a healthcare executive’s phone to potentially blackmail him and circulated an allegedly false wire transfer to frame a politician, a report said.

The videos and documents with the incriminating details were obtained by journalism outfit the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project and shared with the Boston Globe, who investigated the case further.

According to reporters, Steward executives who deployed these intelligence firms prioritized paying their bills over all others, including invoices from vendors and suppliers. Monthly expenses for intelligence services reached as high as $440,000, and from 2019 to 2023, Steward allocated over $7 million to these operations.

As to the legality of all of this, because the spying and fraud took place in various jurisdictions globally, it may not be possible to prosecute anyone responsible. more

Bugging Did Not Pay

A mother who bugged her ex-boyfriend's car and redirected his post in a bid to get more child support is facing jail for stalking. Veronica Jackson, 44, secretly placed a tracker on Kevin McCormack's vehicle and diverted his letters to a drop-off location in a bid to prove he had a job - and could afford £200 monthly maintenance.

Jobless Mr McCormack had claimed he was only able to give £6.25 a week to help with the upkeep of the couple's 12-year-old daughter. Warrington Magistrates Court heard the pair had began a relationship in 2010 and had a daughter together in 2012, but they split up eight years later.

The court was told Mr McCormack received a series of messages from Jackson, from Macclesfield, Cheshire, showing routes he had taken to and from his home. They also included the times of the journeys and messages from Jackson saying: ''I know where you are - I know what you are doing.'' more

AirTag Goes to Court

The District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, United States of America says a native of Tajikistan, Ibodullo Muhiddinov, is charged with the intent to injure, harass, intimidate, and place under surveillance another person, that is, S.K.

Ibodullo Muhiddinov, reportedly linked to a Russian human smuggling network, has tracked his ex-wife in the United States using the AirTag. 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.

AirTags: The New Go-to Tool for Cops

After a viral TikTok trend spurred tens of thousands of car thefts this summer, cops in Washington, DC, started realizing that it was much easier to recover stolen vehicles that could be tracked with Apple AirTags.

Because of this, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) rolled out a pilot program this week, doling out free tracking devices to residents in DC areas where cops are seeing "the greatest increase in vehicle theft," according to a press release from the office of DC Mayor Muriel Bowser. more

Reno 911: Mayor Finds GPS Tracker on Her Car – Sues PI

Reno mayor Hillary Schieve is suing a private investigator and his company after finding a device attached to her vehicle that was capable of tracking its real-time location.

The lawsuit alleges that the investigator trespassed onto her property to install the device without her consent. It says Schieve was unaware until a mechanic noticed it while working on her vehicle.

The complaint says, further, that the investigator was working on behalf of an “unidentified third party” whose identity she has not been able to ascertain...

There was no immediate response to a request for comment emailed Friday by The Associated Press to David McNeely, the investigator alleged to have placed the tracking device, and 5 Alpha Industries, the company... She brought it to police in neighboring Sparks, and they were able to determine that it had been purchased by McNeely. more

Do-it-Yourself Vehicle GPS Tracker Detection

Just Because You are Paranoid... Device Found in CEO's Car

Eskom CEO, André de Ruyter, has doubled down on the claim that he stumbled upon a highly sophisticated tracking device under the driver’s seat of his Volvo...

This comes after details were provided to press in October about a circuit board, described as an “NSA-level device”, that De Ruyter found while cleaning his car.

Articles cited a preliminary report prepared by former police commissioner George Fivaz who claimed the device isn’t commercially available, and is typically used by law enforcement and intelligence agencies...

Journalists were provided photos of the circuit board, which they duly published....

Security researcher Daniel Cuthbert was willing to comment on the record.

He explained that, based on the evidence, the device was likely nothing more than a remote of some kind.

Such a remote button could be a gate or garage opener, a panic button, or a way to arm and disarm a home alarm.

MyBroadband’s in-house researcher and electronic engineer Wikus Steyn agreed.

“There is no GPS chip or antenna, so no tracking that way. I see no mic onboard, although there is what seems to be a 2-pin input at the top, but that is most likely for a push button,” Steyn stated. He also said the quality of soldering suggests cheap mass production. more

Our take... I agree with Dan and Wikus. (but be sure to read the last paragraph) If the TI IC info in the photo is correct TI lists the chip's applications as:

1.2 Applications

• Low-Power, High-Performance, Wireless Systems With Data Rate Up to 1250 kbps
• ISM/SRD Bands: 169, 433, 868, 915, and 920 MHz
• Possible Support for Additional Frequency Bands: 137 to 158.3 MHz, 205 to 237.5 MHz, and 274 to 316.6 MHz
• Smart Metering (AMR/AMI)
• Home and Building Automation
• Wireless Alarm and Security Systems
• Industrial Monitoring and Control
• Wireless Healthcare Applications
• Wireless Sensor Networks and Active RFID
• IEEE 802.15.4g Applications
• Wireless M-Bus, All Modes

Eskom CEO, André de Ruyter, may have misidentified this item, but it definitely doesn't mean he is not being surveilled. Thoughts of tracking and bugging are not normal. Something has made him suspicious. Trust your instincts, André. Get some professional TSCM help, and don't make it a public issue.

Police Use New Tool 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. more

An Update on AirTag and Unwanted Tracking

APPLE - We’ve become aware that individuals can receive unwanted tracking alerts for benign reasons, such as when borrowing someone’s keys with an AirTag attached, or when traveling in a car with a family member’s AirPods left inside. We also have seen reports of bad actors attempting to misuse AirTag for malicious or criminal purposes.

Apple has been working closely with various safety groups and law enforcement agencies. Through our own evaluations and these discussions, we have identified even more ways we can update AirTag safety warnings and help guard against further unwanted tracking...

Advancements Coming to AirTag and the Find My Network
The following updates represent important steps Apple is taking... more

Weird Files: Somewhat Covert Microphone is a Blast & Bugged Bugs

The GREEN12 is a cardioid directional, small diaphragm electret condenser microphone that is a great choice for users that are looking for a slim profile, high-quality microphone which is perfect for most professional, semi-professional, and home-recording applications. 

Its cardioid capsule and machined vents allow for high off-axis rejection and a focused recording, great for stringed acoustic instruments. 

The GREEN12 is handmade from an actual discharged 12Ga shell. more

---

The first Asian giant hornet nest of 2021 was found Thursday morning, Aug. 19, in a rural area east of Blaine, about one-quarter mile from where a resident reported a sighting of a live Asian giant hornet on Wednesday, Aug. 11.

The state agriculture staff netted, tagged with a tracker and released three of hornets Aug. 11, to Tuesday, Aug. 17, according to a news release from the Washington State Department of Agriculture. One of the so-called “murder hornets” slipped out of the tracking device, another hornet was never located and one eventually led the team to the nest. more

Read more here: https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article253621598.html#storylink=cp

Cars Know Your Location. A Spy Firm Wants to Sell It to the Military

• 15 billion car locations.
• Nearly any country on Earth.
‘The Ulysses Group’ is pitching a powerful surveillance technology to the U.S. government.

A surveillance contractor that has previously sold services to the U.S. military is advertising a product that it says can locate the real-time locations of specific cars in nearly any country on Earth. It says it does this by using data collected and sent by the cars and their components themselves, according to a document obtained by Motherboard.

"Ulysses can provide our clients with the ability to remotely geolocate vehicles in nearly every country except for North Korea and Cuba on a near real time basis," the document, written by contractor The Ulysses Group, reads. "Currently, we can access over 15 billion vehicle locations around the world every month," the document adds. more

Placed in my Grain of Salt file until I can verify.

Pretty Good Phone Privacy - Protects Both User Identity and Location

Abstract

To receive service in today’s cellular architecture phones uniquely identify themselves to towers and thus to operators. This is now a cause of major privacy violations as operators sell and leak identity and location data of hundreds of millions of mobile users. 

In this paper, we take an end-to-end perspective on the cellular architecture and find key points of decoupling that enable us to protect user identity and location privacy with no changes to physical infrastructure, no added latency, and no requirement of direct cooperation from existing operators. 

We describe Pretty Good Phone Privacy (PGPP) and demonstrate how our modified back end stack (NGC) works with real phones to provide ordinary yet privacy-preserving connectivity. We explore inherent privacy and efficiency trade-offs in a simulation of a large metropolitan region. We show how PGPP maintains today’s control overheads while significantly improving user identity and location privacy. more

BONUS... "It protects users from fake cell phone towers (IMSI-catchers) and surveillance by cell providers." a good summary explanation

Court Order Doesn't Stop Man from Eavesdropping & GPS Tracking

NY - An area man has been arrested for allegedly installing a GPS device in order to eavesdrop and spy on a person who has an order of protection against him.

Dutchess County resident Brett M. Marinaccio, 33, of Hopewell Junction, was arrested on Monday, Jan. 4, by New York State Police, said Trooper AJ Hicks.

According to Hicks, an investigation determined Marinaccio utilized hidden GPS tracking devices with audio capabilities to eavesdrop (similar to this) on the victim while an order of protection was in place issued by the Dutchess County Family Court to protect the victim. more

Clearly Creepy - The Billboards are Watching You

 Clear Channel Outdoor, one of the world’s largest billboard companies, will in coming days roll out technology across Europe capable of letting advertisers know where people go and what they do after seeing a particular billboard.

 Sounds creepy, no?

Well, brace yourself. Clear Channel has been quietly using this technology in the United States for the last four years, including in Los Angeles.

“They’re spying on you in your own neighborhood,” said Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy.

“You don’t know it’s happening,” he told me. “You don’t know who they’re sharing the information with.”

Chester and other privacy advocates said Clear Channel’s system is an example of how private companies are building out commercial surveillance networks right under our noses. more

Verizon Launches Hyper-Precise GPS Location Technology

Verizon launched its Hyper Precise Location using Real Time Kinematics (RTK), a location technology that provides location accuracy within 1-2 centimeters, on the Verizon network. 

Verizon has built and deployed RTK reference stations nationwide to provide pinpoint level accuracy to RTK compatible internet of things (IoT) devices. RTK will also support emerging technologies that depend on high level location accuracy such as delivery drones and customer-approved location data for first responders during emergencies...Additionally, the rollout of hyper-precise location services paired with Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband (UWB) network and 5G Edge, will pave the way for more autonomous technologies. more