GA - A federal jury found a former Coca-Cola Co. employee guilty Friday of conspiring to steal trade secrets of the beverage giant and trying to sell them to rival PepsiCo Inc. for as much as $1.5 million.
Joya Williams, a former assistant to the director of global brands at Coca-Cola, could get a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
Williams, 41, showed no emotion as the verdict was read. "She's holding her own," said defense attorney Janice Singer, who said an appeal was planned. "She seems pretty strong." (more)
The rest of the story...
(1:48 PM) About an hour after Williams left court Friday, a fire broke out in the apartment building where she lived. The lawyer added, "This is not a good day for Joya."
(9:00+ PM) Williams was taken away from the Hunters Pointe apartment complex by authorities from the Gwinnett Fire Department and Alcohol, Fire and Tobacco agents. Williams was not in handcuffs and did not appear to be under arrest, but she was questioned for three hours inside the apartment manager's office. (more)
Saturday, February 3, 2007
Bathroom SpyCam Found in Private Home
AL - A camera that a couple found hidden in their bathroom Tuesday led to the arrest Thursday of a Danville man, Lawrence County Sheriff Gene Mitchell said.
Mitchell said authorities arrested Michael Dewayne Richard, 34, of 3670 Alabama 157 and charged him with third-degree burglary, a class C felony, and criminal eavesdropping, a misdemeanor.
According to the sheriff, investigators retrieved a camera and an extensive amount of wiring from the couple's residence in the Wren community.
Mitchell said the wiring stretched from the outside of the house to the bathroom.
He said the suspect had attempted to hide the wiring by attaching it to a water hose and feeding it under the house. (more)
Mitchell said authorities arrested Michael Dewayne Richard, 34, of 3670 Alabama 157 and charged him with third-degree burglary, a class C felony, and criminal eavesdropping, a misdemeanor.
According to the sheriff, investigators retrieved a camera and an extensive amount of wiring from the couple's residence in the Wren community.
Mitchell said the wiring stretched from the outside of the house to the bathroom.
He said the suspect had attempted to hide the wiring by attaching it to a water hose and feeding it under the house. (more)
Friday, February 2, 2007
The Bugs that Wouldn't Die
Nigeria - The Senate yesterday alerted Nigerians on what it termed bugging of its chamber.
Raising the alarm on Thursday, Deputy Minority leader, Senator Daniel Saror, said that there are secret bugging devices, including four Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in the Senate chamber.
He said that the devices were discovered last year and dismantled, wondering how they returned. Said Senator Saror: “Sometimes last year, we discovered a State Security Services (SSS) monitoring camera and we resolved to dismantle it and fortunately, it was dismantled then. Now, I can see four new cameras.
Reacting to this, Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani, demanded an explanation from the Senate Clerk.
''Clerk, you can hear humming. Anytime I put on the microphone, it hums. We need explanation for all these things,'' he said.
Speaking with journalists after their meeting with the Senate President, Okere said: ''We have settled everything. By Tuesday, you would not see the cameras there again.''
Daily Sun (newspaper) gathered that CCTV cameras were strategically placed all over the National Assembly complex last December before the Senate went on recess. They include jamming devices, which prevent people from making or receiving phone calls. (more)
Raising the alarm on Thursday, Deputy Minority leader, Senator Daniel Saror, said that there are secret bugging devices, including four Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in the Senate chamber.
He said that the devices were discovered last year and dismantled, wondering how they returned. Said Senator Saror: “Sometimes last year, we discovered a State Security Services (SSS) monitoring camera and we resolved to dismantle it and fortunately, it was dismantled then. Now, I can see four new cameras.
Reacting to this, Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani, demanded an explanation from the Senate Clerk.
''Clerk, you can hear humming. Anytime I put on the microphone, it hums. We need explanation for all these things,'' he said.
Speaking with journalists after their meeting with the Senate President, Okere said: ''We have settled everything. By Tuesday, you would not see the cameras there again.''
Daily Sun (newspaper) gathered that CCTV cameras were strategically placed all over the National Assembly complex last December before the Senate went on recess. They include jamming devices, which prevent people from making or receiving phone calls. (more)
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
...and spies like it, too.
The Spy Video Car is a remote-controlled toy car equipped with an image sensor attached to its body and monocular eyewear to be worn by a user. A camera mounted on the front of the car sends an image wirelessly to the eyewear, which enables the user to drive the car in light or
darkness up to 75 feet away. The Spy Video Car allows children to enjoy the "real life" perspective of driving from inside the car or to play secret agent with night-vision capabilities.The display we use for our Spy Video Car is small and sharp and, unlike larger remote-mounted monitors, it ensures that no one other than the main viewer sees the secrets the car uncovers," said Katie Broughton, design engineer at Wild Planet. "As the first toy car with the night vision capability, the Spy Video Car allows children to navigate secretly in darkness and see clearly without being detected. (more) (video)
FamilyFun T.O.Y. 2006 Grand Prize Winner... Teach your children well
Hype versus reality in VoIP security
Voice over IP, like many new technologies, suffers from having security as an afterthought. Headlines tell of VOIP vulnerabilities that can lead to eavesdropping, a new form of spam, even denial-of-service attacks that can take down the one communication network that businesses rely on most.
Lawrence Orans, a research director with Gartner, says some of these threats are overblown and aren't likely to happen in a corporate setting. Frank Dzubeck, president of Communications Network Architects, which analyzes the industry, believes that given the lack of security built into IP, anything can happen. Network World Senior Editor Cara Garretson spoke with both, aiming to separate hype from reality. (more)
(On the topic of eavesdropping both say it is overhyped. However, both cover their rears and say encryption should be used anyway. Hummmm.)
Lawrence Orans, a research director with Gartner, says some of these threats are overblown and aren't likely to happen in a corporate setting. Frank Dzubeck, president of Communications Network Architects, which analyzes the industry, believes that given the lack of security built into IP, anything can happen. Network World Senior Editor Cara Garretson spoke with both, aiming to separate hype from reality. (more)
(On the topic of eavesdropping both say it is overhyped. However, both cover their rears and say encryption should be used anyway. Hummmm.)
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
More denials from Thailand's Telecoms
Shin Satellite Plc has denied the interim government's allegations of phone bugging via satellite, saying it does not have the technology to facilitate such an act. However, tapping of satellite phones could be possible if a device was installed in the equipment of both the sender and the receiver, said Shin Satellite president Nongluck Phinainitisart.
Dr Nongluck yesterday clarified how satellite-controlled operations worked, and denied any knowledge of spying.
"In practice, tapping conversations from a satellite needs a large satellite dish launched in orbit to tap the signal between the sender and the receiver. But it's still very difficult to pinpoint exact signals," she said.
Dr Nongluck reiterated that Shin Satellite had never bugged communications, as such an action would be a violation of the law and an abuse of codes of conduct. It also required the installation of eavesdropping devices, which needed a licence. (more)
(for sale...)
Dr Nongluck yesterday clarified how satellite-controlled operations worked, and denied any knowledge of spying.
"In practice, tapping conversations from a satellite needs a large satellite dish launched in orbit to tap the signal between the sender and the receiver. But it's still very difficult to pinpoint exact signals," she said.
Dr Nongluck reiterated that Shin Satellite had never bugged communications, as such an action would be a violation of the law and an abuse of codes of conduct. It also required the installation of eavesdropping devices, which needed a licence. (more)
(for sale...)
Richie Rich, Paper Boy
News carriers and retailers in Worcester, Mass., get an unexpected bonus with their usual shipment of the Telegram & Gazette: the credit and debit card numbers of 240,000 subscribers to the paper and its sister publication the Boston Globe, both owned by the New York Times Co.
The security breach is the result of a recycling program in which paper from the Telegram & Gazette's business office is reused to wrap bundles of newspapers. (more)
The security breach is the result of a recycling program in which paper from the Telegram & Gazette's business office is reused to wrap bundles of newspapers. (more)
Wiretappers Don't Always Eavesdrop
UK - Sophisticated criminal gangs are finding ways to beat the chip and PIN security regime, including bugging cash machines with MP3 players, to bring in millions of pounds. ...
The bugging of cash machines with an MP3 player was master-minded by 41-year-old computer expert Maxwell Parsons, from Gorton, Manchester. He secretly attached portable MP3 players at the back of freestanding ATMs in bars, bingo halls and bowling alleys so he could illegally tap into telephone lines used by customers during transactions.
As bank details and PIN numbers were punched in, data was recorded onto Parsons' MP3 players as it was transmitted down phone lines. He then used computer technology to "translate" the tones from the transactions and used the stolen data to clone new credit cards. (more)
The bugging of cash machines with an MP3 player was master-minded by 41-year-old computer expert Maxwell Parsons, from Gorton, Manchester. He secretly attached portable MP3 players at the back of freestanding ATMs in bars, bingo halls and bowling alleys so he could illegally tap into telephone lines used by customers during transactions.
As bank details and PIN numbers were punched in, data was recorded onto Parsons' MP3 players as it was transmitted down phone lines. He then used computer technology to "translate" the tones from the transactions and used the stolen data to clone new credit cards. (more)
Quote of the Day
"Employees can and should absolutely participate in industry events. However, it must be made clear to them that if trade secrets or corporate strategy is revealed, they can be fired." ~ Denny Hatch, Business Common Sense (more)
Spybuster's Mythbuster #423 - Shotgun Mics
Contrary to popular belief, shotgun microphones do not pick up sounds over long distances. They are made to focus on a small area and reject unwanted sounds coming in from other angles. Holding a paper towel roll to you ear has a similar effect. The usual working distance for a shotgun microphone is 3-6 feet from the sound source. (more)It is actually the parabolic microphone which is associated with eavesdropping. (more)
Monday, January 29, 2007
FutureWatch - TESSbots
Some day we will have TESSbots (Technical Electroinc Surveillance Sensor robots); micro robots with the capability to detect electronic eavesdropping devices. Imagine armies of them auto-activating at the end of every work day; specifically tasked to find illegal and covert bugs and wiretaps within corporations and government agencies. Other bots will be doing other jobs as well, of course. This wall-climbing bot is getting the mechanics of scouring settled now. The sensor part will follow... (video)
More... iPhone, Espionage or Coincidence?
You decide!Introducing...
A Chinese version of the iPhone!?!?
(via Dapreview.net)
Supposedly, Meizu has a new PMP in the works - the M8 - bearing a strong resemblance to the Apple iPhone in both form and function. The pics are probably nothing more than concept art, but then again, we wouldn't be surprised if they were close to the mark. Meizu has a history of borrowing design elements from Apple, as with the M6.
VoIP security: Scenarios, challenges, and counter measures
VoIP combines the worst security vulnerabilities of IP networks and voice networks. This article discusses vulnerabilities, challenges and countermeasures in securing a VoIP network from the application right down to the hardware. ...
Eavesdropping
Eavesdropping is the intercepting of conversations by unintended recipients. Eavesdropping in VoIP requires intercepting the signal and associated media streams of a conversation. No one argues that an attacker cannot access and install a tap on a telephone pair outside your house. That action, however, requires more visibility and explicit laws prohibit eavesdropping. IP eavesdropping can be accomplished from the comfort of a laptop as long as the tools and expertise exist to carry out the attack successfully.
Ethereal, Ettercap, Vomit represent just some of the software available that is used for media capture. Using the software is as simple as capturing and decoding RTP packets, analyzing sessions and then saving the the captured voice as an audio file (.au). This is based on the fundamental that every header of an RTP packet contains information about the codec used to encode voice samples. The codec used is generally a standard one, which allows the software to decode the RTP packet, and thus the audio data. Thus, an entire conversation can be tapped. (more)
Eavesdropping
Eavesdropping is the intercepting of conversations by unintended recipients. Eavesdropping in VoIP requires intercepting the signal and associated media streams of a conversation. No one argues that an attacker cannot access and install a tap on a telephone pair outside your house. That action, however, requires more visibility and explicit laws prohibit eavesdropping. IP eavesdropping can be accomplished from the comfort of a laptop as long as the tools and expertise exist to carry out the attack successfully.
Ethereal, Ettercap, Vomit represent just some of the software available that is used for media capture. Using the software is as simple as capturing and decoding RTP packets, analyzing sessions and then saving the the captured voice as an audio file (.au). This is based on the fundamental that every header of an RTP packet contains information about the codec used to encode voice samples. The codec used is generally a standard one, which allows the software to decode the RTP packet, and thus the audio data. Thus, an entire conversation can be tapped. (more)
Saturday, January 27, 2007
The Silent Guardian™ protection system
(give us your best Elvis)Ooh, ooh, ooh,
I feel my temperature rising
Help me, I'm flaming
I must be a hundred n' nine
Burning, burning, burning
And nothing can cool me
I just might turn into smoke
But I feel fine (more) (video)
Friday, January 26, 2007
Describe the future of eavesdropping...
Mind reading, of course!
(from hack247.co.uk)
Hitachi Develops Mind Reading System Hitachi Electronics Advanced Research Labs have developed a system that can read peoples minds, albeit in a very primitive way.
It works by flooding the brain with near infra-red rays which are harmless but allow the system to measure blood flow in the frontal lobe areas. This blood flow changes in response to a persons thoughts and this change can be measured and interpreted as images which can in turn be used to trigger electrical devices.
They admit their ‘optical-topography’ system is in the early stages but hope to use it to develop remote control systems for disabled people, allowing them to control wheelchairs and other aids using only their minds.
They plan to develop the system into a usable application by 2011. (more)
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