"The Lives of Others" (opens February 9) is a miracle of a film that manages to be both subtle and intense at the same time. It's a political thriller but also a portrait of unexpected humanity -- a marvel of controlled storytelling and mood, with brilliant performances. ...
The members of the Stasi (the East German secret police) who rule this place -- cruelly, arbitrarily, completely -- aren't caricatures but fully fleshed-out beings who inspire a real feeling of dread. They do what they want, when they want, because they can. They seem to get off on it.
Capt. Gerd Weisler, who's in charge of bugging their apartment and listening in on their conversations, phone calls, comings and goings, at first takes his responsibility seriously, as he takes everything seriously. One look at his spartan apartment shows us he has no life and doesn't want one. (more)
The Lives of Others has one of the most erudite screenplays of the year. ... The Lives of Others swept the German Film Awards this year, winning seven prizes, including best feature film, director, lead actor and cinematography. It is not to be missed... (more)
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Nicole Kidman 'bugging device' to be tested
A bugging device allegedly found in the street outside Nicole Kidman's Sydney home will be made available to the legal team defending celebrity photographer Jamie Fawcett.
Fawcett was charged last October, accused of planting the plastic-covered device in foliage across the road from Kidman's home. (more)
Fawcett was charged last October, accused of planting the plastic-covered device in foliage across the road from Kidman's home. (more)
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
The spying game: The latest gadgets for spooks
From night vision to tiny cameras, many everyday gadgets were originally developed for spies.Guy Adams plays with the latest spookware to see what's heading our way...
- Implantable Radio Frequency Identification Tags
- Entomopter
- Keystroke Logger
- Mobile phone security
- Spyrobot camera
- Super-powered Spy Leg
(more)
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
New law coming? Place yer bets here!
Germany's High Court has handed down a landmark decision banning police from installing spyware on computers of suspected criminals without their knowledge.
The judges also argued that hacking computers by the police is not permitted under Germany's strict phone-tapping laws and that legislation would be needed to enable covert surveillance. (more)
The judges also argued that hacking computers by the police is not permitted under Germany's strict phone-tapping laws and that legislation would be needed to enable covert surveillance. (more)
DIY CSI Internet
...or how security directors can get up-to-speed fast on the mysterious workings of the on-line world.
Free, 137-page downloadable booklet from the U.S. Department of Justice -- Investigations Involving the Internet and Computer Networks. (get it)
Free, 137-page downloadable booklet from the U.S. Department of Justice -- Investigations Involving the Internet and Computer Networks. (get it)
Monday, February 5, 2007
Fun read for your kids...
Harriet Tubman, Secret Agent
by Thomas B. Allen (ages 9 and older)
Born a slave but determined to be free, Harriet Tubman was called Black Moses for leading hundreds of slaves to freedom during the Civil War. Many escaped from Maryland, where Harriet had been born around 1820.
A small woman who could neither read nor write, she became an important spy for the Union (North) and was the only female to lead men into battle. A $12,000 reward was put on her head, but she was never caught.
Tubman's story is just one in this fascinating account of spying during the 1861-65 war. (book)
by Thomas B. Allen (ages 9 and older)
Born a slave but determined to be free, Harriet Tubman was called Black Moses for leading hundreds of slaves to freedom during the Civil War. Many escaped from Maryland, where Harriet had been born around 1820.
A small woman who could neither read nor write, she became an important spy for the Union (North) and was the only female to lead men into battle. A $12,000 reward was put on her head, but she was never caught.
Tubman's story is just one in this fascinating account of spying during the 1861-65 war. (book)
Saturday, February 3, 2007
Ex Coke Employee Convicted in Trade Secrets Case
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)
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)
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)
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