There are a growing number of instances in which an employee or visitor in a corporate facility, factory, research and development lab or business exposition has photographed sensitive information, prototype products or processes using a company or personal cellular phone and sent the data instantly elsewhere.
Such actions may be illegal; some are legal; and some corporations have instituted policies and prohibitions on cell phones. This article shows how a chief security officer, working with his or her counsel, can conduct an investigation of a suspected phone. ~ Editor (more)
Salient points...
1. Contact your corporate general counsel or in-house counsel.
2. Use the proper software tools. Device Seizure from Paraben, Secure View from Susteen and the Cell-Dek from Logic Cube are commonly used tools that have been accepted by the legal system.
3. Misuse of camera phones is being addressed by enterprises.
4. An enterprise may choose to just dismiss an employee caught spying... More often visitors, contractors and others may face federal charges. Economic Espionage (18 U.S.C. § 1831)
5. There are more instances of corporate or employee cellular phones lost or stolen. Technology exists to trace missing handsets: CellTrace
Monday, November 12, 2007
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Spybusters Tip #105 - Cheap Bug Detector
We hear from one counter-surveillance "expert"... "This little device is pretty good for the price.""What do it do?" you ask.
Basically, it attempts to detect radio bugs and wireless video transmitters located in your immediate area.
Claims from the web site...
Privacy Safe Keychain Wireless Video and Tap RF Detector.
- Key chain wireless detector is easy to carry with you so you can feel confident in the office, bedroom or dressing room
- Innovative high technology device keeps you safe from wireless wiretap and video cameras
- Detectable radio frequency width 30MHz - 2.4GHz with a responding distance of 10–15’
- Super-bright blue LED light for emergency or illumination use
- 0.4"Hx2.3"Wx1.2"D
- Gadgets buy a false sense of security.
- Professional sweeps buy peace of mind.
Tune Into Other Peoples' Surveillance Cameras
"SurveillanceSaver is an OS X screensaver that shows live images of over 600 network surveillance cameras worldwide - a haunting live soap opera." (more)Be careful. This is alpha version software. Currently for Mac OS X. A Windows version is being developed.
Picking a Pickpocket's Pocket?
Renault accused of spying
Barely 24 hours after FIA experts swooped on the McLaren factory for a detailed technical check on the team's 2008 car, the rival Renault team found themselves propelled into the centre of controversy when they were summoned to appear before a hearing of the FIA World Motor Sport Council to answer charges of spying. ...
These accusations come two months after McLaren were fined $100m and lost all their 2007 constructors' world championship points after it was established that they had benefited from illicitly obtained technical data from Ferrari. (more)
(update - 11/10/07)
The Renault formula one team yesterday rejected allegations of espionage after being summoned before the FIA's world motor sport council accused of illegally using McLaren data in the design of this year's car. The French team confirmed that a former McLaren engineer, who joined them in September last year, was suspended when it became clear he had brought confidential information with him to his new job. Renault named the employee as Phil Mackereth and said they had been made aware of the problem on September 6. "None of this information was used to influence design decisions relating to the Renault car," the statement said. (more)
Barely 24 hours after FIA experts swooped on the McLaren factory for a detailed technical check on the team's 2008 car, the rival Renault team found themselves propelled into the centre of controversy when they were summoned to appear before a hearing of the FIA World Motor Sport Council to answer charges of spying. ...
These accusations come two months after McLaren were fined $100m and lost all their 2007 constructors' world championship points after it was established that they had benefited from illicitly obtained technical data from Ferrari. (more)
(update - 11/10/07)
The Renault formula one team yesterday rejected allegations of espionage after being summoned before the FIA's world motor sport council accused of illegally using McLaren data in the design of this year's car. The French team confirmed that a former McLaren engineer, who joined them in September last year, was suspended when it became clear he had brought confidential information with him to his new job. Renault named the employee as Phil Mackereth and said they had been made aware of the problem on September 6. "None of this information was used to influence design decisions relating to the Renault car," the statement said. (more)
Former DuPont Scientist Sentenced For Trade Secret Theft
Shortly after he began working for a rival company, Gary Min uploaded some 180 DuPont documents to his new corporate laptop.
A former DuPont scientist who admitted stealing company secrets was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison, fined $30,000, and ordered to pay almost $14,500 in restitution to DuPont.
Gary Min, 44, was sentenced in Wilmington, Del., for stealing DuPont trade secrets, an act he admitted to in November 2006. The maximum sentence for his offense is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Prior to sentencing, Min reportedly asked for leniency because incarceration would be a hardship on his family and because his actions did not result in significant financial loss to DuPont. The estimated value of the documents exceeded $400 million, according to the government. (more)
A former DuPont scientist who admitted stealing company secrets was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison, fined $30,000, and ordered to pay almost $14,500 in restitution to DuPont.
Gary Min, 44, was sentenced in Wilmington, Del., for stealing DuPont trade secrets, an act he admitted to in November 2006. The maximum sentence for his offense is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Prior to sentencing, Min reportedly asked for leniency because incarceration would be a hardship on his family and because his actions did not result in significant financial loss to DuPont. The estimated value of the documents exceeded $400 million, according to the government. (more)
SpyToy Alert - Voice Recorders hidden in pens
Key Specifications:• Hidden LED indicators in pen
• USB flash drive (capacity: 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB)
• MP3 / WMA player
• Digital voice recorder / player
• Built-in rechargeable battery
• Play MP3 for 5+ hours
• Record voice for over 6 hours
• Standby time over 20 days
• Color: black or silver
• Size: 150 x 16mm
• Weight: 60g
• and, of course, the pen writes! (more) (more)
Be alert to the possibility of someone covertly recording you.
• Does the pen look funny?
• Watch how they handle and position their pen.
• Do they leave the pen behind when they leave the room?
• Ask to use their pen. What is its center of gravity?
• Watch their reaction.
One on-line seller actively promotes recording meetings.
1. "Bring your digital voice recorder pen to your next meeting."2. "Start recording your conversation."
3. "Plug your pen recorder into the USB on any computer to listen and save audio recordings." (more)
Equitable Life boss finds bugging device in his flat
UK - The boss of one of the UK's largest financial institutions is at the centre of a security scare after a bugging device was found in his home.
Charles Thomson, chief executive of Equitable Life, called in police after discovering the listening equipment concealed in his luxury apartment in London.
Detectives are investigating how the device came to be in the Barbican flat, which Mr Thomson, 59, uses as a base during the working week.
A security sweep has also been carried out at his £1million family home in Ayr, in Scotland, which he returns to most weekends.
Yesterday, a source said: "The discovery has caused a lot of concern and distress."
Strathclyde Police say they have been handed a tape which is understood to contain a private conversation between Mr Thomson and his partner of five years, Verity Coutts. (more)
Charles Thomson, chief executive of Equitable Life, called in police after discovering the listening equipment concealed in his luxury apartment in London.
Detectives are investigating how the device came to be in the Barbican flat, which Mr Thomson, 59, uses as a base during the working week.
A security sweep has also been carried out at his £1million family home in Ayr, in Scotland, which he returns to most weekends.
Yesterday, a source said: "The discovery has caused a lot of concern and distress."
Strathclyde Police say they have been handed a tape which is understood to contain a private conversation between Mr Thomson and his partner of five years, Verity Coutts. (more)
SpyCam Story #405 - Peeking, Duck!
Food inspection officials have started to install video surveillance devices in restaurant kitchens in Beijing's Haidian District, in a bid to improve sanitation levels and food security for the public, the Beijing Youth Daily reported Saturday. (more)
Saturday, November 10, 2007
SpyCam Story #404 - Q-SpyCam Software
Remember SpyCam Story #400?
This may be how it happened...
"Ever wanted to spy on someone or something when you cannot be present. This program (Q Spycam) turns your mobile into a cool spy cam. All you have to do is run it and place it in the location you wish to monitor. Then just enter the Website address displayed on the mobile using a computer and you will see what your phone can see instantly. You can monitor what is happening from any location in the world!" (more)
This may be how it happened...
"Ever wanted to spy on someone or something when you cannot be present. This program (Q Spycam) turns your mobile into a cool spy cam. All you have to do is run it and place it in the location you wish to monitor. Then just enter the Website address displayed on the mobile using a computer and you will see what your phone can see instantly. You can monitor what is happening from any location in the world!" (more)
Feds Kill 250,000 Zombies With One Shot
Remember our cautionary tale 'Zombie Computers From Planet Earth' from last month? We knew it would move from cautionary tale to documented disaster. But, we never expected this...
"Security Consultant Admits to Hijacking PCs to Use in Crimes"
Los Angeles Times
A Los Angeles man entrusted with making personal computers safer has admitted to hacking into them to create a rogue network of as many as a quarter-million PCs, which he used to steal money and identities.
Federal prosecutors Friday said that John Kenneth Schiefer, a 26-year-old computer security consultant, used an army of hijacked computers, known as a "botnet," to carry out a variety of schemes to rip off unsuspecting consumers and corporations.
Schiefer agreed to plead guilty to four felony charges in connection with the case and faces up to 60 years in prison and a $1.75-million fine, according to court documents filed Friday in federal court in Los Angeles.
Schiefer, who on the Internet went by the handles "acidstorm," "acid" and "storm," is the first person to be accused under federal wiretapping law of operating a botnet, said Assistant U.S. Atty. Mark Krause in Los Angeles.
In all, the federal indictment includes four counts of accessing protected computers to commit fraud, disclosing illegally intercepted electronic communications, wire fraud and bank fraud. Federal authorities said they were still trying to identify victims and the scope of their losses. (more)
Bookmark this directory of real and trusted Security Consultants - IAPSC.org
"Security Consultant Admits to Hijacking PCs to Use in Crimes"
Los Angeles Times
A Los Angeles man entrusted with making personal computers safer has admitted to hacking into them to create a rogue network of as many as a quarter-million PCs, which he used to steal money and identities.
Federal prosecutors Friday said that John Kenneth Schiefer, a 26-year-old computer security consultant, used an army of hijacked computers, known as a "botnet," to carry out a variety of schemes to rip off unsuspecting consumers and corporations.
Schiefer agreed to plead guilty to four felony charges in connection with the case and faces up to 60 years in prison and a $1.75-million fine, according to court documents filed Friday in federal court in Los Angeles.
Schiefer, who on the Internet went by the handles "acidstorm," "acid" and "storm," is the first person to be accused under federal wiretapping law of operating a botnet, said Assistant U.S. Atty. Mark Krause in Los Angeles.
In all, the federal indictment includes four counts of accessing protected computers to commit fraud, disclosing illegally intercepted electronic communications, wire fraud and bank fraud. Federal authorities said they were still trying to identify victims and the scope of their losses. (more)
Bookmark this directory of real and trusted Security Consultants - IAPSC.org
Thursday, November 8, 2007
SpyCam Story #403 - Revenge Videos
Videos of teachers that students taped in secrecy are all over online sites like YouTube and MySpace. Angry teachers, enthusiastic teachers, teachers clowning around, singing, and even dancing are captured, usually with camera phones, for the whole world to see.
Some students go so far as to create elaborately edited videos, shot over several days, that use popular soundtracks and sound effects to poke fun at their teachers.
Now, concern is growing among teacher advocates that the proliferation of such videos is causing stress for teachers and some students, and could have a chilling effect on classroom discussions. (more)
Two court cases involving students covertly recording teachers.
• Evens v. L.A. Unified School District
• Roberts v. Houston Independent School District
The teachers were told they did not have an expectation of privacy in both cases.
FutureWatch...
• Expect this trend to expand and invade the workplace.
• Have a policy in place to address this threat.
• Conduct inspections to detect employee-placed spycams.
Some students go so far as to create elaborately edited videos, shot over several days, that use popular soundtracks and sound effects to poke fun at their teachers.
Now, concern is growing among teacher advocates that the proliferation of such videos is causing stress for teachers and some students, and could have a chilling effect on classroom discussions. (more)
Two court cases involving students covertly recording teachers.
• Evens v. L.A. Unified School District
• Roberts v. Houston Independent School District
The teachers were told they did not have an expectation of privacy in both cases.
FutureWatch...
• Expect this trend to expand and invade the workplace.
• Have a policy in place to address this threat.
• Conduct inspections to detect employee-placed spycams.
Eavesdropping scandal unveiled in Israel
Israeli military has been eavesdropping on foreign journalists' phone calls abroad until 2004 to detect possible security leaks. (more)
Need Extended WI-FI Range?
Try...
The Wi-Fire. It is a compact, range-extending USB device that enables you to access a wireless Internet connection from up to 1,000 feet away--three times the range of your internal wireless adapter.
Every Wi-Fire works with Windows XP and Vista and on Mac OS X 10.3 and up, including Leopard. (more)
The Wi-Fire. It is a compact, range-extending USB device that enables you to access a wireless Internet connection from up to 1,000 feet away--three times the range of your internal wireless adapter.
Every Wi-Fire works with Windows XP and Vista and on Mac OS X 10.3 and up, including Leopard. (more)
AT&T Wiretap Whistleblower Fights Senate Deal
In 2002, Mark Klein, a former technician for AT&T, came forward with information that the company was collecting data for the National Security Agency. His testimony was central to several class-action lawsuits against AT&T for its alleged wiretapping. Klein is now in Washington, D.C., to speak out against a possible Senate deal that would grant immunity to AT&T and the other telecoms for their role in NSA surveillance — effectively nullifying those lawsuits.
All Things Considered, November 7, 2007
Robert Siegel (in photo) talks with Klein. (audio)
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Today's Tidbits
• Ireland - The Irish government is considering using electronic surveillance against gangsters. (more)
• DelFly II - The Tiny Robot Flying Spycam (video)
• The Austin Police Department has seen an increase in ex-lovers spying on each other. (video)
• Five Keys to Spying on Your Competition - Guerrilla Style. "Call it research, but why kid yourself? What you are doing is spying." (more)
• Rightist suspected of illegal wiretapping - Avigdor Askin, two private detectives from Tel Aviv detained for allegedly listening in on conversations of Russian-Israeli businessman Michael Cherney's associates (more)
• DelFly II - The Tiny Robot Flying Spycam (video)
• The Austin Police Department has seen an increase in ex-lovers spying on each other. (video)
• Five Keys to Spying on Your Competition - Guerrilla Style. "Call it research, but why kid yourself? What you are doing is spying." (more)
• Rightist suspected of illegal wiretapping - Avigdor Askin, two private detectives from Tel Aviv detained for allegedly listening in on conversations of Russian-Israeli businessman Michael Cherney's associates (more)
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