vendetta - noun
1. A feud between two families or clans that arises out of a slaying and is perpetuated by retaliatory acts of revenge; a blood feud.
2. A bitter, destructive feud.
An Italian newspaper has posted a seven-minute secretly taped phone call on the internet in which Silvio Berlusconi (former Italian president) apparently tries to persuade state broadcaster, RAI's head of drama to hire two actresses. The alleged reason is to encourage two centre-left politicians linked to the women to join his opposition bloc in parliament...
The phone call was recorded by police as part of an ongoing investigation into corruption allegations concerning Berlusconi and RAI. Italy's richest man denies any wrongdoing, dismissing the country's prosecutors as a "Red Army". (more)
Friday, December 21, 2007
Vendetta 2 - Ferrari vs. McLaren
vendetta - noun
1. A feud between two families or clans that arises out of a slaying and is perpetuated by retaliatory acts of revenge; a blood feud.
2. A bitter, destructive feud.
Ferrari still fuming over spy case...
Ferrari's senior management has made it clear that it remains far from happy about McLaren's handling of the spy affair - and especially their continued insistence they had done nothing wrong until a recent public letter of apology.
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo and company CEO Jean Todt both hit out at McLaren during a meeting with the Italian press, stating they were furious at the way their Woking-based rivals approached the FIA hearings into the spying affair.
Quoted by Corriere dello Sport, Todt said: "At the hearing McLaren came with 200 signatures of managers saying they never had access to the information.
"Then, three months later, when the FIA did its verifications, it was demonstrated that was completely false. They went corrupting their own personnel to make them sign false documentation. (more)
Ferrari Rewards Photocopy Employee Who Tipped Off F1 to Spy Scandal...
Montezemolo also revealed that the English photocopy shop employee, who alerted Ferrari about confidential information in McLaren's possession, has been invited to the team's Maranello factory. (more)
1. A feud between two families or clans that arises out of a slaying and is perpetuated by retaliatory acts of revenge; a blood feud.
2. A bitter, destructive feud.
Ferrari still fuming over spy case...
Ferrari's senior management has made it clear that it remains far from happy about McLaren's handling of the spy affair - and especially their continued insistence they had done nothing wrong until a recent public letter of apology.
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo and company CEO Jean Todt both hit out at McLaren during a meeting with the Italian press, stating they were furious at the way their Woking-based rivals approached the FIA hearings into the spying affair.
Quoted by Corriere dello Sport, Todt said: "At the hearing McLaren came with 200 signatures of managers saying they never had access to the information.
"Then, three months later, when the FIA did its verifications, it was demonstrated that was completely false. They went corrupting their own personnel to make them sign false documentation. (more)
Ferrari Rewards Photocopy Employee Who Tipped Off F1 to Spy Scandal...
Montezemolo also revealed that the English photocopy shop employee, who alerted Ferrari about confidential information in McLaren's possession, has been invited to the team's Maranello factory. (more)
Spybuster's Movie of the Month
Charlie Wilson's War Tom Hanks and Philip Seymour Hoffman turn in their greatest performances in years in this historical thriller riddled with hilarious one-liners.
Hanks stars as Charlie Wilson, a congressman from Texas ... Upon returning to the States, Wilson immediately calls for a meeting with a U.S. security bigwig. CIA Agent Gust Avrakotos (Hoffman) ends up at his office door.
After a hysterical sequence of events during their brief meeting that includes a cocaine scandal, a bottle of wine and a bugging device, the two pair up to try to covertly help the Afghan war effort. (more) (trailer) (reality check)
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Retro Comm Device Thwarts Wiretappers
Despite the widespread proliferation of iPhones, Blackberries and other state-of-the art devices, concerns over invasions of privacy by the Bush Administration is leading to a Luddite-like return to more primitive modes of communication, including the time-honored “tin can and string.”
While somewhat larger and less chic than the more high-tech hand-held devices, “tin can conversations” are extremely difficult to “bug,” and create no permanent record of communications that can later be “data-mined” by NSA super-computers.
Although the traditional range of these home-made devices was typically no more than 55 feet, newer, mass-produced versions offer strings as long as 55 miles, and come in a variety of colors, including black, gold, hot pink, and for traditionalists, “silver can.”
Apple has announced that it’s coming out with the ”iCan” next Spring, which will also double as a device to download music. Unfortunately, the only selection available will be the “can-can” song. (more)
While somewhat larger and less chic than the more high-tech hand-held devices, “tin can conversations” are extremely difficult to “bug,” and create no permanent record of communications that can later be “data-mined” by NSA super-computers. Although the traditional range of these home-made devices was typically no more than 55 feet, newer, mass-produced versions offer strings as long as 55 miles, and come in a variety of colors, including black, gold, hot pink, and for traditionalists, “silver can.”
Apple has announced that it’s coming out with the ”iCan” next Spring, which will also double as a device to download music. Unfortunately, the only selection available will be the “can-can” song. (more)
Ex-Spy Heads Convicted of Wiretapping
S. Korea - The high court has upheld a lower court's ruling that found two former heads of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) guilty for their involvement in the agency's illegal wiretapping of phone conversations of high-profile figures.
The Seoul High Court Thursday confirmed the sentences on Lim Dong-won, 73, and Shin Gunn, 66, former NIS directors during the Kim Dae-jung administration (1998-2003) of three years imprisonment suspended for four years.
"The tapping team operated 24 hours a day and Lim and Shin were aware of the operation," the court said in its ruling.
They regularly received reports of cell phone conversations of political and business leaders, journalists and even ordinary citizens, it said.
"Consequently the two were aware that the information was collected through illegal eavesdropping," the court said. (more)
The Seoul High Court Thursday confirmed the sentences on Lim Dong-won, 73, and Shin Gunn, 66, former NIS directors during the Kim Dae-jung administration (1998-2003) of three years imprisonment suspended for four years.
"The tapping team operated 24 hours a day and Lim and Shin were aware of the operation," the court said in its ruling.
They regularly received reports of cell phone conversations of political and business leaders, journalists and even ordinary citizens, it said.
"Consequently the two were aware that the information was collected through illegal eavesdropping," the court said. (more)
Santa tracks naughty and nice kids with RFID
Santa has been spying on kids for centuries but now, his these days, his job is easier, thanks to modern technology. “At Santa Claus Office in Finland, St. Nick’s elves give EPC Gen 2 tags to visiting boys and girls, who wear them so he knows who’s naughty or nice.”
EPC Gen 2 tags translates to RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification), aka spy tags. (more) (more)
Spy back on Santa. (more)
UK - Council Office Bug Discovered
UK - It's a case of 'Bah humbug' - with the emphasis on 'bug' - at the beleaguered offices of Craigavon Borough Council this Christmas.
The council has come under the spotlight again after a bugging device was found in the office of a senior member of staff.
The Dictophone-type device was removed by the Mayor, Robert Smith, who has said little more than the matter is 'being dealt with'.
The staff member involved has apologised, saying that his actions were connected to his ongoing dispute within the Civic Centre. (more)
The council has come under the spotlight again after a bugging device was found in the office of a senior member of staff.
The Dictophone-type device was removed by the Mayor, Robert Smith, who has said little more than the matter is 'being dealt with'.
The staff member involved has apologised, saying that his actions were connected to his ongoing dispute within the Civic Centre. (more)
Spy planes to recharge by clinging to power lines
The next time you see something flapping in the breeze on an overhead power line, squint a little harder. It may not be a plastic bag or the remnants of a party balloon, but a tiny spy plane stealing power from the line to recharge its batteries. The idea comes from the US Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) in Dayton, Ohio, US, which wants to operate extended surveillance missions using remote-controlled planes with a wingspan of about a meter, but has been struggling to find a way to refuel to extend the plane's limited flight duration.
So the AFRL is developing an electric motor-powered micro air vehicle (MAV) that can "harvest" energy when needed by attaching itself to a power line. It could even temporarily change its shape to look more like innocuous piece of trash hanging from the cable. (more)
Bondsman sentenced in illegal wiretapping
MO - A part-time bail bondsman from Sparta was sentenced today in federal court for wiretapping a Springfield woman’s telephone, according to John F. Wood, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.
Richard A. Hugh, 54, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison without parole.
Hugh placed the phone tap on the victim’s telephone line in December 2005 in an attempt to get information that would help him locate Basil Minor, who was a fugitive in a Lawrence County circuit court case. Hugh recorded conversations from that telephone from Dec. 13 to 24, 2005, using equipment he purchased at Radio Shack. (more)
Richard A. Hugh, 54, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison without parole.
Hugh placed the phone tap on the victim’s telephone line in December 2005 in an attempt to get information that would help him locate Basil Minor, who was a fugitive in a Lawrence County circuit court case. Hugh recorded conversations from that telephone from Dec. 13 to 24, 2005, using equipment he purchased at Radio Shack. (more)
Surveillance Society: High-Tech Cameras Watch You
In the era of computer-controlled surveillance, your every move could be captured by cameras, whether you're shopping in the grocery store or driving on the freeway. Proponents say it will keep us safe, but at what cost? (more)
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Spies find higher-paying assignments in business
...from a Condé Nast Portfolio article...They're leaving "the Company" to snoop on your company. How C.I.A. agents are pushing corporate espionage to ominous new extremes. ...corporate espionage is becoming almost as sophisticated as government spying... The best estimate is that several hundred former intelligence agents now work in corporate espionage... ...extreme methods of electronic monitoring... The influx of spies into the corporate sector isn't limited to Americans. ...confidential reports by outside private investigators tell a story of corporate espionage run amok. (more)
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Spying Claims Rock British National Party
The British National Party has been engulfed by a bitter internal row with around 50 senior figures resigning the party whip amid claims the leadership has been spying on private emails and telephone calls.
The Labour MP Jon Cruddas has written to the head of the Metropolitan police, Sir Ian Blair, calling for an inquiry into what he claims are "criminal activities involving senior members" of the party.
"They appear to be monitoring phone calls and emails of their members and removing computers from private households. This is not the behaviour of a normal political party and I would like to see the police investigate this." (more)
The Labour MP Jon Cruddas has written to the head of the Metropolitan police, Sir Ian Blair, calling for an inquiry into what he claims are "criminal activities involving senior members" of the party.
"They appear to be monitoring phone calls and emails of their members and removing computers from private households. This is not the behaviour of a normal political party and I would like to see the police investigate this." (more)
Card crooks tap into data wires
India - Credit card crooks in Kolkata may be getting more tech savvy, using wire-tapping gadgets to cash in on unsuspecting card users.
It's a new cause of worry for city police and CID. Wire-tapping is a complicated scheme and much more difficult to track down. It's a technical maze that involves telephone wires, receiving-terminals and a cable line parallel with telephone cables to copy the card details when it is swiped for a transaction. (more)
It's a new cause of worry for city police and CID. Wire-tapping is a complicated scheme and much more difficult to track down. It's a technical maze that involves telephone wires, receiving-terminals and a cable line parallel with telephone cables to copy the card details when it is swiped for a transaction. (more)
The continuing saga of Anthony Pellicano...
CA - Lawyers for defendants in the Anthony Pellicano wiretapping case argued in federal court here on Monday that evidence seized from the Hollywood private detective’s offices had been improperly obtained and should be tossed out.
Facing a trial date of Feb. 27, lawyers for Mr. Pellicano and his five co-defendants attacked the search warrants used to raid the detective’s offices in November 2002 and to unearth a trove of digital audio recordings in the ensuing months. They also argued that the case should be dismissed because of what they assert was rampant misconduct by government investigators.
But United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer appeared to be having none of it. (more)
Facing a trial date of Feb. 27, lawyers for Mr. Pellicano and his five co-defendants attacked the search warrants used to raid the detective’s offices in November 2002 and to unearth a trove of digital audio recordings in the ensuing months. They also argued that the case should be dismissed because of what they assert was rampant misconduct by government investigators.
But United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer appeared to be having none of it. (more)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)