SpyCam Story #503 - WatchCam

"Nothing like a spycam that screams, 'Look at me! I'm dorkey!'"

No, no, no... Give it a chance.
Think Transformer!
The seller says so...
MP4 Player + Music Player + Video/Voice Recorder + Digital Camera + Digital Watch + Photo Album + E-book reader + PC Camera!!!

"MP4 Watch + Video Camera is a novel and fashionable design Portable Media Player (PMP) device. Just plug and play into USB port to transfer music files and data. Save all your media files on your wrist, you can listen to music, watch movies, take photos, record voices and videos wherever you go.

With Internal Speaker, you can share your lovely videos with your friends!

Moreover, you can plug it into your PC as a Web camera, convenient to use. Enjoy the high-tech life on the go!"

1.8" TFT screen, 160*128 pixel image
MP4 Player + Music Player + Video/Voice Recorder +Digital Camera + Digital Watch + Photo Album + E-book reader + PC Camera, all in one featured product
Built-in 8GB flash memory
Built-in Video Camera - Photo resolution: 640 x 480, Video Resolution: 352 x 288
Built-in speaker
PC Web Camera feature
MP4 watch, support MP4(AVI/3GP) video
Shows time/date and watch design is outstanding
Supports MP3, WMA and MP4(AVI) format, up to 8 hours of music playback
Supports JPEG format, also displays lyrics and picture
High-quality digital record, song circulation function and support several languages
5-equalizer modes: common, popular, rock classic, jazz
E-book browse function
USB 2.0 High Speed transfer
Auto Power Off Function
Package Contents:
MP4 Watch + Video Camera
USB Cable
Earphone
Driver CD
AC adapter
User's Manual
$129.00 (seller)

Laugha while you can, monkeyboy. Some day this will be super camp, and worth much more. Seriously. Remember the first TV wristwatch? (Seiko, 1982) Occasionally these turn up on ebay and sell for more than they originally cost.

Spy-Fridge - Coming soon to a steet near you.

Philadelphia - "In case you haven't been wandering around the east side of Broad Street in Center City recently, the neighborhood has been sprouting refrigerator size boxes at every signalized intersection.

They're part of a Streets Department project to digitize the traffic signals throughout the city, but thanks to the Department of Homeland Security the new system is three times the size of the old pole-mounted controls, requiring a 67-inch free-standing box.

The reason? The boxes were made bigger so they could hold the computer equipment for a future surveillance network." Inga Saffron - architecture critic for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

FutureWatch Update - Stolen Cell Phone Alarm

Reportedly, coming soon.
Now in Beta - Available upon request.
From the inventor's web site...
Maverick Secure Mobile (MSM) is a security application.
Secure mobile helps you protect your data, track your stolen device, retrieve your phonebook & disable the stolen device remotely. The application works in hidden mode and cannot be viewed in the device...

1. Protects Your Data In case of theft/loss, the moment SIM change is detected, Secure mobile will encrypt all the data on the device like the phonebook, images, messages etc.

2. Track Device In case of loss/theft the application will send the phone number, device id, country code, operator name and area code(location) to the reporting device through sms. Secure Mobile will also report about activities performed on the stolen device via SMS; like Outgoing Calls made, etc.

3. Retrieve Phonebook The most important data on any device are the contacts. Using MSM one can retrieve phonebook from the stolen device.

4. Spy Call Spy call will switch on the loudspeaker & mic of the stolen device remotely, so that the caller can actually listen to the conversation other person is engaged in. This call will not give any notification/ ring to the stolen device.

5. Raise an alarm and disable the phone To disable stolen device remotely, send sms = hang from the Reporting device to the stolen device, and it will raise an alarm and start playing a loud Siren. MSM will also display a customized message.

6. Data Back-up Secure Mobile has a distinctive feature of incremental Data Back up. Using this feature one can back up all the data from the device to secure remote server using GPRS. So now all your data is very much secured and you can retrieve it without any hassle. All the above mentioned features can be used even if the SIM is not changed,
a. In case the device is lost by sending SMS “Activate” from the reporting device.
b. For Parental control of child’s mobile device by sending SMS “Track” from reporting device (more) (videos)

Spybusters Tip #387 - FREE Internet Encryption

Traveling executives take note...
Public networks (both wired and wireless) are great. However, the danger to your personal data exists even if you connect to a fee based open network. Your passwords, credit card numbers, and any data you send can be seen and associated with you personally.

Hotspot Shield creates a virtual private network (VPN) between your laptop or iPhone and our Internet gateway. This impenetrable tunnel prevents snoopers and hackers from viewing your email, instant messages, credit card information or anything else you send over the network. Hotspot Shield security application is free to download, employs the latest VPN technology, and is easy to install and use.

Hotspot Shield runs on:
Windows Vista
Windows XP
Windows 2000
Mac OS X (10.5 Leopard)
Mac OS X (10.4 Tiger)
iPhone
(more)
Hotspot Shield slightly increased page loading times in my tests. Given the increased level of privacy, the trade-off is well worth it. ~ Kevin

Kids Spy Camp

UK - Give your kids the time of their lives at spy school. They will learn how to operate hidden cameras, bugging devices and radio equipment, take part in a shoot-out using state of the art laser tag guns, dodge laser beams to crack open the safe against the clock, learn how to quick draw their pistol from a holster and finally crack codes to de-activate the bomb as the clock ticks away. Can they crack it before time runs out? Only those with stealth, agility and cunning will find out! Location: Buckinghamshire (more)
Looks like my future is secure. ~ Kevin

Corporate Espionage: Husband Spy

Matthew C. Devlin, a former Lehman Brothers broker who gleaned tips about pending mergers from his wife, a partner at a high-powered public relations firm, has been charged in a wide-ranging insider trading scheme that earned $4.8 million in profits for several people including a former Playboy model and two lawyers, authorities said.

The SEC said Devlin took secrets from March 2004 through last July about more than a dozen pending mergers and acquisitions from his wife, Nina, a partner at Brunswick Group LLC, an international public relations firm.

Attorney Jim Benjamin, who represents Nina Devlin, said her husband obtained the information without her knowledge by being close to her and monitoring her travel schedule.

The SEC said Devlin gave the secrets to his clients and friends, including three who worked in the securities or legal professions. (more)

The Casanova Tour of Venice

...The route to Casanova's cell ran through the original offices of the republic's most powerful bureaucrats. One door led to the chancellor's little no-frills cubicle; it was made with special hinges to create an airtight fit in order to prevent eavesdropping. Next came the State Inquisitor's Room. Then the Torture Room, where prisoners had their... (more)

"NAL UM NFL"

Snitch Culture continues to spread...
Many of the National Football League's 32 teams have implemented a new text-messaging system that allows fans to report disruptive conduct to security. Although fans can still complain to an usher in person, the text messaging system allows fans to alert security without missing any of the game or getting physically involved in a conflict. Teams are asking fans to help identify disruptive behavior as part of a league-wide initiative to crackdown on fan misconduct. (more)

Want to spy? Offer to build their network!

Australia - National security concerns about Chinese espionage could threaten the new frontrunner for Australia's $15 billion publicly backed national broadband network.

Security agencies will closely examine the bid lodged by Singtel Optus, which is believed to propose the involvement of Chinese telecommunications equipment-maker Huawei Technologies to help build its network.

Huawei was the subject of a US congressional investigation on national security grounds this year after legislators expressed concern about its links to the Chinese military and intelligence apparatus. The concerns led Huawei to withdraw from its joint $US2.2billion ($3.3billion) bid to buy a stake in US internet router and networking giant 3Com. (more)

Employee vs. Boss = Spy vs. Spy

A cautionary tale, excerpted from...
Chained Exploits: Advanced Hacking Attacks from Start to Finish
"Phoenix knows that Mr. Minutia has been spying on him for some time now. Phoenix sees Mr. Minutia at his desk, shuffling through papers, whenever he leaves his desk to go to the copy machine. Phoenix notices Mr. Minutia walk over to his desk whenever he is on the phone to eavesdrop on his conversations. Now Mr. Minutia has taken it to the next step by reading all of Phoenix’s e-mails and reviewing the Web sites Phoenix views.

The word hypocrite echoes in Phoenix’s mind. He knows his boss spends the majority of his time at work surfing the Internet. Phoenix is not sure what his boss is looking at, but Phoenix is determined to find out because he suspects it might not be work related. Then Phoenix can approach Mr. Minutia with a taste of his own medicine and expose his Internet-surfing habits. Phoenix begins to plot how he is going to spy on his boss." (more)

Make sure your employees are not spying on you.
Hey, there are textbooks writing about this.
Inspect for electronic surveillance regularly.

Amazing Stories #101 - "Chief speak with forked tongue?"

NC - The state auditor's office has more than 234 laptop computers that lack encryption software to guard against security lapses, a political newsletter reported today.

The Insider, an e-mail newsletter published by The News & Observer, cited correspondence from George Bakolia, the state's chief information officer, showing that the software has not been a high priority for the auditor's office.

Bakolia's office issued standards in December 2007 calling for state agencies to put encryption software on laptops. (more)

via Forbes magazine...
On Thursday researchers at Finnish cybersecurity firm F-Secure said they have spotted the first known instance of iPhone "spyware" called Mobile Spy, a piece of commercial software that sells for $99 a year. (more)

Watergate's 'Deep Throat' Dies

W. Mark Felt, the former FBI second-in-command who revealed himself as "Deep Throat" 30 years after he tipped off reporters to the Watergate scandal that toppled a president, has died. He was 95. (more)

This Man Is Wanted...

...by you, if you have a computer network to protect.
His name is Gideon J. Lenkey.
This is his story...

"The job starts like any other. We park down the street so we can just barely see the target. We wait patiently to get the rhythm of the smokers popping in and out of the side door. Waiting until no one's there, we walk up, holding cigarette butts (neither of us smokes) and wait for the door to open. Crush the butt into the ash tray, nod to the person holding the door, and we're in. Now to find an empty office or conference room -- any place we can access the company network.

This time we're lucky -- there is a dark conference room not far from the smoking door, so we don't have to walk the halls for very long. We go in, close the door, there is a PC in the corner as there usually is these days. We're almost done, I think. In 15 minutes we'll be back in the car snickering about how easy it was and suggesting that stupidity should be more physically painful..."
What happens next is not what you expect. (more)

First iPhone Spy Software Hits the Market

Retina-X Studios, LLC, announced today the immediate availability of Mobile Spy for the Apple iPhone. Using this groundbreaking iPhone spy technology, users can silently monitor incoming and outgoing text messages (SMS) and call information of children or employees - even if activity logs are erased. (more)

Spybusters Tip #387
Keep in mind that this only for 2nd generation iPhones (3G), and it only let's the spy see a log of calls and SMS text messages. There is no eavesdropping on the call itself. Installation requires "jailbreaking" the iPhone first.

The manufacturer's spyware removal instructions.
(Not yet updated to include iPhone, but should be soon.)