...and you thought volcanic ash was wild.

From the FutureWatch department...

In the 1990s, a researcher named Kris Pister dreamed up a wild future in which people would sprinkle the Earth with countless tiny sensors, no larger than grains of rice.

These "smart dust" particles, as he called them, would monitor everything, acting like electronic nerve endings for the planet. Fitted with computing power, sensing equipment, wireless radios and long battery life, the smart dust would make observations and relay mountains of real-time data about people, cities and the natural environment.

Now, a version of Pister's smart dust fantasy is starting to become reality... (not rice-sized yet, however)

The latest news comes from the computer and printing company Hewlett-Packard, which recently announced it's working on a project it calls the "Central Nervous System for the Earth." In coming years, the company plans to deploy a trillion sensors all over the planet. (more)

From our "never give a sucker an even break" files.

A businessman who supplied the Botswana Police Service (BPS) with spying equipment to eavesdrop on the cell phone and electronic mail conversations of all citizens without a search warrant, intends suing the government after the Police failed to pay him.

...it appeared that the transaction went sour when the equipment did not perform as the Police expected. The system was to detect all cell phone conversations without being detected by the service providers. It emerged that the system could only detect calls from only one of the three mobile operators and was unable to detect calls from the other two, thus failing the test. (more)

Moral: "You can't cheat an honest man."

Michelin Spy Re-tired

Marwan Arbache, a former Michelin executive, has been found guilty of trying to sell industrial secrets to the company’s main competitor Bridgestone. 

What particularly seems to have grieved Michelin, which already has a well-deserved reputation for stringent security surrounding its industrial secrets, is the fact that their former employee was trying to sell secrets relating to what the AFP news agency called “new tyre manufacturing techniques for heavy transport designed to improve durability.” (more)

How Do They Do It - Codebreaking

Seattle startup Pico Computing squeezes a cryptographic supercomputer into a breadbox...

...Not every customer has the know-how or the motivation to coax FPGAs into those cryptographical feats. But the three-letter agencies that buy Pico's code-breaking systems have both, and Pico offers them versions aimed at breaking everything from the Wireless Protected Access protocol used in Wi-Fi signals to the Filevault encryption found on Mac computers. (more)

Spyware Comes to the iPad

Retina-X Studios, LLC, announced today the immediate availability of Mobile Spy for the Apple iPad. ...users can silently view all email messages, web site visits and other information... even if histories are deleted. Mobile Spy runs in total stealth mode and no mentions of the program are shown inside the iPad. After the software is set up on the device, it silently records the contents of all emails sent or received. The software also records web addresses visited in Safari and any contact added to the iPad's contacts list. (more)

Spybusters Tip #732 - Copy Center Warning

Many office photocopiers - especially the larger and networked models - store the data they copy on an internal hard-drive memory. While this is helpful, it also poses a very serious espionage vulnerability. Old copy jobs remain on the disk and may be easily reprinted by other people who have access to the machine. Even when the job is deleted the data remains on the drive waiting to be over-written. When the lease is up or the machine is sold anyone could get your information.

Recommendations...
1. Photocopy confidential information without using the memory feature. If this is not possible...

2. Use the delete feature immediately after photocopying sensitive documents. If the risk is extreme...

3. Photocopy using a simpler machine; one without an internal memory.

"If you don't wipe, they will swipe." ~Kevin

Some photocopiers have easily removable hard drives which may be placed in a safe at the end of the day. Others have disk wipe options available. Keep these options in mind when purchasing a high-end photocopier.

Manufacturer’s security solutions:
• Canon - imageRUNNER Security Kit   
• Sharp - Data Security Kit
• Xerox - Image Overwrite Option
• Konica Minolta - Security Strengthen Mode
• Lanier - DataOverwrite Security System (DOSS)
• Savin - DataOverwrite Security System (DOSS)
• Ricoh - DataOverwriteSecurity System (DOSS)
• HP - Security Documents (1) (2)

Still don't believe?

Watch this...

Combine it with e-ink and never recycle newspapers again!

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have successfully coated paper with a solar cell, part of a suite of research projects aimed at energy breakthroughs. (more) (e-ink)

The Security Scrapbook Mobile Phone App

Kevin's Security Scrapbook has a mobile phone app. 

FREE download at getjar.com.

Compatible with: Blackberry, Nokia, Motorola, LG and dozens more. Search: "Spybusters"

Special thanks to the crew at SachManya, app-smiths.

Security Director Alert: Cell Phone Warning

The Bad News...

Two researchers say they have found a way to exploit weaknesses in the mobile telecom system to legally spy on people by figuring out the private cell phone number of anyone they want, tracking their whereabouts, and listening to their voice mail. — Independent security researcher Nick DePetrillo and Don Bailey, a security consultant with iSec Partners.

The Really Bad News...

"These attack scenarios are applicable to corporations and individual users alike," DePetrillo said. "Corporations specifically should start to take a look at their security policies for executives as this can impact a business very hard, with insider trading, tracking of executives, etc." (more)

The Really Really Bad News...

It doesn't look like the phone companies will (or can) fix this situation.

Spycam Story #576 - Weird Want Ad

Spycam Videographer Needed
Description I am looking for an experienced videographer to videotape using a spy cam video camera for Thursday, May 6. If interested, please provide link to some spy cam footage as well as what equipment you'll be using and your rates. (more)

How Your Competitors May Be Tracking You

ChangeDetection.com

KeywordSpy.com

Compete.com

Of course, you can use these tools, too. ~Kevin

Wise PR Ali

NYC - Disgraced publicity princess Ali Wise tip-tapped into a Manhattan courtroom in beige patent leather stilettos this morning, 'fessing up to a wacky voicemail snooping rampage in a deal that will keep her out of jail.

The beautiful former publicity director for Dolce & Gabbana took a felony plea to eavesdropping and computer trespassing. The feisty fashionista admitted she repeatedly hacked into the cell phone voicemails of two women she wanted to spy on last year -- including interior designer Nina Freudenberger.

Freudenberger and Wise have an ex-boyfriend in common -- Josh Deutsch, the CEO and founder of Downtown Records. (more)

New: Cybercrime Investigations without Tapping

Qatar - An official at the Cyber Crime Unit at the Interior Ministry denied that Qatar was tapping phones, any other telecommunication devices or blocking political websites attacking the country.
  

Captain Ali al-Kobeisi, an officer at Cyber Crime Unit said that the Interior Ministry did not establish the Anti-Cyber Crimes Unit for eavesdropping on people, but to protect them.

“We do not tap phones, Blackberry devices or discussion forum websites. We do not eavesdrop on anyone. This unit is not for tapping. (more)

SpyCam Story #575 - Not Feeling Lucky Anymore

India - The Swedish model Lucky Farmhouse, who used a spycam to expose her boyfriend Yaniv Benaim's links with Goa police, says she has enough to establish a clear nexus between the police and Goa's notorious drug mafia.

"I have not put out all the (spycam) recordings because I need to save those in case they will be coming after me. If they make any problem for me in the future, I will put it out," Lucky said in an email interview from Sweden on Monday.

The 33-year-old model, who was living-in with Atala, had shocked the Goa police after she posted her boyfriend's clippings on social networking website youtube.com. (more) (more)

Protect Your Social Notworking Privacy

The Paradox of Exposing Without Exposing...

• Facebook Safety: A Primer 
• Facebook: 5 Privacy Settings You Must Tweak Now
• New Threat: Undetectable Facebook Scams
• Your Facebook Profile May Be Sold by Russian Hacker
• Facebook Hopes to Discuss Privacy With Sen. Schumer

Facebook Books...
Facebook For Dummies 
The Truth About Facebook - Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know, and Much More - The Facts You Should Know
Facebook for Parents: Answers to the Top 25 Questions