Leaked Phone Call Cautionary Tale: Trump’s Phone Call With Georgia Election Officials

The president pressured Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to overturn the results of the election in an hour-long phone conversation. Here is a transcript of the audio recording.

Chilling.

Covert recording of your phone calls is easy. There are smartphone apps, push-button recording features on business desk phones, and cheap add-on gadgets (1) (2) (3) which do the job very well. Everyone with an inclination to record your call, can. Instantly. And post it to social media, news media, or twist your arm with it, just as quickly. Also chilling.

You can mitigate the possibility of your call being leaked (by the party to whom you are speaking). Just think before you speak. 

Thwarting someone spying on your call requires some technical assistance. Contact a Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) consultant. Their specialty is inspecting workplaces, residences, vehicles, and off-site meeting locations for wiretap, bugs, and covert video surveillance devices.

UPDATE
The fact that the Jan. 2 call was recorded and leaked to the news media also spurred a claim that Raffensperger "faces espionage charges."

The claim was made in a widely shared Facebook post that was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed.

Legal experts told us it would not be illegal for anyone on either end of the call to record it, or to disseminate the recording. Furthermore, the conversation did not bear on sensitive national security matters covered by the federal Espionage Act. more

How Spying Works in Real Life

We took a deep dive into the sub surface world of intelligence as we discussed SIGINT, HUMINT and IMINT with James Olson. James knows what he’s talking about. He is currently a Professor of Practice at the Bush School of Government of Texas A&M. 

He’s also the FORMER CHIEF OF COUNTERINTELLIGENCE AT THE CIA and has 31 YEARS of experience doing espionage and covert action work undercover work for the CIA.

What he had to say is well worth the listen, especially when he shares a real time threat made to his family while on a mission in another country. more

BOOK: To Catch a Spy: The Art of Counterintelligence

Ticketmaster Fined $10 million in Corporate Espionage Scheme

The Department of Justice announced Wednesday Ticketmaster would pay a $10 million fine as part of a differed prosecution agreement for using an employee’s login credentials to his former employer’s computer systems to garner information on the competitor.

Zeeshan Zaidi, the former head of artist services at Ticketmaster, pled guilty to conspiring to commit computer intrusions and wire fraud in October 2019...

In the computer intrusion scheme detailed in the agreement, Ticketmaster tried to steal both a client and design ideas from a competitor by logging into the competitor’s back-end system. The former employee also stole the competitor’s fee calculation system in the form of an Excel spreadsheet. more

Convicted Spy Granted Citizenship

A former Navy intelligence analyst who spent 30 years behind bars for selling U.S. military secrets to Israel, arrived in Israel on Wednesday where he and his wife were granted citizenship by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Jonathan Pollard, 66, triumphantly kissed the ground as he disembarked from the aircraft after it landed in Ben Gurion International airport near Tel Aviv. more

ET's Phone Home Frequency Might Be 982.02 MHz

Nobody believes it was ET phoning, but radio astronomers admit they don’t have an explanation yet for a beam of radio waves that apparently came from the direction of the star Proxima Centauri...

“It’s some sort of technological signal. The question is whether it’s Earth technology or technology from somewhere out yonder,” said Sofia Sheikh, a graduate student at Pennsylvania State University leading a team studying the signal and trying to decipher its origin... 

The radio signal itself, detected in spring 2019, is in many ways the stuff of dreams for alien hunters. It was a narrow-band signal with a frequency of 982.02 MHz as recorded at the Parkes Observatory in Australia...

The Parkes telescope — which once relayed communications to the Apollo astronauts — is notorious for false alarms, Dr. Werthimer says. In one recent example, he said, astronomers thought they had discovered a new astrophysical phenomenon.

“It was very exciting until somebody noticed the signals only appeared at the lunch hour,” he said. They were coming from a microwave oven. more

Security Director Alert: DHS Warns US Businesses of China’s Data-Collection Practices

A 15-page “business advisory” released Tuesday by DHS cautions that Chinese intelligence services could collect and exploit data held by U.S. firms doing business in China, highlighting longstanding concerns from U.S. officials. Beijing has denied allegations of economic espionage...

Chinese law requires Chinese businesses and citizens, including in academia, to “take actions related to the collection, transmission and storage of data that runs counter to principles of U.S. and international law and policy,” DHS said in a press release. 

The department urged U.S. firms to “minimize the amount of at-risk data being stored and used” in China, or in places accessible to Chinese authorities. more

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There is a New Kind of Bug Comin' to the UK, Mate

In collaboration with UAVTEK, we have developed a nano “Bug” drone and delivered the first 30 units to the British Army, which has put it through its paces as part of a trial. 

The Bug is a nano-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) weighing 196g – similar to the weight of a smartphone – with 40 minute battery life and a 2km range. 

It boasts a stealthy low visual profile and the ability to fly even in strong winds of more than 50mph...

The teams are now working on the next developments on the nano-UAV, exploring sensing equipment and capabilities which could be added, as well as how the Bug could be integrated with other military equipment. more

Check Your Holiday Rental for Hidden Surveillance Cameras

Australia - There's something unsettling about the idea of being watched while you and your loved ones kick back on holidays. If you've searched online to find whether holiday rental landlords spy on their guests, there's plenty to feed your paranoia...

Still, if something feels off or you want to sweep the house, there are some steps you can take. Although without professionals and high-tech gear involved, it can't be 100 per cent accurate...

Julian Claxton, a counter-espionage specialist, recommended a hidden camera detector — small devices that project a light that will reflect off the lens of a covert camera... "The reality is, that's how a lot of these cameras can be found — through anomalies. Things that just don't look right within an environment," he explained.

Tips:

1. Inspect what's on the Wi-Fi network... Many cameras sold in consumer electronic stores need an internet connection so they can be viewed remotely from a computer or app. This could provide a clue.
   
   
2. Try to spot the camera lens... Julian Claxton, a counter-espionage specialist, recommended a hidden camera detector — small devices that project a light that will reflect off the lens of a covert camera.
   
   
3. Check the power points... Hidden cameras need ongoing power, so Mr Claxton suggested looking at what's connected to power points.
    
4. Look for oddly placed objects... Hidden cameras can be built into just about anything, but for the lay person, Mr Claxton suggested using "a bit of common sense". more

Also, consider taking a one-hour, on-line, video Spycam Detection Training course.

Industrial Espionage and IP Theft in the Manufacturing Threat Landscape

 via Rob Acker...
Today, the manufacturing industry promotes innovation, productivity and trade to capitalize on opportunities created by changing demand and technological advancements. However, the move towards connected manufacturing has introduced sophisticated threats to data, intellectual property (IP) and operations.

Industrial Espionage and IP Theft
Manufacturing organizations invest heavily in IP development. It’s often an organization’s most valuable asset and its theft is among the most damaging of manufacturing cyber-threats. Recently, manufacturing executives cited IP protection as their primary concern...

 Although manufacturing organizations are reasonably advanced in their awareness of the cyber and information security risks they face, preparedness varies. A certified ISO 27001 Information Security Management System (ISMS), paired with independent testing, detection and response services, provides a transparent solution. more

Chinese Spies: from Chairman Mao to Xi Jinping (book)

As China expands its reach around the globe, it is important to understand not only its foreign, economic and security policies but also its massive covert operations. 

Roger Faligot, an investigative journalist who specializes in studying intelligence agencies, first published Chinese spies in French. It proved so successful that he recently had a significantly expanded version translated into English - Chinese spies: from Chairman Mao to Xi Jinping.

Faligot’s ambitious book spans a century of Chinese espionage, from the beginnings of the Chinese Communist Party to the Xi Jinping era...

Faligot’s ground-breaking book is essential reading for both intelligence professionals and generalists seeking to understand the reach of China’s hidden hand. Given rapid technological developments, one can only hope that Faligot is working on a follow-up volume. more

Russian Spy Crank Yanked into Confessing

Poisoned Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny duped a Russian spy into confessing to the botched assassination attempt — revealing that nerve agent had been smeared on his underpants, according to a report.

The 44-year-old opposition leader posed as a senior official from Russia’s National Security Council demanding an urgent debriefing about why the poisoning in August failed, according to a recording shared with CNN.

In a sting where he used a number disguised to look like it was from the headquarters of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSS), Navalny tricked Konstantin Kudryavtsev into revealing key details about how he had been poisoned with Novichok in August, CNN said. more

Yet Another Air-Gapped Computer Hack

Academics from an Israeli university have published new research today detailing a technique to convert a RAM card into an impromptu wireless emitter and transmit sensitive data from inside a non-networked air-gapped computer that has no Wi-Fi card.

Named AIR-FI, the technique is the work of Mordechai Guri, the head of R&D at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, in Israel.

Over the last half-decade, Guri has led tens of research projects that investigated stealing data through unconventional methods from air-gapped systems. 

These types of techniques are what security researchers call "covert data exfiltration channels." They are not techniques to break into computers, but techniques that can be used to steal data in ways defenders aren't expecting. more

The Ultimate Spy, or Better Learn How to Say "Yes, Master"

 via Sundance...

This fascinating and visually stimulating documentary examines simulation theory—the idea that this world we live in might not be entirely real. The theory is as old as Plato's Republic and as current as Elon Musk's Twitter feed and A Glitch in the Matrix traces its genesis over the years, from philosophical engagements by the ancient Greeks to modern explorations by Philip K. Dick, the Wachowskis, and game theorists.

A new trailer for the upcoming documentary A Glitch in the Matrix gives a haunting look at the theory that we are all living in a giant simulation. The title alludes to the Wachowskis’ popular Matrix franchise, which is perhaps the most significant cultural exploration of the trippy thought experiment.

A Glitch in the Matrix will premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival in the Midnight Section line-up. After Sundance, A Glitch in the Matrix will be in theaters and on demand on February 5, 2021.

"Solarwinds" Attack Announcement (AA20-352A) from CISA

Advanced Persistent Threat Compromise of Government Agencies, Critical Infrastructure, and Private Sector Organizations 

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is aware of compromises of U.S. government agencies, critical infrastructure entities, and private sector organizations by an advanced persistent threat (APT) actor beginning in at least March 2020. This APT actor has demonstrated patience, operational security, and complex tradecraft in these intrusions. CISA expects that removing this threat actor from compromised environments will be highly complex and challenging for organizations...

CISA has determined that this threat poses a grave risk to the Federal Government and state, local, tribal, and territorial governments as well as critical infrastructure entities and other private sector organizations. CISA advises stakeholders to read this Alert and review the enclosed indicators. more

Note: In addition to cybersecurity, a quality TSCM program is required to protect against multiple other attack vectors.

TSCM Tech Alert: If You Detect a Signal at 9.65 GHz You're Being Watched

A New Satellite Can Peer Inside Buildings, Day or Night

A few months ago, a company called Capella Space launched a satellite capable of taking clear radar images of anywhere in the world, with incredible resolution — even through the walls of some buildings.

And unlike most of the huge array of surveillance and observational satellites orbiting the Earth, its satellite Capella 2 can snap a clear picture during night or day, rain or shine...a capability that will only get more powerful with the deployment of six additional satellites next year. Is that creepy from a privacy point of view? Sure...

The satellite beams down a powerful 9.65 GHz radio signal toward its target, and then collects and interprets the signal as it bounces back up into orbit...

Possibilities abound. Train two SAR satellites on the same target and they can actually image targets in three dimensions down to minute differences in height. more