Couple awarded more than $250,000 because landlord bugged their apartment.
NY - Their 700-square-foot apartment had a large living room, a big kitchen, nice-sized bathroom and bedroom. Perfect for the young newlyweds. The couple from Oneida was thrilled to be able to rent the space before their wedding in the fall of 2002. They were even happier that they knew the owner of 542 Seneca St., Patrick Kaiser.
Kaiser owned a local electrical business and was also a lieutenant in the Oneida City Fire Department.
When they moved from the apartment on Seneca Street into their new home in October 2003, they hired Kaiser to do electrical work. He was someone the newlyweds were sure they could trust. They were wrong.
For more than a year, Kaiser was watching and recording their every move, including their private conversations and most intimate moments. Using several cameras that were placed strategically throughout the apartment, including the living room, one hidden in a bedroom alarm clock and another behind a bathroom sink, Kaiser was able to record every detail of their lives.
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Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Fraud boss wants phone taps used to convict insider dealers
Britian’s top fraud investigator wants more phone tapping and other forms of “directed surveillance” to combat insider dealing and share-ramping.
Robert Wardle, director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), said there was a strong case for allowing phone-intercept evidence to be admitted in court so that “real” crimes such as insider dealing could be more easily prosecuted.
The SFO boss warned that unless measures were taken, the reputation of London as one of the world’s leading financial centres could be undermined. (more)
Robert Wardle, director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), said there was a strong case for allowing phone-intercept evidence to be admitted in court so that “real” crimes such as insider dealing could be more easily prosecuted.
The SFO boss warned that unless measures were taken, the reputation of London as one of the world’s leading financial centres could be undermined. (more)
Monday, July 16, 2007
Razzberries
The world's most populous country will get an opportunity to join the international craze for BlackBerry handsets following approval for Research in Motion to sell its communication devices in China.
The Chinese government has been slow to endorse the BlackBerry in part because of security issues. Some reports have suggested that the regime was concerned that the device's encryption technology would prevent state agents from eavesdropping on suspicious communications.
The BlackBerry will face a local rival, China's second largest mobile phone operator China Unicom markets a mobile email device cheekily called the RedBerry. (more)
The Chinese government has been slow to endorse the BlackBerry in part because of security issues. Some reports have suggested that the regime was concerned that the device's encryption technology would prevent state agents from eavesdropping on suspicious communications.
The BlackBerry will face a local rival, China's second largest mobile phone operator China Unicom markets a mobile email device cheekily called the RedBerry. (more)
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Is Your Printer Spying on You? Good!
Privacy advocates are enraged that many printer manufacturers have cooperated with the Secret Service by adding identifying marks to every page that exits their printers.
The MIT Media Lab has even set up a special web site that explains the process and encourages people to complain to the printer manufacturers.
"This is a direct attack on the privacy of the owners and users of printers, and in particular, on their right to free, anonymous speech." MIT Media Lab
Good point. I'm all for privacy, but stop and think. There is an upside to this; especially for my commercial and government clients. People who want to keep their information private and secure now have one more brick in the security wall. Exclusively employing these printers makes it just a little more difficult for insiders to engage in espionage and information theft.
Stolen intellectual property (via printing or photocopying) can now be tracked and prosecuted more easily.
Persons who want to counterfeit, or publish anonymously, still have other means to accomplish their goals. ~Kevin
The MIT Media Lab has even set up a special web site that explains the process and encourages people to complain to the printer manufacturers.
"This is a direct attack on the privacy of the owners and users of printers, and in particular, on their right to free, anonymous speech." MIT Media Lab
Good point. I'm all for privacy, but stop and think. There is an upside to this; especially for my commercial and government clients. People who want to keep their information private and secure now have one more brick in the security wall. Exclusively employing these printers makes it just a little more difficult for insiders to engage in espionage and information theft.
Stolen intellectual property (via printing or photocopying) can now be tracked and prosecuted more easily.
Persons who want to counterfeit, or publish anonymously, still have other means to accomplish their goals. ~Kevin
Uncle Sam Wants You...r Hearing Aid
Audio ExploitationSolicitation Number: Reference-Number-BAA-07-05-IFKA
Posted Date: Jul 11, 2007
Classification Code: A -- Research & Development
"The scope of this effort covers a broad range of audio and speech processing technologies not limited to: speaker identification, language/ dialect identification, obtaining the gist of a conversation by recognition of words and phrases, uncooperative speaker audio language translation, whispered speech detection, audio transmission segmentation in continuous speech, background noise identification, channel effect mitigation, usable speech determination, interference (noise and competing talkers) reduction, voice stress analysis, speaker verification, coding to preserve the characteristics of the talker and channel, watermarking, and correlation." (more)
Insight - Privacy Mores Differ Internationally
(Direct quotes from the manufacturer follow.)"Fun New Spy Device From China"
"Chinavasion brings you this fully functional Novelty Tire clock with a hidden surprise. Cleverly hidden inside is a small wireless CMOS camera which can be switch on or off at a touch of the supplied remote Just imagine the fun that can be had
Chinavasion presents yet another incredible gadget; a 2.4GHz hidden spy camera in a nifty looking racing tyre and 2.4GHz Receiver /MP4 player in one. This is definitely a product that can be used for just about any purpose you can think of, without anyone ever being the wiser. Better yet, with the included remote, you can switch the spy camera on and off without anyone even seeing you turn it on. A great gadget that is perfect for anyone." (more)
Here come the SnitchBots
"Wakamaru" recognizes approximately 10,000 words necessary for daily life, recognizes its owner and his family and speaks to them on appropriate topics. Needless to say, "wakamaru" will respond to you also based on information he gets from your daily life." (more)
Friday, July 13, 2007
SpyCam Story #368
Chicago, IL - Channel 2 is despicable and slimy for shooting and/or obtaining, and then airing the covert video of the Stebic pool party. It's getting to the point where the National Enquirer may have more journalistic ethics than some of our local media -- and that's not saying much. ~Martin J. Jacobs
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The story that precipitated this remark is fascinating. (more)
(more)
The story that precipitated this remark is fascinating. (more)
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
SpyCam Story #367
UK - A man from Woodford Halse has appeared in court accused of setting up covert video cameras in his toilet so he could film children who visited his home.
Alan Kench, of South Street, was arrested in December 2006 and appeared before Daventry Magistrates on Tuesday. (more)
Alan Kench, of South Street, was arrested in December 2006 and appeared before Daventry Magistrates on Tuesday. (more)
Why India Doesn't Need TSCM Technicians
India - Sushma Swaraj, leading the opposition presidential election campaign for vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, says her telephone is being tapped.
She said that whenever anyone called up her phone number, 9868181920, 'the reply comes 'this number does not exist'. I am not being able to call up from my phone. When I called up my residential landline it was being connected to the Police Control Room.'
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ahluwalia, backed her up, saying, 'I have been handling mobile phones since their inception and can make out when they are being tapped or when there is some normal fault in the line and I can tell you this is clearly a case of tapping.' (more)
She said that whenever anyone called up her phone number, 9868181920, 'the reply comes 'this number does not exist'. I am not being able to call up from my phone. When I called up my residential landline it was being connected to the Police Control Room.'
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ahluwalia, backed her up, saying, 'I have been handling mobile phones since their inception and can make out when they are being tapped or when there is some normal fault in the line and I can tell you this is clearly a case of tapping.' (more)
"Twice on the pipe if the answer is no..."
AR - A former sheriff's deputy who bugged his upstairs neighbor's apartment pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor harassment charge and will serve one day in jail.
The listening device was discovered April 1 when the neighbor felt something under the carpet and found a microphone. Authorities found four holes in the ceiling of the deputy's apartment below. David Paul, 35, was fired by Baxter County that night. (more)
The listening device was discovered April 1 when the neighbor felt something under the carpet and found a microphone. Authorities found four holes in the ceiling of the deputy's apartment below. David Paul, 35, was fired by Baxter County that night. (more)
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Software lets parents monitor kids' calls
In March, 15-year-old Joshua Brumfield got a shiny new BlackBerry Pearl, and his parents got a new way to watch out for their son.
The Brumfields signed up to be early users of Radar, software designed to let parents monitor incoming calls on their child's mobile phone. Anytime Joshua gets a call from someone not on a call list approved by his parents, they will receive a real-time text alert on their cell phone or online.
Radar could mark a shift toward greater monitoring by parents through cell phones, much the way it happened on the Web years ago. As more kids live their lives on mobile devices--text messaging, sending photos, scheduling school assignments, surfing the Web and calling their social circle--some parents are using tracking software to protect them from predators or bullies, or to simply stay connected. (more)(more parents monitoring children articles)
The Brumfields signed up to be early users of Radar, software designed to let parents monitor incoming calls on their child's mobile phone. Anytime Joshua gets a call from someone not on a call list approved by his parents, they will receive a real-time text alert on their cell phone or online.
Radar could mark a shift toward greater monitoring by parents through cell phones, much the way it happened on the Web years ago. As more kids live their lives on mobile devices--text messaging, sending photos, scheduling school assignments, surfing the Web and calling their social circle--some parents are using tracking software to protect them from predators or bullies, or to simply stay connected. (more)(more parents monitoring children articles)
Spies in Sports
Allegations that a senior McLaren engineer received stolen documents from Ferrari are just the latest in a long and ignoble tradition of Formula One skullduggery...
- At the end of 1977 former drivers turned team managers Jackie Oliver and Alan Rees, together with designer Tony Southgate, had grown dissatisfied with the management style of Shadow team-owner Don Nichols, and defected - Southgate's Arrows FA1 bore a striking basic resemblance to Shadow's DN9, which he had also penned prior to leaving Nichols.
- (1978) When the gifted Lotus designer Colin Chapman and his staff harnessed undercar ground-effect aerodynamics to enhance the grip that the car could generate, thus creating a very significant performance increase, other designers scratched their heads... At the Swedish Grand Prix at Anderstorp that year Lotus personnel got a surprise when they returned to the track one night to retrieve something they had forgotten, and discovered Tyrrell's designer, the late Maurice Philippe, lying beneath the 79 taking in all of its secrets.
- Chapman himself was not averse to such underhand practice and at the Austrian Grand Prix in 1979 dispatched his team manager Peter Collins to acquire critical measurements from the successful Williams FW07. Collins duly got the information that Chapman had demanded but was caught red-handed in doing so, causing a minor scandal that soon died down.
- The late Dr. Harvey Postlethwaite, who was Ferrari's technical director, admitted that he had been the mastermind behind a clandestine break-in at the Williams garage during the German Grand Prix in 1980. A group of Ferrari personnel spent the entire night in the garage, wielding their tape measures and taking photographs of the car that would win Australian Alan Jones that year's championship.
- Frank Williams was livid when he heard about Collins and his tape measure that time in Austria, until one of his own team pointed out that every team, including Williams, was doing something similar.
- McLaren mechanics once discovered a senior BAR-Honda aerodynamicist in the back of one of their trucks, trying to measure up their car. They locked him in.
...and in other sports...
Rugby Union
- In the week leading up to the 2003 World Cup final in Sydney, the England coach Clive Woodward ordered their hotel rooms and training grounds to be swept for spying devices. It was feared the Australians were eavesdropping on secret team talks.
- Prior to a Test against England at Twickenham in 2005, New Zealand officials caught two men in camouflage gear in bushes filming the All Black training. They claimed to be from a news agency before running away. Both England and the agency denied any knowledge of them.
Football
- In April 2003 England accused Turkey of filming training prior to a Euro 2004 qualifier in Sunderland. Sven Goran Eriksson had planned to use a diamond formation but his changes were witnessed by a Turkish official posing as a charity worker.
- In November 2005 a newspaper alleged that the Manchester United dressing room had been bugged before a 1-0 home victory over Chelsea. The paper said they were offered the tapes by a "middle man".
- After a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace in February this year, the Leeds manager, Dennis Wise, claimed one of his players had leaked team information to the opposition before kick-off. The player's identity was never revealed.
Cricket
- During England's 2006-07 Ashes tour detailed bowling plans for individual batsman were leaked to an Australian radio station. The plans had been pinned up in England's dressing room.
Netball
- In July 2006 the Australia netball coach Norma Plummer accused New Zealand spies of passing on team secrets prior to the two rivals' meeting. She accused former employees who were now working for the Kiwis.
Sailing
- A diver was found near the Nippon JPN-26 boat as it left San Diego harbour to sail in the first race of the 1992 Louis Vuitton Cup semi-final. The diver turned out to be a friend of Le Défi Français skipper Marc Pajot, and he was said to have been sent to the other boat for a bet.
(more)
- At the end of 1977 former drivers turned team managers Jackie Oliver and Alan Rees, together with designer Tony Southgate, had grown dissatisfied with the management style of Shadow team-owner Don Nichols, and defected - Southgate's Arrows FA1 bore a striking basic resemblance to Shadow's DN9, which he had also penned prior to leaving Nichols.
- (1978) When the gifted Lotus designer Colin Chapman and his staff harnessed undercar ground-effect aerodynamics to enhance the grip that the car could generate, thus creating a very significant performance increase, other designers scratched their heads... At the Swedish Grand Prix at Anderstorp that year Lotus personnel got a surprise when they returned to the track one night to retrieve something they had forgotten, and discovered Tyrrell's designer, the late Maurice Philippe, lying beneath the 79 taking in all of its secrets.
- Chapman himself was not averse to such underhand practice and at the Austrian Grand Prix in 1979 dispatched his team manager Peter Collins to acquire critical measurements from the successful Williams FW07. Collins duly got the information that Chapman had demanded but was caught red-handed in doing so, causing a minor scandal that soon died down.
- The late Dr. Harvey Postlethwaite, who was Ferrari's technical director, admitted that he had been the mastermind behind a clandestine break-in at the Williams garage during the German Grand Prix in 1980. A group of Ferrari personnel spent the entire night in the garage, wielding their tape measures and taking photographs of the car that would win Australian Alan Jones that year's championship.
- Frank Williams was livid when he heard about Collins and his tape measure that time in Austria, until one of his own team pointed out that every team, including Williams, was doing something similar.
- McLaren mechanics once discovered a senior BAR-Honda aerodynamicist in the back of one of their trucks, trying to measure up their car. They locked him in.
...and in other sports...
Rugby Union
- In the week leading up to the 2003 World Cup final in Sydney, the England coach Clive Woodward ordered their hotel rooms and training grounds to be swept for spying devices. It was feared the Australians were eavesdropping on secret team talks.
- Prior to a Test against England at Twickenham in 2005, New Zealand officials caught two men in camouflage gear in bushes filming the All Black training. They claimed to be from a news agency before running away. Both England and the agency denied any knowledge of them.
Football
- In April 2003 England accused Turkey of filming training prior to a Euro 2004 qualifier in Sunderland. Sven Goran Eriksson had planned to use a diamond formation but his changes were witnessed by a Turkish official posing as a charity worker.
- In November 2005 a newspaper alleged that the Manchester United dressing room had been bugged before a 1-0 home victory over Chelsea. The paper said they were offered the tapes by a "middle man".
- After a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace in February this year, the Leeds manager, Dennis Wise, claimed one of his players had leaked team information to the opposition before kick-off. The player's identity was never revealed.
Cricket
- During England's 2006-07 Ashes tour detailed bowling plans for individual batsman were leaked to an Australian radio station. The plans had been pinned up in England's dressing room.
Netball
- In July 2006 the Australia netball coach Norma Plummer accused New Zealand spies of passing on team secrets prior to the two rivals' meeting. She accused former employees who were now working for the Kiwis.
Sailing
- A diver was found near the Nippon JPN-26 boat as it left San Diego harbour to sail in the first race of the 1992 Louis Vuitton Cup semi-final. The diver turned out to be a friend of Le Défi Français skipper Marc Pajot, and he was said to have been sent to the other boat for a bet.
(more)
MyVoIPia
"Eavesdropping is one example of an overhyped threat," said Lawrence Orans, a researcher with Gartner, in a previous interview. "Sure, it’s technically possible to execute a man-in-the-middle attack and capture packets. The reason that we hear so much about eavesdropping is that it really does illicit this visceral reaction. The main thing is to focus on the greater threats, for example attacking an IP PBX server itself." (more)
Every element of VoIP security is synergistically important.
My advice; think holistic. ~Kevin
Every element of VoIP security is synergistically important.
My advice; think holistic. ~Kevin
SpyCam Story #365
UK - A Hampshire councillor who set up a spy camera to secretly film a woman and two teenage girls using his bathroom has been jailed for four months.
Neil Redrup, a Ministry of Defence database manager at the time, put the camera in an airing cupboard with the lens spying through a hole at his home.
Redrup, 45, regularly invited teenagers to parties at his home, a court heard.
He pleaded guilty to four charges of voyeurism and one for gross indecency between January and December 2005. (more)
Neil Redrup, a Ministry of Defence database manager at the time, put the camera in an airing cupboard with the lens spying through a hole at his home.
Redrup, 45, regularly invited teenagers to parties at his home, a court heard.
He pleaded guilty to four charges of voyeurism and one for gross indecency between January and December 2005. (more)
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