Canada - Men are forced to use the women’s washroom at Peterborough city hall when council is in closed door meetings. The reason? Fear of people eavesdropping.
Peterborough city council thinks there is more than one kind of leak happening in the men’s bathroom.
City officials are closing down the washroom — which shares a wall with council chambers — for fear that people could eavesdrop on proceedings.
That means men needing the washroom during any closed-door meeting are being asked to use the ladies’ room instead — and a security guard is positioned in the hallway to make sure of that.
City clerk John Kennedy defended the decision to close down the washroom, saying it happens whenever there is a confidential meeting. (more)
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Warrantless Cellphone Tracking Is Upheld
In a significant victory for law enforcement, a federal appeals court on Tuesday said that government authorities could extract historical location data directly from telecommunications carriers without a search warrant.
The ruling is the first that squarely addresses the constitutionality of warrantless searches of the historical location data stored by cellphone service providers. (more)
The ruling is the first that squarely addresses the constitutionality of warrantless searches of the historical location data stored by cellphone service providers. (more)
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Russian Metro to Track Lost / Stolen Phones
(подталкивать, подтолкнуть, подмигивание)
A major Russian newspaper reported that Moscow’s metro system is planning what appears to be a mobile phone tracking device in its metro stations—ostensibly to search for stolen phones.
According to Izvestia (Google Translate), Andrey Mokhov, the operations chief of the Moscow Metro system’s police department, said that the system will have a range of five meters (16 feet). “If the [SIM] card is wanted, the system automatically creates a route of its movement and passes that information to the station attendant,” Mokhov said.
Many outside experts, both in and outside Russia, though, believe that what local authorities are actually deploying is a “stingray,” or “IMSI catcher”—a device that can fool a phone and SIM into reading from a fake mobile phone tower. (IMSI, or an International Mobile Subscriber Identity number, is a 15-digit unique number that sits on every SIM card.) Such devices can be used as a simple way to see what phone numbers are being used in a given area or even to intercept the audio of voice calls. (more)
A major Russian newspaper reported that Moscow’s metro system is planning what appears to be a mobile phone tracking device in its metro stations—ostensibly to search for stolen phones.
Many outside experts, both in and outside Russia, though, believe that what local authorities are actually deploying is a “stingray,” or “IMSI catcher”—a device that can fool a phone and SIM into reading from a fake mobile phone tower. (IMSI, or an International Mobile Subscriber Identity number, is a 15-digit unique number that sits on every SIM card.) Such devices can be used as a simple way to see what phone numbers are being used in a given area or even to intercept the audio of voice calls. (more)
Monday, July 29, 2013
And, the winner of Who's Got the Biggest Electronic Ear is...
"According to the Max Planck Institute, you're 100 times more likely to be surveilled by your own government if you live in the Netherlands or you live in Italy," Baker said.
"You're 30 to 50 times more likely to be surveilled if you're a French or a German national than in the United States." (more)
"You're 30 to 50 times more likely to be surveilled if you're a French or a German national than in the United States." (more)
Israel's Verint to Get Indian Government Contract for Interception Tools
India - Verint's leadership team recently met communications minister Kapil Sibal
in Israel and indicated the company's desire to work with the
government to intercept all forms of encrypted communications to address
India's cyber security needs.
Sibal has also apprised Israel's
IT & communications minister Gilad Erdan about engaging Verint to
implement an interception solution. "Verint is willing to work with the
Indian government to address the issue of intercepting encrypted
communications like Gmail, Yahoo-. mail and others. It will shortly
co-ordinate with DoT's security wing and CERT-In teams to implement a customized interception solution," says an internal telecom department
note, a copy of which was reviewed by ET. (more)
But wait! There's more!
India - Worried over increasing tiger deaths each year and many due to poaching and poisoning, India plans to start round-the-clock electronic surveillance of some of the tiger habitats using high definition cameras. (more)
But wait! There's more!
India - Worried over increasing tiger deaths each year and many due to poaching and poisoning, India plans to start round-the-clock electronic surveillance of some of the tiger habitats using high definition cameras. (more)
Surveillance Camera Hack to be Reveled at Black Hat
A US security expert says he has identified ways to remotely attack high-end surveillance cameras used by industrial plants, prisons, banks and the military, something that could potentially allow hackers to spy on facilities or gain access to sensitive computer networks.
Craig Heffner, a former software developer with the National Security Agency (NSA) who now works for a private security firm, said he discovered the previously unreported bugs in digital video surveillance equipment from firms including Cisco, D-Link and TRENDnet...
He plans to demonstrate techniques for exploiting these bugs at the Black Hat hacking conference, which starts on July 31 in Las Vegas.
Craig Heffner, a former software developer with the National Security Agency (NSA) who now works for a private security firm, said he discovered the previously unreported bugs in digital video surveillance equipment from firms including Cisco, D-Link and TRENDnet...
He plans to demonstrate techniques for exploiting these bugs at the Black Hat hacking conference, which starts on July 31 in Las Vegas.
ISPs Grossed as Feds Net Passwords
The U.S. government has demanded that major Internet companies divulge users' stored passwords, according to two industry sources familiar with these orders, which represent an escalation in surveillance techniques that has not previously been disclosed.
If the government is able to determine a person's password, which is typically stored in encrypted form, the credential could be used to log in to an account to peruse confidential correspondence or even impersonate the user. Obtaining it also would aid in deciphering encrypted devices in situations where passwords are reused. (more)
If the government is able to determine a person's password, which is typically stored in encrypted form, the credential could be used to log in to an account to peruse confidential correspondence or even impersonate the user. Obtaining it also would aid in deciphering encrypted devices in situations where passwords are reused. (more)
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Wiretap Evidence Included in SAC Capital Case
The evidence of insider trading at SAC Capital Advisors LP includes court-authorized wiretaps, a U.S. prosecutor said at the $14 billion hedge fund’s arraignment in federal court in Manhattan.
“The discovery will be voluminous, including a large number of electronic recordings, including electronic messages, instant messages, court-authorized wiretaps and consensual recordings,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonia Apps told U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain yesterday about the pretrial evidence-gathering process. “In short, a tremendous volume.” (more)
“The discovery will be voluminous, including a large number of electronic recordings, including electronic messages, instant messages, court-authorized wiretaps and consensual recordings,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonia Apps told U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain yesterday about the pretrial evidence-gathering process. “In short, a tremendous volume.” (more)
Friday, July 26, 2013
Double-Edged Sword Zone - Protect Your Office with iSpy (FREE)
iSpy (64-bit) uses your webcams and microphones to detect and record movement or sound and provides security, surveillance, monitoring and alerting services. You can Control cameras with PTZ, one-click or auto upload to YouTube, auto FTP to any servers, Listen to and monitor audio live over the network, connect and monitor as many cameras and microphones as you like, import and export object lists to share with colleagues, connect multiple computers in a group and manage over the web. FREE Download. (free warning sticker - download and print)
Of course, you can see how this could be used against you, and there is no free lunch. The software download is free, but there are $ enhancements ~Kevin
Of course, you can see how this could be used against you, and there is no free lunch. The software download is free, but there are $ enhancements ~Kevin
Did You Know... Surprising Spy Facts!
• The new NSA center in Utah is 15 times the size of MetLife Stadium, home to the New York Giants and Jets, and 7 times bigger than the Pentagon. (more)
• Spy blimps can stay aloft for almost 3 weeks. (more) And, they are coming to Washington, DC (more) (video)
• 1,600 intelligence gatherers working at the Rivanna Station along with NGIC— DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency), NGA (National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and the frequently-in-the news National Security Agency (NSA)— call them the "crown jewels" of the Department of Defense intelligence. (more)
• The S&P 500 SPDR (SPY, A) is the oldest and best-known exchange-traded fund. (more) (oops, wrong spy)
• Authorities in eastern Turkey have cleared a small bird detained on suspicions of spying for Israel. (more)
• North Korea to put captured US spy ship on display. (more)
• The real danger the NSA poses can be found here.
• Spy blimps can stay aloft for almost 3 weeks. (more) And, they are coming to Washington, DC (more) (video)
• 1,600 intelligence gatherers working at the Rivanna Station along with NGIC— DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency), NGA (National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and the frequently-in-the news National Security Agency (NSA)— call them the "crown jewels" of the Department of Defense intelligence. (more)
• The S&P 500 SPDR (SPY, A) is the oldest and best-known exchange-traded fund. (more) (oops, wrong spy)
• Authorities in eastern Turkey have cleared a small bird detained on suspicions of spying for Israel. (more)
• North Korea to put captured US spy ship on display. (more)
• The real danger the NSA poses can be found here.
Happy Birthday, CIA
On July 26, 1947,
President Truman signed the National Security Act, creating the Department of Defense, the National Security Council, the Central Intelligence Agency and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. (more)
President Truman signed the National Security Act, creating the Department of Defense, the National Security Council, the Central Intelligence Agency and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. (more)
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Hot Stock Tip...
Invest in SPYs Spies.
The string of revelations about America's surveillance apparatus by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden has cast a spotlight on the growing number of American companies involved in electronic spycraft.
It hasn't visibly damped enthusiasm among Silicon Valley investors and military contractors looking for ways to get into a business many see as one of the few growth areas left as U.S. military spending contracts.
Some of the country's most influential venture capitalists and former spy chiefs are investing in companies now providing the government with the sweeping electronic spy system and evolving cyberwarfare programs exposed by Mr. Snowden. (more)
The string of revelations about America's surveillance apparatus by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden has cast a spotlight on the growing number of American companies involved in electronic spycraft.
Some of the country's most influential venture capitalists and former spy chiefs are investing in companies now providing the government with the sweeping electronic spy system and evolving cyberwarfare programs exposed by Mr. Snowden. (more)
The Other Domestic Spying Scandal
With all the concern about the government spying on us, is it any wonder that couples spy on one another?
Dating site SeekingArrangement.com surveyed over 22,000 Americans and found that 55% admitted to spying on their partners.
In Houston, at least according to the survey, it isn’t that bad. Only 48.8% of the people admitted to spying, which ranks us as the 10th most trusting city in the county. (more)
In Houston, at least according to the survey, it isn’t that bad. Only 48.8% of the people admitted to spying, which ranks us as the 10th most trusting city in the county. (more)
Business Secrets Leak via Personal Devices
The smartphone revolution opened the floodgates to the BYOD (bring your own device) trend among workers...
More than half of information workers own the devices they use for work, according to Forrester Research, which surveyed almost 10,000 people in 17 countries, and that proportion is likely to increase, says David Johnson, a senior analyst at Forrester.
The groundswell caused many IT directors to simply throw up their hands. A study published last November by Kaspersky Lab, a digital-security firm, found that one in three organizations allowed personal cellphones unrestricted access to corporate resources—with troubling consequences. One in five companies in the same survey admitted losing business data after personal devices were lost or stolen. (more)
The pressure is on manufacturers to come up with better security features.
"Certified for Business Use" has a nice value-added ring to it.
The groundswell caused many IT directors to simply throw up their hands. A study published last November by Kaspersky Lab, a digital-security firm, found that one in three organizations allowed personal cellphones unrestricted access to corporate resources—with troubling consequences. One in five companies in the same survey admitted losing business data after personal devices were lost or stolen. (more)
The pressure is on manufacturers to come up with better security features.
"Certified for Business Use" has a nice value-added ring to it.
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