As the surreptitious tracking of Internet users becomes more aggressive and widespread, tiny start-ups and technology giants alike are pushing a new product: privacy. (more)
Sunday, February 27, 2011
NOC, NOC, Who's there? See I a...
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| Always look for the ring. |
The history of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officers landing behind bars in foreign countries dates back to 1951, when an undercover agent Hugh Redmond was caught in the Chinese city of Shanghai and charged with espionage.
According to the TIME magazine of October 27, 2003, agent Redmond was posing as an employee of a British import-export company. The CIA spy had to spend 19 years in a Chinese prison before actually dying there. In an article shedding light on the shadowy world of “Non-official Cover” spies or the NOCs, the afore-quoted edition of the TIME magazine had also mentioned another incident where the French agencies had rolled up five CIA officers, including a woman, who had been working under business cover for about five years. This incident had taken place in 1995.
Although the NOCs caught in Paris were simply sent home, a former CIA official familiar with the matter had opined,” The NOCs have no diplomatic status, so they can end up in slammers.”
Research reveals that a “Non-official Cover” is often contrasted with an official cover, where agents assume a position at a seemingly benign department of their government, such as the diplomatic service. Diplomatic service provides the secret service agents with official immunity, thus protecting them from the steep punishments normally meted out to captured spies...
A thorough peek into this subject shows that serving as NOCs, various CIA officers even pose as American businessmen in friendly countries, from Asia to Central America to Western Europe.
According to the TIME magazine of October 27, 2003, agent Redmond was posing as an employee of a British import-export company. The CIA spy had to spend 19 years in a Chinese prison before actually dying there. In an article shedding light on the shadowy world of “Non-official Cover” spies or the NOCs, the afore-quoted edition of the TIME magazine had also mentioned another incident where the French agencies had rolled up five CIA officers, including a woman, who had been working under business cover for about five years. This incident had taken place in 1995.
Although the NOCs caught in Paris were simply sent home, a former CIA official familiar with the matter had opined,” The NOCs have no diplomatic status, so they can end up in slammers.”
Research reveals that a “Non-official Cover” is often contrasted with an official cover, where agents assume a position at a seemingly benign department of their government, such as the diplomatic service. Diplomatic service provides the secret service agents with official immunity, thus protecting them from the steep punishments normally meted out to captured spies...
A thorough peek into this subject shows that serving as NOCs, various CIA officers even pose as American businessmen in friendly countries, from Asia to Central America to Western Europe.
Chinese Biz to US Gov... Prove we spy.
Huawei, the Chinese networking giant, has challenged US authorities to investigate claims it has close ties to the People's Liberation Army, after spying fears blocked its takeover of a small firm.
In an extraordinary open letter, Huawei's deputy chairman Ken Hu attacked "falsehoods" and "unfounded" concerns that scuppered the acquisition of 3Leaf, a cloud computing technology firm based in California.
"We sincerely hope that the United States government will address this issue by carrying out a formal investigation of any doubts it may have about Huawei in an effort to reach a clear and accurate conclusion," he said. (more)
"We sincerely hope that the United States government will address this issue by carrying out a formal investigation of any doubts it may have about Huawei in an effort to reach a clear and accurate conclusion," he said. (more)
Activist Group Sues Over Corporate Espionage
Following the recent undercover police scandal in the UK, the world's largest eco-activist group is turning the tables on one of the world's biggest chemical companies.
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| "And then they dumpster dived me, officer." |
Greenpeace has field a lawsuit accusing The Dow Chemical Company of using private investigators to spy on the group, stealing thousands of documents and intercepting phone call details between 1998-2000...
The corporate spying was uncovered in an investigation by a journalist from the magazine Mother Jones, after it was handed documents by a former insider with the private security firm, since dissolved. (more)
The corporate spying was uncovered in an investigation by a journalist from the magazine Mother Jones, after it was handed documents by a former insider with the private security firm, since dissolved. (more)
When you think of business espionage, think outside the doughnut hole. Here, one business hires another business to do their spying. Nothing unusual so far. All spies try to insulate themselves from the actual act. Fark... The usual victim in the corporate/activists tug-of-war, the corporation, is alleged to be the spy this time. Backfark... The spies get stung by one of their own, via an internal theft of information.
And you thought you only had to worry about activists. ~Kevin
Trojan Horse Spyware Masquerades as a "News" Item
Is this a blatant commercial for cell phone spyware being pawned off as a 'news' item? You decide. This just in from MSNBC.com...
"If you suspected your spouse, child or employee was up to no good, would you want concrete proof? Would it help if you had access to every phone call, text and e-mail they sent? If so, a new cell-phone spying application might be right up your alley.
Made by Retina Software and released this week, ePhoneTracker allows users to monitor every move made on a person’s mobile phone, from call info and text messages to websites visited, e-mails sent and received, new contacts added and even the GPS coordinates of the phone’s user. Even deleted e-mails and texts can be retrieved by ePhoneTracker...
The software sells for $49.97. It is available for Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile 6 or Symbian OS 9." (more)
Hope they give my book
equal coverage.
equal coverage.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
"Oh, yeah. Sesame Street is nifty keen. Wanna go?"
Isis Forensics is preparing to release new mobile phone software which it says will enable children to check that their friends really are who they say they are.
Called ChildDefence, it allows youngsters to scan webchats to check the ages of people they’re messaging, putting the process in the hands of the children themselves, rather than their parents.
“Our research shows that children find it very difficult to spot adults posing as children on social networks. This software improves children’s chances of working out that something isn’t right. Using state of the art language analysis software it gives children a powerful tool which can help them work out who they are really talking to online.
It's currently undergoing final testing before being made freely available as iPhone, Google and Nokia phone apps. (more)
Unintended Consequence: Undercover on-line honeypot cops will have to be younger because the predators will be using this app to out them. ~Kevin
Called ChildDefence, it allows youngsters to scan webchats to check the ages of people they’re messaging, putting the process in the hands of the children themselves, rather than their parents.
“Our research shows that children find it very difficult to spot adults posing as children on social networks. This software improves children’s chances of working out that something isn’t right. Using state of the art language analysis software it gives children a powerful tool which can help them work out who they are really talking to online.
It's currently undergoing final testing before being made freely available as iPhone, Google and Nokia phone apps. (more)
Bugged Bear Bites Bugger
Now, Little Bear has become Big Burden as a judge has ordered the woman and her father to pay a total of $120,000 to six people who were illegally recorded.
In a civil judgment, U.S. Magistrate Judge F.A. Gossett III has ruled that Dianna Divingnzzo unlawfully recorded ex-husband William “Duke” Lewton by inserting the device into her then-4-year-old daughter's toy bear.
He also found that Divingnzzo's father, Sam, improperly transcribed conversations from Little Bear — and that Divingnzzo's former attorney, William Bianco, improperly distributed copies of the recordings. (more)
The Trash, The Man and The Bird
Dude, just don't tell him about the hummingbird with the built-in camera. It would break his heart.
The `ornithopter' is in the shape of an eagle and is one metre long.
Joydeep Bhowmik, MTech first year student of IIT-Kanpur, who has made the mechanical bird, said that a smaller version of the mechanical bird can be used for spying purposes. (more) (sing-a-long)
"What Will Anna Chapman do Next?"
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| How Capt. Kirk's wardrobe got its start. |
Two new reports this week...
One-time Russian secret agent Anna Chapman, globally famous for being the only one of the deep-cover spy ring unmasked by the US last year who is even mildly attractive, will now assist the Russian space agency in designing a stylish new uniform for its personnel. (This story is disputed by some media.) (more)
Anna Chapman, the sultry redhead who was kicked out of the United States in June for spying, will run for Parliament in her native Russia, The Telegraph reported, citing Russia's Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper. (more)
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Cell Phone Spyware Found on 150,000 Phones
China - The National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center has found a mutated version of a spyware software that allows a third party to eavesdrop on a two-way cell phone conversation without the users knowledge, Beijing Times reported Wednesday. More than 150,000 mobile phone users are victims of Xwodi, Beijing-based NetQin Technology Company, a mobile security services firm said Wednesday.
The firm did not say what phone company the customers mainly used, or whether the victims were concentrated in a particular city.
Once the virus gets into the mobile phone, Xwodi records the users' messages and voice calls, and then send the information to a dedicated receptor. (more)
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Spy Hard - Korean Style
South Korea’s intelligence agency has made headlines in the country for several consecutive days, after its agents allegedly broke into an Indonesian delegation’s hotel room last week in Seoul, in an attempt to steal classified information on Indonesia’s planned arms trade with South Korea.
Korean media and net users lambasted it as both a botched spying job and an ethically regrettable act. The intelligence agency has neither denied nor admitted the allegation...Local media reported that two men and one woman broke into the suite room at the Lotte Hotel on February 16, 2011 and fled after a delegation member saw them copying computer files onto a USB memory stick. South Korea’s Chosun newspaper reported an exclusive story strongly suggesting that the three intruders were members of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), South Korea’s top intelligence agency.
The 50-member delegation of Indonesian President Yudhoyono stayed for three days in Korea from February 15-17, 2011, to discuss on expanding bilateral economic and military cooperation between South Korea and Indonesia.
The three spies, who had not even disguised themselves as hotel staff, were caught red-handed handling two laptops in the room. When an Indonesian delegate walked in and found them, one agent handed him a laptop right away, while the other agents walked out of the room carrying another laptop to the hallway, only to then hand it back to the delegate. (more)
SpyCam Story # 602 - Toilet Brush with Danger
PA - An Earl Township woman has filed a lawsuit in Berks County Court accusing officials at a Muhlenberg Township company of failing to prevent a former employee from sexually harassing her, including videotaping her in the restroom
Sylvia Spayd and her husband, Glenn, accuse Markus Lattner, a former vice president of operations at Reading Powder Coatings Inc., of having a romantic fixation on her and hiding a video camera disguised as a pen in the ladies room.
Kathleen Heimbach of Douglass Township has filed a separate suit accusing Lattner of hiding a video camera in the ladies room.
Both suits allege Lattner used chewing gum to attach the video camera to a toilet brush in a bathroom stall at the plant at 1100 Commonwealth Blvd. The video also showed Lattner putting the device on the brush and leaving the restroom. (Doh!) (more)
Kathleen Heimbach of Douglass Township has filed a separate suit accusing Lattner of hiding a video camera in the ladies room.
Both suits allege Lattner used chewing gum to attach the video camera to a toilet brush in a bathroom stall at the plant at 1100 Commonwealth Blvd. The video also showed Lattner putting the device on the brush and leaving the restroom. (Doh!) (more)
Business Espionage - A Wiretapping Gang ?!?!?
Turkey - A wiretapping gang the police cracked down on in the southern province of Antalya last week offered a price list to its clients for the kind of tapping services it provides while charging them TL 2,500 ($1,565.00) for the entire wiretapping package, depositions of the suspected gang members have revealed.
A complaint was lodged with the Antalya Prosecutor’s Office last year claiming that an organized group was illegally wiretapping individuals’ phones. The prosecutor’s office discovered that it was active in 15 provinces. In an operation named “Third Ear,” simultaneous raids were carried out at the offices of the gang, resulting in the detention of 10 people, including gang leader Ercan Ö. and a retired noncommissioned officer on Feb. 17. The gang, which offered its services to people who suspected their spouses of cheating on them, wiretapped the phones of suspected lovers or spouses for a fee. Police have detailed information about the working methods of the gang thanks to the depositions of the suspected gang members who were referred to the court.
The gang charged TL 350 ($219.00) for text-message following, TL 600 ($375.00) for text-message following and bugging, TL 500 ($313.00) for bugging and wiretapping of telephones, TL 600 ($375.00) to follow individuals weekly, TL 500 ($313.00) to follow a vehicle via general packet radio service (GPRS), while it charged TL 2,500 ($1,565.00) for the all-inclusive package. Clients who purchased the all-inclusive package were also given a three-day free trial period.
In addition to wiretapping and bugging, the gang members also physically followed people while disguised as couriers. (more)
A complaint was lodged with the Antalya Prosecutor’s Office last year claiming that an organized group was illegally wiretapping individuals’ phones. The prosecutor’s office discovered that it was active in 15 provinces. In an operation named “Third Ear,” simultaneous raids were carried out at the offices of the gang, resulting in the detention of 10 people, including gang leader Ercan Ö. and a retired noncommissioned officer on Feb. 17. The gang, which offered its services to people who suspected their spouses of cheating on them, wiretapped the phones of suspected lovers or spouses for a fee. Police have detailed information about the working methods of the gang thanks to the depositions of the suspected gang members who were referred to the court.The gang charged TL 350 ($219.00) for text-message following, TL 600 ($375.00) for text-message following and bugging, TL 500 ($313.00) for bugging and wiretapping of telephones, TL 600 ($375.00) to follow individuals weekly, TL 500 ($313.00) to follow a vehicle via general packet radio service (GPRS), while it charged TL 2,500 ($1,565.00) for the all-inclusive package. Clients who purchased the all-inclusive package were also given a three-day free trial period.
In addition to wiretapping and bugging, the gang members also physically followed people while disguised as couriers. (more)
How Some Energy Firms Spy on Environmental Activists
UK - Three large energy companies have been carrying out covert intelligence-gathering operations on environmental activists, the Guardian can reveal.
The energy giant E.ON, Britain's second-biggest coal producer Scottish Resources Group and Scottish Power, one of the UK's largest electricity-generators, have been paying for the services of a private security firm that has been secretly monitoring activists.
Leaked documents show how the security firm's owner, Rebecca Todd, tipped off company executives about environmentalists' plans after snooping on their emails. She is also shown instructing an agent to attend campaign meetings and coaching him on how to ingratiate himself with activists. The disclosures come as police chiefs, on the defensive over damaging revelations of undercover police officers in the protest movement, privately claim that there are more corporate spies in protest groups than undercover police officers.
Senior police officers complain that spies hired by commercial firms are – unlike their own agents – barely regulated. (more)
The energy giant E.ON, Britain's second-biggest coal producer Scottish Resources Group and Scottish Power, one of the UK's largest electricity-generators, have been paying for the services of a private security firm that has been secretly monitoring activists.Leaked documents show how the security firm's owner, Rebecca Todd, tipped off company executives about environmentalists' plans after snooping on their emails. She is also shown instructing an agent to attend campaign meetings and coaching him on how to ingratiate himself with activists. The disclosures come as police chiefs, on the defensive over damaging revelations of undercover police officers in the protest movement, privately claim that there are more corporate spies in protest groups than undercover police officers.
Senior police officers complain that spies hired by commercial firms are – unlike their own agents – barely regulated. (more)
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Business Espionage: Phone-y Cleaner Upper
Spain - Industrial espionage in the telecom equipment sector appears to be alive and kicking if an incident reported by Nokia Siemens Networks is anything to go by.
The vendor's representatives say the security at its "experience center" (a large, closed "village" area in Hall 8 at the Mobile World Congress show) was breached at around 4 p.m. Monday when a Chinese male, disguised as a cleaner, got through its tight security checks by tagging along behind three genuine cleaners who were visiting the center to perform their daily tasks. The unwelcome guest was spotted peeling away from the cleaning group and checking out the technology presentations. When challenged, the interloper fled the area and couldn't be caught.
NSN staff say they have no proof that he was a spy from another telecom systems vendor, but are convinced that this was a bungled spying incident, and believe a genuine cleaner was bribed to hand over his uniform.
A NSN spokesman says the vendor's security team, which is on guard 24 hours a day, has thwarted two other attempts by unwelcome visitors to gain access to its exhibition space. In one incident, two Asian males with cameras arrived at NSN's center in the late evening (once the show is closed) saying they had been given permission to visit the stand "while it was quiet." They were turned away.(more)
Private Sector Spy Interviewed
UK - Ejector seats, super magnetic watches, guns you can make from a cigarette case and a cuff link - sadly none of these exist in the lives of real spies but Pocket-lint spoke to surveillance expert and ex-SAS member, Dave Thomas to find out what does.
“All the gadgets are mostly about collecting intelligence,” he tells us. “That’s the core of the job.
“All the gadgets are mostly about collecting intelligence,” he tells us. “That’s the core of the job.
“There are bugging devices like this one,” he says as he opens up his briefcase full of wires and connectors to clutch a microphone no bigger than a pin head between his thumb and forefinger.
“This little thing is sensitive enough to pick up all the audio from a whole room in all directions. All you need is a battery and transmitter and you can hide this thing just about anywhere - in the light, under the table, in the plant pot but then you might have to worry about someone watering it.”
Spotting a niche in the market, Thomas set up a business 17 years ago providing surveillance services for blue chip companies and has been using the same techniques as those he learned on the governmental side of the trade.
“We’ve followed everyone from terrorists to footballers to journalist, corporate fraudsters, movie stars and all to find out what they’re doing, what they’re up to, where they’re going, who they’re meeting, who they’re getting their drugs from, where they’re getting their weapons from and whatever else there is to know.” (more)
“This little thing is sensitive enough to pick up all the audio from a whole room in all directions. All you need is a battery and transmitter and you can hide this thing just about anywhere - in the light, under the table, in the plant pot but then you might have to worry about someone watering it.”
Spotting a niche in the market, Thomas set up a business 17 years ago providing surveillance services for blue chip companies and has been using the same techniques as those he learned on the governmental side of the trade.
“We’ve followed everyone from terrorists to footballers to journalist, corporate fraudsters, movie stars and all to find out what they’re doing, what they’re up to, where they’re going, who they’re meeting, who they’re getting their drugs from, where they’re getting their weapons from and whatever else there is to know.” (more)
The Faceless at Facebook Who Spy
via pcworld.com...The war between security firm HBGary and Anonymous reveals a new tactic: using fake social network profiles to gather information.
Is that new friend really your friend, or just someone pretending to be your friend so he can spy on you? No, I'm not just being more paranoid than usual. This really does happen - especially if you're a member of an anonymous collective determined to do battle with the forces of corporate evil (not to mention Tom Cruise, Soulja Boy, and your mom).
The ongoing battle between Anonymous and the security wonks who are trying to take it down has revealed a new weapon: Creating fake profiles on social networks to trace out the connections between you and your comrades. (more)
The ongoing battle between Anonymous and the security wonks who are trying to take it down has revealed a new weapon: Creating fake profiles on social networks to trace out the connections between you and your comrades. (more)
"Every step you take, I'll be watching you"
Applause also to American Express security department. The Amex Sting private event at Newark's Prudential Center last night was covered perfectly. Thanks, for the memories.
Friday, February 18, 2011
SpyCam Story # 601 - Janitor in a Tank
...it was discovered on Monday by two Ottawa High sophomores. The girls say that when they walked into their locker room, they saw something out of the ordinary.
"We saw a dust mop, and usually there's a janitor where there's a dustmop, so she lifted the dust mop and there was a camera underneath there," said Ottawa High student Erika Doty, who says at first they thought the camera was left there by accident. (more)
Baby Monitor as Eavesdropping Device
In case you have just exited cryogenic suspension, this just in from KTVX-TV...
UT - Someone could be eavesdropping on you using something as simple as a $99 baby monitor.In just three hours wandering the streets of Herriman, we picked up 15 video and audio signals. We used just two brands of monitors. (more)
"All right. Which one of you muttered, 'What about indirectly?'"
Canada - Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay is denying being directly involved in spying on the city's own financial watchdog, the auditor general.Earlier this week, it was revealed that Pierre Reid, the city's controller-general, was spying on the auditor general's e-mails....
On Tuesday, Auditor General Jacques Bergeron sent to all city councillors, informing them city bureaucrats were snooping in his email account, and had been reading all correspondence, including private messages sent to and from his lawyers. (more)
FBI Seeks Über Light Switch
Rapid advances in communications are eroding police departments' abilities to conduct wiretaps, and Congress needs to take steps to ensure that new telephone, computer and wireless systems are designed to allow lawful police access, FBI and police officials told Congress Thursday. But other witnesses cautioned that any such move could stifle innovation, place U.S. technology companies at a competitive disadvantage and unintentionally create systems vulnerable to hackers, criminals and terrorists.
At issue is the diminished capability of law enforcement agencies to conduct quick wiretaps in an age of Twitter accounts, Facebook and MySpace pages, BlackBerrys, Androids, iPhones and iPads. The Justice Department calls the phenomenon "going dark." (more)
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Similar to Iceland's Recent 'Extra Computer' Find
The computer was discovered three weeks ago by a member of staff connected to the airport's intranet. Both the airport management and the police suspected a case of industrial espionage and launched an investigation.
The computer, which was connected to Jönköping Airport's internal network, was discovered by a member of staff a couple of weeks ago and it was feared that sensitive information had been transferred to a third party. (more)
Truth, or the public version of the story? You decide.
Hummingbirds Drone... and Spy
A pocket-size drone dubbed the Nano Hummingbird for the way it flaps its tiny robotic wings has been developed for the Pentagon by a Monrovia company as a mini-spy plane capable of maneuvering on the battlefield and in urban areas...
Equipped with a camera, the drone can fly at speeds of up to 11 miles per hour, AeroVironment said. It can hover and fly sideways, backward and forward, as well as go clockwise and counterclockwise, by remote control for about eight minutes.
Equipped with a camera, the drone can fly at speeds of up to 11 miles per hour, AeroVironment said. It can hover and fly sideways, backward and forward, as well as go clockwise and counterclockwise, by remote control for about eight minutes.
The quick flight meets the goals set forth by the government to build a flying "hummingbird-like" aircraft. It also demonstrates the promise of fielding mini-spy planes. Industry insiders see the technology eventually being capable of flying through open windows or sitting on power lines, capturing audio and video while enemies would be none the wiser. (more)
Can Apple Make Security Sexy?
via pcworld.com...
Security has never been sexy. It just isn't. Unless you are fond of men in uniforms. Some people are. Most are not. Security is a shadowy world of white hats and black hats and Anonymous and known. Security is a fact of life that no one likes. Security, like back-up, is a problem everyone has and no one wants to understand. Security must be sexy
Apple's next step will be to make security sexy. It must. Because the future connected-planet needs security to be over 100 percent before it is born. The company has already begun. Last month it appointed former National Security Agency analyst and author David Rice as its global director of security. Security is the biggest challenge Apple faces as it moves to define the future of technology in modern living. Security is the new frontier. (more)
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