Open Your Mouth and You're Nailed

Slate had an interesting article about how law enforcement can identify you via VoiceGrid Nation created by a company called SpeechPro in the United States, but which operates as a “Speech Technology Center” in Russia... 

This image shows how VoiceGrid works and here’s some other info gleaned via their documentation. Voice matching technology can “automatically separate the voices within a two-person dialog and send each voice individually for matching” and is being used as “part of a comprehensive plan to best leverage existing and new audio data.” Even without considering the NSA surveillance via intercepting calls, the whitepaper gives numerous examples of passive sources for voice recognition data that has “already been collected.” These include voicemail, recordings made while speaking to commercial service providers such as banks, cell phone companies, and cable TV companies, as well as 911 calls, suspect interviews and court recordings.

The company’s technology uses three methods for voice matching and an algorithm that automatically compares “voice models against voice recording obtained from different sources such as cell phones, land lines, covert recordings and recorded investigative interviews.” When combined, there is a 90% voice match to identification accuracy within 15 seconds. However, according to VoiceGrid’s “key figures,” it only takes:

· 3 seconds is the minimum required speech pattern for analysis.

· In 5 seconds, it can search/match in 10,000 voice samples.

· 10 seconds is the average time for feature extraction.

· Executes up to 100 simultaneous searches.

· Accommodates up to 1,000 active users.

· Stores up to 2,000,000 samples.

(more)

Thus, making all other PIs reach for a Kleenex®.

Two private investigators claim David Miscavige, the leader of the Church of Scientology, paid them $12million over the course of 24 years to spy on his former rival, along with other enemies.

The top-secret program gave Paul Marrick and Greg Arnold about $500,000 a year and sent them across the world in pursuit of Pat Broeker, who was briefly head of the church before being forced out, the men say. They are now suing the church after the paychecks stopped rolling in. (more)

Spy Rock Explodes Near Nuke Site

A MONITORING device disguised as a rock has been found near an underground Iranian nuclear enrichment plant.

Western intelligence sources told The Sunday Times the device exploded when it was disturbed by Iranian troops.

They tried to move the rock, setting off its self-destruct mechanism. (more)

IT Poobahs... "iPhone now as secure as BlackBerry"

For a long time BlackBerry was the de facto choice for businesses looking for a secure mobile device.

But BlackBerry appears to be losing its security advantage over the iPhone in the eyes of IT leaders, and in doing so giving up its last remaining advantage over Apple handsets in enterprise.

Since the iPhone launched in 2007 Apple has been slowly increasing security of iOS devices: adding 256-bit, hardware-based encryption for data stored on the device, widespread VPN support and limiting access that each app has to files and hardware resources on the phone. That’s in addition to its screening of all software on the app store and centralized control provided by third party mobile device management software. (more)

An App that Zaps Crime?

via the app maker...
"If there’s one thing that scares criminals above all else, it’s a witness to their actions. And that’s exactly why IWITNESS is the perfect crime deterrent.

With IWITNESS on your smartphone:
Record. Capture audio and video of any incident.
Send. Transmit what you’ve captured to a secure server accessible to law enforcement – an action no perpetrator can reverse.
Alert. Automatically call 911. Plus, send your exact location and an instant notification to friends or family members. 

IWITNESS features:
• Audio and video recording
  (Check your local laws about audio recording. You don't want the criminal to sue you.)
• Real-time tracking of location via GPS
• Data sent to a secure off-premises server location
• Automatically dials 911
• Notifies trusted contacts when you feel endangered
• Emits flashing light and sounds an alarm
(Note: This is not a free app.)

Wells Fargo Fires Employee Who Committed 10-Cent Fraud in 1963

68-year-old Richard Eggers really should have known that the sordid details of his dark, criminal past would eventually creep into the present and jeopardize his career. In 1963, the Iowa resident gave new meaning to the term “money laundering” when he tried to insert a cardboard cutout of a dime into a laundromat machine. Local law enforcement caught wind of the stunt and arrested him for fraud.

Eggers, who was a teenager at the time of his arrest, turned his life around and until recently worked as a customer service representative at Wells Fargo bank. But under new federal employment regulations, Wells Fargo fired Eggers upon learning of his criminal record, ABC affiliate WOI-TV reports. The regulations were instated to weed out workers with histories of fraud and identity theft to better protect the company’s customers.

But wait, you might be thinking, aren’t these rules meant to weed out senior executives whose missteps can cost customers millions of dollars — not customer services reps guilty of decades-old pranks? Good question. But apparently, a rule’s a rule. As Wells Fargo spokesperson Angela Kaipust told WOI-TV:

“We don’t have discretion to grant exceptions in situations like this. Once we find out someone has a criminal history of dishonesty or breach of trust we can no longer employ them.” (more)

Lawyer and Her PI Indicted in Bug Planting Scheme

CA - A Bay Area divorce lawyer has been indicted in connection with a scheme to plant eavesdropping devices in the cars of her clients’ spouses, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday. 

Chris Butler

Mary Nolan, the San Ramon lawyer, hired Christopher Butler, a private investigator, to install the listening equipment to help her clients in divorce and child custody cases, according to a six-count indictment made public Tuesday. 

Butler has admitted that he arranged for beautiful women — he called them “decoys”— to ply the husbands of Nolan’s clients and others with alcohol. Once the women got the men behind the wheel, Butler called police to report they were driving under the influence. (more)

Cell Phone Hackers Show Off at Pwn2Own Contests

via Ryan Naraine at zdnet.com
"This week, I had the opportunity to interview the hacking teams that used zero-day vulnerabilities and clever exploitation techniques to compromise fully patched iPhone 4S and Android 4.0.4 (Samsung S3) devices and the big message from these hackers was simple: Do not use your mobile device for *anything* of value, especially for work e-mail or the transfer of sensitive business documents.

For many, this is not practical advice. After all, your mobile device is seen as an extension of the computer and there is a legitimate need to access work e-mail on iPhone/iPad, Android and BlackBerry smart phones. However, whether you are a businessman, a celebrity or the average consumer, it's important to start wrapping your mind around the idea of separating work from play on smart phones and tablets."

...a skilled hacker can beam an exploit via NFC to automatically open a maliciously rigged document on your Android device. A few exploitation tricks later and it's game over. On iPhone, which is widely hailed as the most secure mobile OS platform, WebKit continues to be a security nightmare and a popular target for hackers building drive-by download exploits. There are still ways to bypass Apple's code signing and sandboxing mitigations. (more)

Brussels - Spy Capital of the World

The head of Belgium's state security service, Alain Winants, said in an interview published Monday, that Brussels currently sees more spy activity than almost any other city in the world. 

Spying on the secrets of Belgium chocolate making.

"We are not speaking in the dozens, we are speaking in the hundreds, several hundreds" of foreign intelligence officers and agents in Brussels, he told the Brussels-based website Euobserver in what is said to be his first interview with the international media.

"In Belgium, espionage, Russian espionage and from other countries, like the Chinese, but also others,is at the same level as the Cold War ... We are a country with an enormous concentration of diplomats, businessmen, international institutions - NATO, European institutions. So for an intelligence officer, for a spy, this is a kindergarten. It's the place to be," Winants was quoted saying. (more)

Personal Spy Cameras Have a Long History

Just for fun, here are four of the...
13 Hidden Spy Cams That Might Be Watching You Right Now

Security Director Alert - BYOD is way different than BYOB - Time to learn.

BYOD is an acronym the IT folks are using. It means Bring Your Own Device; the security process for allowing employees to use their personal electronics at work without jeopardizing company information or compromising the networks.

While IT continues to munch your lunch, take a moment to oversee their efforts. You have valuable insights to contribute. The last thing you want is to be left out of your own game. In fact, the security department should be the leader here, with IT carrying out your marching orders.

FREE Quick Study...
"Bring Your Own Device is here to stay. Don't be a lamb led to the slaughter, instead lead your users to the promised land of mobile device management.

1. Thou Shalt Allow BYOD
The rapid proliferation of mobile devices entering the workplace feels like divine intervention to many IT leaders. It's as if a voice boomed down from the mountain ordering all of the employees you support to procure as many devices as possible and connect them to corporate services en masse. Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) was born and employees followed with fervor."

You can download the full version here... The Ten Commandments of BYOD It is an easy read, and provides a logical roadmap for instituting BYOD.

Of course, nothing is really FREE. You will be asked for your name, email, etc. I did it and found the trade-off worthwhile. Within minutes I received a polite email... "My name is John Kerestus Account Executive here with Fiberlink MaaS360..." with an offer to see a demo. Impressive response.

Other companies who offer BYOD solutions also provide "free" education. Do comics get the point across better than white papers and webinars? You decide...
• White Paper 1
• Webinar
• White Paper 2
• White Paper 3 
• White Paper 4

Have a wonderful weekend, find a cozy restaurant, and BYOB. ~Kevin 

Security Directors: FREE Security White Paper - "Surreptitious Workplace Recording ...and what you can do about it."   

Emergency Phone - 15 Year Standby Battery Life

The $70 SpareOne emergency phone from Xpal Power, which uses a standard AA lithium battery, claims a standby time of up to 15 years. (10 hours talk time.)

Click to enlarge.

The phone has only the barest of features. No text, no Web, just phone calls and a dedicated 911 button. Indicators, like if you have a network connection, are provided by blinking colored lights. It saves a lot of power, but you’ll have to memorize what the color combinations mean.

The phone doesn’t even come with a SIM card, which you will need before you can use it, although you can make a 911 call using the emergency button even without the SIM card.

The phone is built for a GSM network, which means that in the United States it will work with T-Mobile, AT&T or companies that resell those networks. (more)

Bonus: It can not be infected with spyware. Too dumb. ~Kevin

Industrial Espionage? You decide...

Just coincidence? There are many car designers in the world, but how many could independently come up designs this similar for 2012-2013?
 

Click to enlarge.

"Ford puts a great deal of emphasis on styling with the new Mondeo, saying that its sports coupe profile provides “visual lightness.” The lines are more angular than previous versions with a sharper crease along the side breaking the lines and providing a bit of visual flair. Up front, there’s a trapezoidal grille like something stolen off an Aston Martin..." (more)

Click to enlarge.

Could they be right? 
You decide.

While you're deciding, think about this. What are you doing to protect your bright ideas, business strategies and private conversations? Help is available. Give Murray Associates a call.

False Security is Worse than a Healthy Sense of Caution

McAfee Social protection is a soon to be released app and browser plug-in for Facebook that gives users the ability to securely share their photos.

Product of a standard screen capture.

As it stands today, if you upload a photo to Facebook, anyone viewing that photo can simply download it or take a screen capture and alter or share it to their wherever they want, however they want. With McAfee Social Protection installed though, users viewing your images will not be able to copy or capture them. (more, with video) 

Just aiming a high-res cell phone camera at the screen defeats this app, of course. But here is the bigger issue here... security solutions that only partially work actually increase risk. In this case, people who believe in this app's effectiveness may now feel safe to post even riskier photos.

False sense of security examples abound in my field; eavesdropping detection gadgets, under-trained TSCM providers, window film to block electronic eavesdropping are but three.

Moral: No matter what security solution your employ – from "fully" effective to completely bogus – keep your healthy sense of caution. ~Kevin

Pool of Likely Phone-Hacking Victims Skyrockets

UK - The number of likely victims of phone hacking by people working for Rupert Murdoch's London media empire has jumped to more than 1,000, the top police officer working on the case said Tuesday.

Police have identified another 3,706 potential victims of illegal eavesdropping by journalists in search of stories, Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers told lawmakers.

Authorities had earlier put the number of "likely" victims at around 600, but now say it is 1,069. (more)

Create Your Own Headline For This One...

Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei Technologies Ltd. has issued a report on cybersecurity that includes a pledge never to cooperate with spying in a fresh effort to allay concerns in the United States and elsewhere that threaten to hamper its expansion.

The report, written by a Huawei executive who is a former British official, calls for global efforts to create legal and technical security standards. It makes no recommendations for what standards to adopt but says current laws are inconsistent or fail to address important threats.

Huawei, founded by a former Chinese military engineer in 1987, has grown to become the world's second-largest supplier of telecoms network gear after Sweden's LM Ericsson. 

Suspicions that Huawei might be controlled by China's Communist Party or military have slowed its expansion in the United States and it was barred from bidding to take part in an Australian broadband project.

The company denies it is a security threat. (more)

Vector Technologies, LLC patent number 8203850 for an Anti-Eavesdropping Device

The United States Patent and Trademark Office has awarded Vector Technologies, LLC patent number 8203850 for an Anti-Eavesdropping Device, i.e. Portable Electronic Device (PED) Countermeasures Box.

Vector Technologies' product has already been purchased by various government agencies, including key defense agencies, defense contractors and the White House as a solution to the growing number of PEDs in the workplace and the grave technical espionage threat that PEDs pose to classified and sensitive information. (more)

Intercepting Unencrypted WiFi Not Wiretapping

A federal judge in Illinois has ruled that intercepting traffic on unencrypted WiFi networks is not wiretapping. The decision runs counter to a 2011 decision that suggested Google may have violated the law when its Street View cars intercepted fragments of traffic from open WiFi networks around the country.

The ruling is a preliminary step in a larger patent trolling case. A company called Innovatio IP Ventures has accused various "hotels, coffee shops, restaurants, supermarkets," and other businesses that offer WiFi service to the public of infringing 17 of its patents. Innovatio wanted to use packet sniffing gear to gather WiFi traffic for use as evidence in the case. It planned to immediately delete the contents of the packets, only keeping the headers. Still, the firm was concerned that doing so might violate federal privacy laws, so it sought a preliminary ruling on the question.

Federal law makes it illegal to intercept electronic communications, but it includes an important exception. It's not illegal to intercept communications "made through an electronic communication system that is configured so that such electronic communication is readily accessible to the general public." (more)

Watergate History: Ford Pardons Nixon

On Sept. 8, 1974, President Ford granted an unconditional pardon to former President Nixon.

Spy Project Corporate Espionage Case Settles Out Of Court

CO - Paragon Dynamics Inc., an Aurora defense contractor, is paying $1.15 million to settle allegations it stole bid information from Raytheon Corp. about spy agency projects over which the companies competed in 2009... 

Around July 31, 2009, an unidentified senior software director for Paragon used computer access to Raytheon’s systems in Aurora to obtain Raytheon’s bids for two NRO projects — code named Antietam and Savannah — plus other information, the settlement agreement says.

Security cameras caught the employee faxing some of the information to the president of Paragon Dynamics, who forwarded it to someone at a company Paragon partnered with to compete against Raytheon for the NRO’s Antietam contract, the government said. (more)

International Hotel Rooms: The Enemy's Gateway To Economic And Industrial Espionage

by Luke Bencie
"For most international business travelers, overseas hotel accommodations can conjure up an array of images. Depending on the region of the world they travel, frequent fliers know that lodging is never consistent.

For example, Southeast Asian hotels deliver a personal attention to detail that can only be found in the Orient, while hotels in the Middle Eastern Gulf states compete against one another through stunning opulence to attract powerful sheiks and wealthy oil barons. Closer to home, Latin America and Caribbean provide relaxing, tropical beach resort, while Europe still offers old world charm in quaint surroundings..."   Read the whole article here.

Mr. Bencie also conducts instructional seminars for executives who travel overseas. (more) 

If the above article applies to you, you should also read: 
• Top Five Ways Business Executives are Spied Upon Overseas and How They Can Protect Themselves (Luke Bencie)
• The Top Twenty Information Security Tips for Business Travelers to Closed Society Countries (Kevin D. Murray)
• Staying Safe Abroad: Traveling, Working & Living in a Post-9/11 World (Edward Lee)

Spy Tie Helps Make the Collar

via GeekAlerts.com...
Are you a spy and in need of a new camera that others won’t notice? This Spy Camera Tie with Wireless Remote will help and make you a well dressed James Bond.

Click to enlarge.

It looks just like a regular tie, but it records audio & video. It comes with a remote control and a built-in 4GB DVR. The built in USB port makes it easy to transfer data. This spy gadget will record up to 3 hours per single charge so you can get plenty of footage.

($70 at Amazon.com)

Why do I mention it?
So you will know what you are up against.
~Kevin

Saints Vindicated

LA - Louisiana State Police investigators have found no evidence that the Saints or general manager Mickey Loomis rigged Superdome wiring so opposing coaches' radio communications could be intercepted.

''This has been an intensive investigation, and after numerous interviews we have determined that there is no evidence that state laws have been violated,'' State Police Col. Mike Edmonson said Monday after meeting with Saints owner Tom Benson in New Orleans to brief him on the status of the probe.

State police investigators have been working in conjunction with the FBI since the eavesdropping allegations surfaced in news reports in April.

''We found no corroborating evidence that Mickey Loomis or anybody in the Saints was engaged in wiretapping or eavesdropping,'' Edmonson said. (more)

Fin for Fino - Argentine Ex-Police Chief Indited for Spying

Argentina - A court confirmed the indictment of former Metropolitan Police head Jorge “Fino” Palacios, who is accused of using the NOSIS system to spy on opposition city lawmakers...

The victims of the alleged spying were City lawmakers Silvia La Ruffa, Diana Maffia and Gonzalo Ruanova, and Patricio Datarmini, head of the City public employees union.

Palacios is accused of leading an illicit organization aimed at wiretapping opposition lawmakers. City Mayor Mauricio Macri is also accused of taking part of the illicit organization. (more)

Hello Moto - Ex-employee Sentenced for Spying

IL - A federal judge sentenced a Chinese-born American to four years in prison for stealing millions of dollars in trade secrets from Motorola, describing her as a soft-spoken, unassuming woman who carried out a ‘‘very purposeful raid’’ on the company in the dead of night.

In a barely audible voice and heavily accented English, 41-year-old Hanjuan Jin told the judge she was ‘‘so sorry for what happened’’ and pleaded for a second chance. Her lawyers had argued that she took the files merely to refresh her knowledge after a long absence from work and was not spying for China. They appealed for leniency and asked that Jin receive probation, in part because of her poor health. ( more)

But before you pull out your hankerchef...
Jin, who worked as a software engineer for Motorola Inc. for nine years, was stopped during a random security search at Chicago’s O'Hare International Airport on Feb. 28, 2007, before she could board a flight to China. Prosecutors say she was carrying $31,000 and more than 1,000 confidential Motorola documents, many stored on a laptop, four external hard drives, thumb drives and other devices.

Global TrapWire, INDECT protest planned Saturday, October 20

The TrapWire surveillance system and Europe's INDECT are the subject of a global protest planned for Saturday, October 20.

Information about the protest is being shared by Operation INDECT (OpINDECT International) and there is an #OpINDECT/#TrapWire Facebook Event Page.

It is not the first INDECT protest - but recent news about TrapWire from the Wikileaks leak of private intelligence firm Stratfor's documents has added a tanker of gas to the fire.

News and locations of the protest are being shared on various forums and social media sites primarily with a Google Map showing locations of protesters joining the efforts to raise awareness and intent to stop use of the surveillance technologies. (more)

Espionage Research Institute International Conference - September 7th-9th

This is a counterespionage conference you don't want to miss...

The Espionage Research Institute International's (ERII) annual conference will be held 7-9 September 2012 in Herndon, VA. The ERII conference provides a forum for ERII members to meet and discuss news and information related to the threats and recent discoveries in the fields of espionage and information security.

...and they make it easy to attend by holding it from Friday-Sunday (9/7-9).

A sneak peak...

David G. Major, President of the CI Centre, will be featured as a keynote speaker. Mr. Major's presentation on the topic of "2011/2012 Espionage Debrief: A Worldwide Year in Review" will be on the first day of the conference from 0900-1200 hrs.

Paul Turner of PDTG Inc., will be running a one (1) day Kestrel TSCM Professional Software familiarization and basic operation day at the Espionage Research Institute International (ERII) annual conference on Sunday September 09, 2012. His custom TSCM software is getting rave reviews.

Other presentations...

  • Understanding the TSCM (RF) Spectrum Environment
  • Surveillance Device Intelligence Briefing
  • Nation State Espionage Briefing
  • Cyber Espionage Briefing

The conference is always a worthwhile event. Join ERII and attend. The conference fee is $150.00 and hotel rooms are still available at $99.00 - until 8/30/12. Mention ERII when making reservations.

Where & When
Embassy Suites Dulles Airport
13341 Woodland Park Road
Herndon, VA 20171
Ph: 1-703-464-0200
September 7th through 9th, 2012
8:30AM-5:00PM

Join ERII and REGISTER for the Conference

The membership of ERII consists of TSCM, Counterespionage & Counterintelligence professionals and associates. TSCM is the abbreviation for "Technical Surveillance Counter Measures", it is the industry term for work that includes de-bugging sweeps, wiretap detection, and related counter-surveillance work. The purpose of TSCM is to help businesses,corporations and individuals protect themselves from unauthorized and illegal spying activities. One of the main functions of ERII is to help maintain high ethical standards in the TSCM, Counterespionage / Counterintelligence field.

Eavesdropping Find: Bandera City Hall Bugged

TX - No accusations were made last week at a budget workshop but evidence was brought to light that city security may be at risk... 

Bandera City Hall was checked for breaches recently, reported Mayor Pro Tem Maggie Schumacher during the city's Aug. 9 budget meeting. An unnamed security company scanned City Hall for listening “bugs” and other devices.

“There is no doubt by the (security) firm that offices had been bugged,” Schumacher said. “There were wires going into the police department.” The firm also found “cameras in the city secretary's office.”

“The report said there was so much evidence that [the City Hall] side of the building had been compromised,” Schumacher said...

Security at City Hall has been considered a potential problem since last year when former Bandera City Police Lt. Neil McLean allegedly told Schumacher that nothing was private in city offices, Councilmember John Hegemier told the Bulletin Monday.

Hegemier said Schumacher interpreted McLean's statement as meaning the offices had been bugged, though former City Police Chief Jim Eigner said they were not. (more)

Business Espionage: The Apple Bonkers Get Theirs

Apple won a decisive victory on Friday in a lawsuit against Samsung, 

Click to enlarge.

a verdict that will give Apple ammunition in a far-flung patent war with its global competitors in the smartphone business.

The nine jurors in the case, who faced the daunting task of answering more than 700 questions on sometimes highly technical matters, returned a verdict after just three days of deliberations at a federal courthouse in San Jose, Calif. They found that Samsung infringed on a series of Apple’s patents on mobile devices, awarding Apple more than $1 billion in damages.

That is not a big financial blow to Samsung, one of the world’s largest electronics companies. But the decision could essentially force it and other smartphone makers to redesign their products to be less Apple-like, or risk further legal defeats. (more)

Business Espionage on CNBC - Thu, 23rd 9p & 12a ET

I participated in the making of CNBC series, Crime, Inc. ("Secrets for Sale") and thought you might like to see it. Some of our advanced electronic surveillance detection instrumentation is shown, and business espionage issues are discussed. ~ Kevin

on CNBC. “CRIME INC #9 - SECRETS FOR SALE”
Premieres Thursday, August 23rd 9p | 12a ET
Re-broadcast: Sunday, August 26th 11p

 
Spying is an ever-present threat in the workplace.

Kevin D. Murray discusses business espionage prevention with Carl Quintanilla.

From the coworker in the next cubicle to foreign governments, the faces of corporate espionage are all around us. Boeing, Intel and Coca-Cola have all been targets. The losses - estimated by the FBI to be more than 13 billion dollars a year in the United States - can go undetected for years despite sophisticated security. Crime Inc. follows cases where livelihoods are threatened, reputations ruined and trade secrets are bought and sold. (more)

Security Directors: FREE Security White Paper - "Surreptitious Workplace Recording ...and what you can do about it."   

Business Counterintelligence Conference at Kwa Maritane Bush Lodge, South Africa - September 17-19

CBIA will be hosting South Africa’s first conference on business counterintelligence  September 17-19, 2012, at the Kwa Maritane Bush Lodge in the Pilanesberg, North West Province...

Click to enlarge.

One of the key aims of the conference is to involve and to provide decision makers, managers and business unit leaders with the insight to understand business counterintelligence and how it differs from other streams of information management and security practices.

Corporate information gathering is a fact of life, even more so during hard and tough economic times...

The conference will take participants on an eye-opening journey regarding information protection issues. Attendees will gain a practical understanding of the value added role counterintelligence plays in competitive strategy and the protection of business information. 

Click to enlarge.

Conference Topics
• What is the scope of the business espionage and information theft threat to businesses;
• Non-cyber methods of information gathering and economic espionage;
• Social engineering, tradecraft and other psychological tricks used to penetrate a target company;
• The “insider” threat and motivational factors;
• Importance of information security awareness training;
• How to protect sensitive data and high value employees;
• Countering electronic espionage in business;
• Technical surveillance countermeasures (TSCM) risk management;
• The evolving cyber threat. The cyberspace is now providing relative small scale operators the opportunity to become involved in business espionage and information theft;
• Background screening and vetting, pre-employment and existing employee screening;
• The dark side of social media and what it means for business;
• The threat of consumerisation and BYOD;
• Policies, procedures and guidelines on how to build an effective business counterintelligence capability;
• A corporate case study;
• Active dialogue session (Ask the Expert) – An interactive brainstorming session to solve common challenges and to share innovative solutions;
• Technical security product demonstrations.

(brochure) (conference program)

Security Alert: Conference room reservation system - Arrive® InfoPoint™

Affected Murray Associates clients can receive special attention due to our working relationship with DigitalSecurus.

DigitalSecurus has discovered that some touch screen smart devices for conference rooms have arrived in the United States infected with a computer virus/malware (malicious software).

The infection was discovered during a recent investigation into suspicious activity on a network belonging to a DigitalSecurus client. Further analysis in a lab environment by DigitalSecurus revealed a variant of the malware known as “Downadup/Conficker” virus in unopened InfoPoint AI-101 touch screen computers. DigitalSecurus contacted the manufacturer of the device, Arrive Systems, and has been working with them closely to investigate the circumstances surrounding the infection.

This malware is particularly dangerous to a network environment as it will attempt to spread itself to other computers. The virus also attempts to communicate with unauthorized computers on the Internet, possibly allowing unauthorized access to corporate files and other sensitive data.

The infection appears to have been installed onto the devices prior to shipping into the United States...

Companies using the InfoPoint AI-101 devices are advised to consider removing them from their network until they can be properly analyzed, made harmless, and patched with software updates. For further instructions on specific steps that can be taken users are encouraged to contact the manufacturer, Arrive Systems, at this link.

DigitalSecurus is an Alaskan based network security consulting firm that provides computer security consulting, analysis, forensics, security training, and computer incident response to corporations and organizations in the United States.

Hacker Targets: Computer, Smartphone, and now... Your Car

A team of top hackers working for Intel Corp's security division toil away in a West Coast garage searching for electronic bugs that could make automobiles vulnerable to lethal computer viruses... 

It's scary business. Security experts say that automakers have so far failed to adequately protect these systems, leaving them vulnerable to hacks by attackers looking to steal cars, eavesdrop on conversations, or even harm passengers by causing vehicles to crash.

"You can definitely kill people," said John Bumgarner, chief technology officer of the U.S. Cyber Consequences Unit, a non-profit organization that helps companies analyze the potential for targeted computer attacks on their networks and products. (more)

Another Butt Dialing Lands Man in the Can

PA - A Scranton man faces drug charges after he accidentally dialed 911 while he met with a drug dealer, recording the entire conversation at Lackawanna County dispatch center Wednesday, Scranton police said...

The Lackawanna County Communications Center called Scranton police to say there was an open line to a phone that was recording a conversation inside a vehicle on the 100 block of West Market Street regarding narcotics activity and a man named "Rick," according to the complaint.

Police tracked Mr. Kryzanowski to his apartment, where they found him talking with slow and slurred speech. Police also saw pill bottles and a bottle cap with water in it in plain sight, according to the complaint. (more) (more butt dialing stories)

Secrets for Sale — Premieres Thursday, August 23rd 9p | 12a ET

on CNBC Thursday, August 23rd 9p | 12a ET
“CRIME INC #9 - SECRETS FOR SALE”
 
Spying is an ever-present threat in the workplace.

Kevin D. Murray discusses business espionage prevention with Carl Quintanilla.

From the coworker in the next cubicle to foreign governments, the faces of corporate espionage are all around us. Boeing, Intel and Coca-Cola have all been targets. The losses - estimated by the FBI to be more than 13 billion dollars a year in the United States - can go undetected for years despite sophisticated security. Crime Inc. follows cases where livelihoods are threatened, reputations ruined and trade secrets are bought and sold. (more)

A 20-Year Battery Will Power the Next Generation Bugs

Imagine a battery powered bugging device, voice recorder, or GPS tracker that never needs to have it's battery changed or charged.

Current generation.

City Labs says, "...the company’s team of scientists and engineers has developed batteries with a 20+ year lifetime of continuous power without the requirement for replacement or recharging. The NanoTritium™ battery can energize a broad range of devices where battery replacement is difficult, impractical, or even life-threatening."

The power cell generates electricity using a layer of the radioactive-element tritium, mounted onto a semiconductor. 

Next generation.

The City Labs’ battery produces nanowatts of power; it is not strong enough to power a cell phone or laptop. This is a low-power battery that can run micro-electronics, anywhere that is hard, dangerous or expensive to reach. Applications include implants such as pacemakers as well as devices in industry (sensors on deep-water oil drills) and defense. (more)

Currently, these batteries, "...are used to keep encryption keys alive in SRAM for more than 20 years...". A second generation (coming soon) will be able to do a whole lot more.

Talk Like A Spy with Throw-Away Phone Numbers

Spybusters Tip # 723: The new Burner app for iPhone generates throw-away phone numbers, which can be used for undercover operations or by those who simply prefer a deep layer of privacy.

With Burner, users can create multiple new phone numbers for a day, a week, a month, or longer, and manage all inbound calls, SMS messages, and voicemails for each number. Once you are finished with the number, you can "burn" it by taking it out of service and wiping it from your phone, as if it never existed.

Each number is a separate line within the iPhone, which can be redirected to your main mobile number, or go straight to voicemail, according to the Burner app blog...

Android users may not yet have access to Burner, but they can shield themselves from unwanted calls with the White Pages' new Current Caller ID app, which provides a directory of information about the incoming call.

When your phone rings, it will display details about the caller's recent social updates and check the weather where they are. The feature is also available for SMS texts. Even if you're not interested in the bells and whistles, the app also provides stripped-down caller ID information.

The White Pages app is available for free download in the Google Play store. (more)

Cell Phone Eavesdropping is Back... and inexpensive

A small box, known in the Czech Republic as Agáta, may be listening in on your mobile phone calls at any moment. Agáta, or IMSI Catcher, is essentially an eavesdropping device that, by using relatively simple hardware, can track phone calls and SMS messages coming in and out of mobile phones in a specific radius... 

Former head of the Czech Military Intelligence Agency and a security analyst Andor Šándor underscored the danger of the widespread sale of Agátas:

"It’s been a known fact for a few years now that some companies do sell these devices. But if their use will not be in any way regulated, and access to these devices will not be in any way controlled, then a regular citizen can do absolutely nothing."

...Mr. Šándor claims that the most likely private users of Agátas are security firms or rival businesses, or even companies trying to win high-stakes tenders. (more) (home-brew IMSI Catcher)

Security Quote of the Day

"...we're at a critical moment where we need to find a different approach if we're going to protect intellectual property and the things we have at risk." — Peter G. George, President and Chief Executive Officer, Fidelis Security Systems, Inc. (more) (a different approach)