Italy's supreme court ruled Tuesday that it is legal to record sex videos without telling one's partner. The court ruled in favor of a 49-year-old man who had secretly recorded his bedroom activities with his former girlfriend. (more)
Thursday, January 17, 2008
...and a spy agency somewhere smiles.
Greece - A judge formally ended an investigation into a wiretapping scandal that targeted Greece's prime minister and other top officials during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, judicial officials said Thursday.
Investigating magistrate Panagiotis Petropoulos found no evidence of who was behind the wiretaps that hacked into Greece's Vodafone network. (more)
Hollywood - Make this into a movie. It has all the elements of a great thriller; side stories about impossible "suicides", cover-ups and technical elegance which would bring tears to any hacker's eyes.
Investigating magistrate Panagiotis Petropoulos found no evidence of who was behind the wiretaps that hacked into Greece's Vodafone network. (more)
Hollywood - Make this into a movie. It has all the elements of a great thriller; side stories about impossible "suicides", cover-ups and technical elegance which would bring tears to any hacker's eyes.
Hard Times for Sports Spies
No money for spying in Ghana, says Mulee...
Kenya - While coaches will be spying on rival teams at the African Nations Cup ahead of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, Harambee Stars coach, Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee, will remain at home with his local league champions Tusker FC.
When reached for comment, KFF secretary general, Sammy Obingo, admitted the federation could not afford Mulee’s trip to Ghana due to lack of funds... (more)
Kenya - While coaches will be spying on rival teams at the African Nations Cup ahead of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, Harambee Stars coach, Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee, will remain at home with his local league champions Tusker FC.
When reached for comment, KFF secretary general, Sammy Obingo, admitted the federation could not afford Mulee’s trip to Ghana due to lack of funds... (more)
2008 - Year of the Mute
China will field about 800 athletes for the upcoming Olympics, and right now they are hard to find. Trying to keep distractions to a minimum - and fearful that opponents might be spying - China is shuttering away its top medal contenders. ..."We are now entering a period of silence," said Li Yongbo, coach of the national badminton team. (more)
Bugging Device Found at TV Auditions
UK - Police were called to the audition venue for Britain's Got Talent today after a bugging device was discovered under the judges' table.
The surveillance equipment had been left overnight in the judges' room, where Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan embarked on a second day of filming.
Cowell said afterwards: "This shows the extent to which people will go to to get inside knowledge on what is going on."
A man was allegedly caught using a listening device in his car outside auditions in Manchester.
He was seen lurking backstage on Wednesday and the Palace Theatre room was swept yesterday after crew reports of sound interference.
TV bosses believe there is a possibility that a freelance journalist could have planted the device to find out what was being said in the judges' room. (more) (more)
Our spies tell us...
...anyone can be a spy! Just go to Spy School.
Unlike some spy schools in the US and UK - adventure diversions - this one (now defunct) appears to be real. Igor Seroff, is a former FSB (previously KGB) officer. He just opened a "Spy School" and registrations are now being accepted. The school is located in Russia.
This is serious business, and it makes sense.
The trend...
• Governments now out-source intelligence collection to private consultants.
• Corporations now out-source intelligence collection to private consultants.
• Private consultants also out-source intelligence collection to 'other specialists' (aka Cut-Outs).
Why?
Cut-Outs = Plausible Deniability.
"So, what's a 'cut out'?" I hear you say.
In espionage, a cut-out is a courier or mechanism used to pass information and devices from one spy to another while operating in a "denied area" or a hostile environment. The two forms of cut-outs are the block and chain. A block cut-out is an agent familiar with the entire spy network or cell and those who are in it, while the chain cutout is simply an agent who is aware of only the person providing the information and the spy who is receiving the information. The chain cut-out helps to maintain the compartmentalization of the spy network, which increases security by maintaining everyone's anonymity. The term cut-out may also be used more generally to describe a person or agency used as a pawn by intelligence agencies. (more)
The Paladins return...
And, as we all know, one person's "noble cause" is another person's downfall. Be prepared. They are coming to a corporation near you, soon.
Unlike some spy schools in the US and UK - adventure diversions - this one (now defunct) appears to be real. Igor Seroff, is a former FSB (previously KGB) officer. He just opened a "Spy School" and registrations are now being accepted. The school is located in Russia.
This is serious business, and it makes sense.
The trend...
• Governments now out-source intelligence collection to private consultants.
• Corporations now out-source intelligence collection to private consultants.
• Private consultants also out-source intelligence collection to 'other specialists' (aka Cut-Outs).
Why?
Cut-Outs = Plausible Deniability.
"So, what's a 'cut out'?" I hear you say.
In espionage, a cut-out is a courier or mechanism used to pass information and devices from one spy to another while operating in a "denied area" or a hostile environment. The two forms of cut-outs are the block and chain. A block cut-out is an agent familiar with the entire spy network or cell and those who are in it, while the chain cutout is simply an agent who is aware of only the person providing the information and the spy who is receiving the information. The chain cut-out helps to maintain the compartmentalization of the spy network, which increases security by maintaining everyone's anonymity. The term cut-out may also be used more generally to describe a person or agency used as a pawn by intelligence agencies. (more)
The Paladins return...
And, as we all know, one person's "noble cause" is another person's downfall. Be prepared. They are coming to a corporation near you, soon.
A Classic Eavesdropping
A former North Platte fire captain will face felony charges of assaulting a corrections officer after his preliminary hearing Monday.Doyle was originally accused of dressing in camouflage clothes and creeping up near this estranged wife’s parents’ home in rural Lincoln County to eavesdrop, the affidavit said. The affidavit said Doyle told his friend that he got close enough to hear a conversation between his wife and her family. (more)
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Turned 'off' Cell Phone Calls Owner ...Whoo Hoo, Whoo Hoo Hoo
Ed Ravin reports...
"A friend of mine uses Vonage (VoIP) for her primary phone line. Their VoIP system gave her a nightmarish experience during the wee hours of December 15.
The problem started around midnight - her VoIP phone rang, and caller-ID showed it was a number local to her area, but she didn't recognize it. She answered, but there was no one on the line. Her phone rang again several minutes later - same caller-ID, again no one there. And a few minutes later, the phone rang again, same caller-ID, same nobody there.
Then her cell phone rang. The cell phone's caller-ID showed the same phone number as her VoIP phone did. Again, the line was dead when she answered it. Twice more in short order, the phantom caller rang her cell phone.
Now wide awake and rather disturbed, she went to her computer to look up the phone number of her putative persecutor. Google helpfully provided a reverse directory lookup - to a person with an Arabic-sounding name that she did not recognize. With the help of Mapquest, she found out that this unknown person lived only a few miles from her. Worried and feeling vulnerable, she was unable to get to sleep, thinking that a strange person in the neighborhood was calling both her home phone and cell phone for no apparent reason.
At 3 in the morning, her VoIP phone rings again - this time, the caller-ID says that her own cell phone is making the call! But the cell phone is turned off and is sitting on her nightstand. She finally smells the rat, and at 4 AM calls the Vonage customer support line After a 30 minute wait, a polite but difficult-to-understand person explains that Vonage has been experiencing a problem with "phantom calls" and it should be resolved soon.
My friend had her Vonage account set up so that if her VoIP number was down, it would automatically forward calls to her cell phone. So Vonage's software PBX had her cell phone number on file, and it apparently went haywire and began placing calls to numbers in its database, and using other numbers in its database as the caller-ID.
The biggest risk here is believing what you see on your caller-ID display. Using computerized tools to compound your error and jump to the wrong conclusions is a close second. Then there's the well-known "mission creep" risk, where data supplied for one purpose is (mis) used for another. Even though the misuse was unintentional, it's a stark reminder that phone numbers are a special kind of data with real-world implications, especially when in the hands of buggy software that can make phone calls. ...from Risks-Forum Digest - Volume 25 : Issue 02
"A friend of mine uses Vonage (VoIP) for her primary phone line. Their VoIP system gave her a nightmarish experience during the wee hours of December 15.
The problem started around midnight - her VoIP phone rang, and caller-ID showed it was a number local to her area, but she didn't recognize it. She answered, but there was no one on the line. Her phone rang again several minutes later - same caller-ID, again no one there. And a few minutes later, the phone rang again, same caller-ID, same nobody there.
Then her cell phone rang. The cell phone's caller-ID showed the same phone number as her VoIP phone did. Again, the line was dead when she answered it. Twice more in short order, the phantom caller rang her cell phone.
Now wide awake and rather disturbed, she went to her computer to look up the phone number of her putative persecutor. Google helpfully provided a reverse directory lookup - to a person with an Arabic-sounding name that she did not recognize. With the help of Mapquest, she found out that this unknown person lived only a few miles from her. Worried and feeling vulnerable, she was unable to get to sleep, thinking that a strange person in the neighborhood was calling both her home phone and cell phone for no apparent reason.
At 3 in the morning, her VoIP phone rings again - this time, the caller-ID says that her own cell phone is making the call! But the cell phone is turned off and is sitting on her nightstand. She finally smells the rat, and at 4 AM calls the Vonage customer support line After a 30 minute wait, a polite but difficult-to-understand person explains that Vonage has been experiencing a problem with "phantom calls" and it should be resolved soon.
My friend had her Vonage account set up so that if her VoIP number was down, it would automatically forward calls to her cell phone. So Vonage's software PBX had her cell phone number on file, and it apparently went haywire and began placing calls to numbers in its database, and using other numbers in its database as the caller-ID.
The biggest risk here is believing what you see on your caller-ID display. Using computerized tools to compound your error and jump to the wrong conclusions is a close second. Then there's the well-known "mission creep" risk, where data supplied for one purpose is (mis) used for another. Even though the misuse was unintentional, it's a stark reminder that phone numbers are a special kind of data with real-world implications, especially when in the hands of buggy software that can make phone calls. ...from Risks-Forum Digest - Volume 25 : Issue 02
Industrial Espionage - Rolls-Royce and Royal Dutch Shell
Rolls-Royce and Royal Dutch Shell have fallen victim to Chinese espionage attacks, The Times has learnt.
Sustained spying assaults on Britains largest engineering company and on the worlds second-biggest oil multinational occurred earlier this year as part of a campaign to obtain confidential commercial information, sources said.
News of the attacks on Rolls-Royce and Shell comes after a warning by Britain's security services that China is sponsoring espionage against vital parts of the British economy, including breaking into big companies computer systems. (more)
Sustained spying assaults on Britains largest engineering company and on the worlds second-biggest oil multinational occurred earlier this year as part of a campaign to obtain confidential commercial information, sources said.
News of the attacks on Rolls-Royce and Shell comes after a warning by Britain's security services that China is sponsoring espionage against vital parts of the British economy, including breaking into big companies computer systems. (more)
Spy Bar - Dead at 10
OH - The once-chic Spy Bar is no more. Since opening in '97, the Warehouse District nightclub established itself as one of Cleveland's swankiest spots and strongest celebrity magnets. Its VIP room hosted A-listers like Michael Jackson, Michael Jordan, Prince, and even that magician who's married to that hot chick. "David Copperfield was the nicest man," says owner Raj Singh, remembering the glory days. (more) (others)
Spy Barred - Dead at 72
Cuban state media report that former CIA agent Philip Agee, who caused outrage by naming undercover former colleagues, has died in Cuba at the age of 72.Agee quit the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency in the late 1960s after 12 years of working mostly in Latin America. He later wrote the book "Inside the Company: CIA Diary
," which included the names of certain undercover agents.The book infuriated U.S. officials who said it put those agents in danger, and the U.S. government revoked Agee's passport. (more)
Listen Up
The TV ad for this electronic amplifier starts of innocently. "Do you sometimes disturb others while you watch TV?"Then, it turns creepy.
"Listen to a pin drop from across the room. Or, listen into a conversation from across the street."
Headphones would solve the TV problem. And, if you feel the need to hear pins drop from across the room the only electronics you need might be shock therapy.
Several more references to eavesdropping follow. (scene: a health club) "Ever wonder what people are talking about across the room?" (video)
There oughtabealaw!
There is a law. "Manufacture, distribution, possession, and advertising of wire, oral, or electronic communication intercepting devices prohibited" But, if you are a follower of this Security Scrapbook you know that the law is not being enforced.
This item is not much of a threat in corporate and government circles. However, many of the other eavesdropping devices you read about here are being used.
Moral: It is up to you to protect your privacy.
All we can do is help.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Sow, Reap & Weep
Remember these stories?
• "I'm dreaming of a Spy Christmas..."
• Christmas Toys Which Teach (somesorta) Lessons
• More bugs for your kids...
• The Kids Spy Back
If so, you knew this was coming...
"My 9-year-old was given a spying device for Christmas. It has a sensitive microphone so he can eavesdrop, unnoticed, on others' conversations. He can't resist using it even though he gets in trouble when he gets caught. What should we do?"
(answer from Beth Palmer - The Rocky Mountain News)
This toy might be too much temptation for most kids.
If you've been clear about what's inappropriate and he's had consequences when he crosses the line, he isn't ready to have the toy. Take it away. Explain that when he is able to resist the temptation of invading others' privacy, then he can try again.
Do the best thing for your child even though he may protest that it's not fair. Exercise good judgment, especially when your son can't. (more)
• "I'm dreaming of a Spy Christmas..."
• Christmas Toys Which Teach (somesorta) Lessons
• More bugs for your kids...
• The Kids Spy Back
If so, you knew this was coming...
"My 9-year-old was given a spying device for Christmas. It has a sensitive microphone so he can eavesdrop, unnoticed, on others' conversations. He can't resist using it even though he gets in trouble when he gets caught. What should we do?"
(answer from Beth Palmer - The Rocky Mountain News)
This toy might be too much temptation for most kids.
If you've been clear about what's inappropriate and he's had consequences when he crosses the line, he isn't ready to have the toy. Take it away. Explain that when he is able to resist the temptation of invading others' privacy, then he can try again.
Do the best thing for your child even though he may protest that it's not fair. Exercise good judgment, especially when your son can't. (more)
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Normal looking belt buckle...
(from the seller's website)...is a high quality Audio Video recorder.
"Our Buckle DVR gives you the ability to perform personal investigation, conduct secret video surveillance or for any ideal covert operation where gathering evidence is important.
Ideal for hidden camera use where wireless camera can be detected easily with a wireless camera detector." (more) (sample video)
Why do I mention it?
So you know what you're up against.
Short Wave Radio to the Rescue
Plot by terrorists to blow up the Eiffel Tower uncovered.
A scrambled short-wave radio conversation exposing the planned attack on the world's most visited monument was picked up by Portuguese air traffic controllers and passed on to French spy chiefs. The threat was uncovered in a "vague and muffled" radio conversation picked up by air traffic controllers in Lisbon on Thursday. (more)
A scrambled short-wave radio conversation exposing the planned attack on the world's most visited monument was picked up by Portuguese air traffic controllers and passed on to French spy chiefs. The threat was uncovered in a "vague and muffled" radio conversation picked up by air traffic controllers in Lisbon on Thursday. (more)
Nato Secrets USB Stick Lost
A Cautionary Tale...The discovery of a USB memory stick containing classified NATO information in a library in Stockholm has prompted a meeting between the Swedish Military Intelligence and Security Service and foreign defence officials.
According to Swedish daily Aftonbladet, the stick contained (http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article1563893.ab) material on NATO's ISAF peace-keeping force in Afghanistan, as well as an intelligence report on the attempted assassination of Lebanon's defense minister and the murder of Sri Lanka's foreign minister.
Colonel Bengt Sandström of the Swedish Military Intelligence and Security Service says this kind of carelessness is intolerable and can result in up to six months in prison. It is unclear how the USB stick ended up in the library.
It isn't the first time the military has lost USB sticks with
secret files. In 2006, a memory stick containing files on the Dutch military mission to Afghanistan was lost in a rented car. The documents also included information about the rules of engagement for Dutch troops in Afghanistan and the personal protection of Dutch Defense Minister Henk Kamp.Also in 2006, the Dutch Defense Ministry reported the loss of another memory stick containing sensitive information about military intelligence agency MIVD. (more)
By this time, you should be convinced that you have to do something immediately about YOUR USB memory stick.
(more USB stories) (IronKey solution) (a great movie
...cheap!)
"Clerk 'M' is eavesdropping and spying on us"
A co-worker is a spy-pipe-line to the boss. What would you do?
"Mr. I-want-privacy" took his plight to officepolitics.com and received some sage advice from Dr. Greg Ketchum. (more)
"Mr. I-want-privacy" took his plight to officepolitics.com and received some sage advice from Dr. Greg Ketchum. (more)
SpyCam Story #422 - Carpenter Nail'ed
UK - A Polish peeping Tom will have to sign the sex offenders register for seven years after admitting spying on his housemates in the shower.
Grzegorz Zdyb, 34, a carpenter, admitted a charge of voyeurism at Isleworth Crown Court and was handed a three-month sentence, although he has already served this on remand.
Zdyb, who has been in the country for nine years but still speaks little English, lived with three women and three men at a house in Rosemont Road, Acton.
Police were called in when one of them found the camera, which was connected to recording equipment in his room, while having a shower.
Prosecutor Tim Nail said: "One of the residents noticed a shiny area next to the shower and discovered it was the lens of a camera. Investigation revealed that it was connected to a wire which went outside the building and up to the attic occupied by the defendant." (more)
Grzegorz Zdyb, 34, a carpenter, admitted a charge of voyeurism at Isleworth Crown Court and was handed a three-month sentence, although he has already served this on remand.
Zdyb, who has been in the country for nine years but still speaks little English, lived with three women and three men at a house in Rosemont Road, Acton.
Police were called in when one of them found the camera, which was connected to recording equipment in his room, while having a shower.
Prosecutor Tim Nail said: "One of the residents noticed a shiny area next to the shower and discovered it was the lens of a camera. Investigation revealed that it was connected to a wire which went outside the building and up to the attic occupied by the defendant." (more)
DIY - SpyCam Sunglasses for under $40.00
What the video doesn't mention...
In the United States, laws prohibit recording audio without the consent of at least one party to the conversation - and, in some states, all parties must consent.
The video aspects of the laws are currently evolving. Here is our general advice concerning the use of covert video. Your local laws may be more restrictive.
Have fun with the construction project.
Use your new powers wisely.
Extra Credit: A Practical Guide to Taping Phone Calls and In-Person Conversations in the 50 States and D.C.
In the United States, laws prohibit recording audio without the consent of at least one party to the conversation - and, in some states, all parties must consent.
The video aspects of the laws are currently evolving. Here is our general advice concerning the use of covert video. Your local laws may be more restrictive.
Have fun with the construction project.
Use your new powers wisely.
Extra Credit: A Practical Guide to Taping Phone Calls and In-Person Conversations in the 50 States and D.C.
If you loved the...
• Radar Detector Zapper! 
• Cell Phone Zapper!
You will also love the...
(watch the movie first)
(movie)
Get yours here.
• Cell Phone Zapper!
You will also love the...
(watch the movie first)
(movie)
Get yours here.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Princess Diana hired a private security firm to secretly sweep Kensington Palace for bugs
The newspaper explains it one way..."Diana told 'without any doubt' that she was being bugged by a five-strong surveillance team - Surveillance expert detected a device behind her bedroom wall
...She was so concerned about eavesdropping that she called in a four-man team to carry out a search for listening devices. (from Moran Security Support Services Ltd)...
Princess Diana's bedroom was being bugged two years after her split from Prince Charles, her inquest sensationally heard yesterday.
An electronic surveillance expert made the astonishing discovery after Diana asked him to check her Kensington Palace apartment for listening devices because she feared 'dark forces' were snooping on her.
Former soldier Grahame Harding located a suspected bug behind a wall in her bedroom, adjacent to a room which had been used by Charles." (more)
Mr. Harding explains it this way... (in the same article)
"My equipment detected an electronic signal which indicated that a possible bugging device may have been present behind a wall in her bedroom. Princess Diana was present when I found this signal.
"As you walk into her bedroom, I believe there was another room off it where His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales had a room and it was on that wall."
He said was unable to get behind the wall to examine the device. But there was "no indication" that the fabric of the wall had been altered. He said he swept the room again later that day and the signal had gone.
"I could not give an explanation to the reading. It could have been innocent electronic equipment in another room. But the noise behind the wall was very similar to a transmitter device."
Alert - SkyeSpy
Short Story - Add this inexpensive software to any S60 mobile phone (aka smart phone) and you have a bugging device with brains and the ability to snitch.Why do I mention it?
So you know what you are up against.
Long Story - from the seller's website...
SkyeSpy is remote audio monitoring, detection and notification software for your S60v3 mobile device.
SkyeSpy can be used as:
(1) an intruder detection and alarm system for the home and office,
(2) a remote baby monitor,
(3) a remote car alarm monitor, or
(4) a spy device to listen-in on any environment without anyone knowing!
SkyeSpy is installed on a mobile device that is used as the audio monitoring hardware. The SkyeSpy device is placed in an area where the audio/sound is to be monitored e.g. near a baby, in the home/office etc. SkyeSpy is 'paired' to 'communicate' with another mobile device or landline. When SkyeSpy detects an audio instance, it alerts the paired device with an SMS, MMS or even a CALL!
There are 2 ways for the user to interact with the SkyeSpy device:
(1) SkyeSpy will contact the user.
(2) User can call the SkyeSpy and secretly listen in real-time.
1 day trial FREE!
Purchase price: $17.95
Wiretapping Before the Wires...
...The Post Office and the Birth of Communications Privacy
by Anuj C. Desai, University of Wisconsin Law School
"In this Article, I look beneath the surface of that raging debate to one of the premises underlying the court's conclusion, that the Fourth Amendment protects the confidentiality of communications. I explore the origins of the notion that the Fourth Amendment protects communications privacy. Most scholars and commentators look to Justice Brandeis's famous dissent in the 1928 case Olmstead v. United States. In this Article, I contend that we must go further back, back to surveillance of the first communications network in the United States, the post office. I explain the history of postal surveillance and show that the principle of communications privacy derives not from the Fourth Amendment or even from the Constitution at all. Rather, it comes from..." (more)
by Anuj C. Desai, University of Wisconsin Law School
"In this Article, I look beneath the surface of that raging debate to one of the premises underlying the court's conclusion, that the Fourth Amendment protects the confidentiality of communications. I explore the origins of the notion that the Fourth Amendment protects communications privacy. Most scholars and commentators look to Justice Brandeis's famous dissent in the 1928 case Olmstead v. United States. In this Article, I contend that we must go further back, back to surveillance of the first communications network in the United States, the post office. I explain the history of postal surveillance and show that the principle of communications privacy derives not from the Fourth Amendment or even from the Constitution at all. Rather, it comes from..." (more)
Identity Thief Wiretaps Victim's Phone
WA - Investigators say a thief managed to bilk money out of a local man's credit union by wiretapping their phones.
The man was on vacation with his family when he got a disturbing call from their credit union.
According to the police report, Woodstone Credit Union of Federal Way called the man last week to ask about a $450,000 transferred out of their home equity line of credit. The man never transferred any money.
On Monday, the man received a second call from Woodstone Credit Union. This time the money mysteriously transferred was up to $655,000.
The victim was told the suspect had the victim's signature. He was also told the thief had and tapped his phone line and intercepted his calls in order to give the proper verification when Woodstone called his home inquiring about the large money transfer. (more)
The man was on vacation with his family when he got a disturbing call from their credit union.
According to the police report, Woodstone Credit Union of Federal Way called the man last week to ask about a $450,000 transferred out of their home equity line of credit. The man never transferred any money.
On Monday, the man received a second call from Woodstone Credit Union. This time the money mysteriously transferred was up to $655,000.
The victim was told the suspect had the victim's signature. He was also told the thief had and tapped his phone line and intercepted his calls in order to give the proper verification when Woodstone called his home inquiring about the large money transfer. (more)
Some Gatorade, some beans and you're 'on the air'
A radio antenna made of electrified gas could lead to stealthy, jamming-resistant transmitters, research now reveals.
Electrified gas, or plasma, makes up stars and lightning and is what sheds light in fluorescent bulbs. Sealed glass, ceramic or even flexible plastic tubes of plasma can behave just like conventional metal antennas.
These antennas only work when energized, effectively vanishing when turned off, with the plasma reverting back to normal gas. This is key for stealth on the battlefield—metal antennas can scatter incoming radar signals, giving away their presence.
In addition, to counteract jamming attempts, plasma antennas can rapidly adjust which frequencies they broadcast and pick up by changing how much energy the plasma is given. (more)
Electrified gas, or plasma, makes up stars and lightning and is what sheds light in fluorescent bulbs. Sealed glass, ceramic or even flexible plastic tubes of plasma can behave just like conventional metal antennas.
These antennas only work when energized, effectively vanishing when turned off, with the plasma reverting back to normal gas. This is key for stealth on the battlefield—metal antennas can scatter incoming radar signals, giving away their presence.
In addition, to counteract jamming attempts, plasma antennas can rapidly adjust which frequencies they broadcast and pick up by changing how much energy the plasma is given. (more)
Friday, January 11, 2008
Japanese say, "Bugs Bite"
Japan - Major firms have started offering services to detect and remove electronic bugging devices in offices as spying has become a serious concern due to increased competition in business and among employees.With information on new technology or personnel more sought after than ever, observers point out that many Japanese firms have not taken sufficient measures to protect against eavesdropping. The need for bug-busting services is expected to grow...
According to the NPO, about 370,000 bugs and spy cameras were sold in 2006, more than double the number in 1997...
Raisuke Miyawaki, former cabinet public relations secretary and an adviser to the Institute for International Policy Studies, warns that firms should not delay in taking defensive measures against bugging. (more) (Japanese butt-biting bug video sfw)
FED-up Telcos Zap Taps
Telephone companies have cut off FBI wiretaps used to eavesdrop on suspected criminals because of the bureau's repeated failures to pay phone bills on time.A Justice Department audit released Thursday blamed the lost connections on the FBI's lax oversight of money used in undercover investigations. Poor supervision of the program also allowed one agent to steal $25,000, the audit said.
In at least one case, a wiretap used in a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act investigation "was halted due to untimely payment," the audit found. FISA wiretaps are used in the government's most sensitive and secretive criminal investigations, and allow eavesdropping on suspected terrorists or spies. (more)
More discussion about sweeping hotel rooms...
The recent sex DVD scandal involving former Malaysian Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek shows how easy it is to rig a spy camera and film someone without their knowledge.Experts tell The New Paper on Sunday that it takes anyone just 30 minutes to rig a spy cam. It takes the professionally trained even less time. [much less]
This has the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) concerned. It will discuss the possibility of getting its more than 400 members to sweep all their hotel rooms for hidden cameras or other spying devices. (more)
"How to spy on any conversation using a phone."
Cheesy instructional video. (more)
Why do I mention it?
So you will know what you are up against.
Why do I mention it?
So you will know what you are up against.
SpyCam Story #421 - "A Worldwide Scourge"
...is the headline of an article in The Malay Mail - listing 6 SpyCam news stories.
• A New Zealander admitted to nine charges related to using a miniature video camera to film...
• A man in Singapore spied on his tenants, who were two sisters, while they were...
• Actress and model Nasha Aziz told a magistrate's court that she spotted a spy cam...
• A woman in Nilai, Negri Sembilan, found a strange object hanging from her bed room ceiling...
• A female reporter, who claimed that a CCTV camera operator had focused on her thighs...
• Footage seized from a voyeur, who installed spy cams in the bathrooms used by...
(more)
• A New Zealander admitted to nine charges related to using a miniature video camera to film...
• A man in Singapore spied on his tenants, who were two sisters, while they were...
• Actress and model Nasha Aziz told a magistrate's court that she spotted a spy cam...
• A woman in Nilai, Negri Sembilan, found a strange object hanging from her bed room ceiling...
• A female reporter, who claimed that a CCTV camera operator had focused on her thighs...
• Footage seized from a voyeur, who installed spy cams in the bathrooms used by...
(more)
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Knock, Knock "TSCM Maid"
From a news observer in India...
"There is also a talk that all the 155,000 hotel rooms offered for business in 2400 hotels should be scanned and certified free from any ‘bugging’ apparatus, to give comfort for the local and foreign tourism industry customers." (more)
"There is also a talk that all the 155,000 hotel rooms offered for business in 2400 hotels should be scanned and certified free from any ‘bugging’ apparatus, to give comfort for the local and foreign tourism industry customers." (more)
Spycam Story #420 - Bacchus was not pleased
MD - William A. Hendry IV, 38, of 206 Mayo Road in Edgewater, pleaded not guilty Monday in county Circuit Court in Annapolis to charges that he videotaped himself and his ex-wife having sex without her knowledge.
He was charged Oct. 18 with two counts of illegal wiretapping, one count of conducting video surveillance with "prurient intent," and one count of secretly placing a camera inside a home.
If convicted on all charges, he faces up to 12 years in prison and $25,000 in fines.
Mr. Hendry's ex-wife, Christa Bacchus, learned of the video - which is now in police custody - after Mr. Hendry showed it to her new husband, Philip Bacchus. (more)
He was charged Oct. 18 with two counts of illegal wiretapping, one count of conducting video surveillance with "prurient intent," and one count of secretly placing a camera inside a home.
If convicted on all charges, he faces up to 12 years in prison and $25,000 in fines.
Mr. Hendry's ex-wife, Christa Bacchus, learned of the video - which is now in police custody - after Mr. Hendry showed it to her new husband, Philip Bacchus. (more)
AP striving for Olbermann's "Worst Person in the World" Award
Belichick AP Coach of the Year despite spying fine
Patriots coach honored for second time (?!?!)
New England's undefeated season now includes yet another achievement: Bill Belichick is The Associated Press 2007 NFL Coach of the Year. ...
That was enough to offset the major blemish on Belichick's resume: a $500,000 personal fine, $250,000 fine for the team and the loss of a first-round pick in the upcoming draft after the Patriots were caught videotaping New York Jets coaches during the season opener. (more) (more)
Patriots coach honored for second time (?!?!)
New England's undefeated season now includes yet another achievement: Bill Belichick is The Associated Press 2007 NFL Coach of the Year. ...
That was enough to offset the major blemish on Belichick's resume: a $500,000 personal fine, $250,000 fine for the team and the loss of a first-round pick in the upcoming draft after the Patriots were caught videotaping New York Jets coaches during the season opener. (more) (more)
Quote of the Day
"Even to this day I don't chatter near a telephone that is hung up, because even when the telephone is hung up it is possible to eavesdrop on you." ~ Helena Yaralova, actress. (more)
SpyCam Story #419 - 3rd teen pleads guilty
IL - A Cary teen accused with two friends of secretly videotaping a sexual encounter with a 17-year-old high school classmate pleaded guilty to a reduced charge Thursday, allowing him to avoid a possible felony conviction and prison sentence.
Nicholas B. Parfitt, 18, admitted guilt to misdemeanor attempted eavesdropping stemming from the Jan. 6, 2007, incident in which, police said, he helped set up a hidden video camera to record sexual relations between a friend and an unsuspecting girl. (more)
Nicholas B. Parfitt, 18, admitted guilt to misdemeanor attempted eavesdropping stemming from the Jan. 6, 2007, incident in which, police said, he helped set up a hidden video camera to record sexual relations between a friend and an unsuspecting girl. (more)
Microsoft Seeks To Patent System To Spy On Workers
The application describes a program that would watch users' computer activity, automatically offering help and letting supervisors monitor users.
The patent application, published Dec. 27, describes a program that would monitor users' computer activity, automatically offer help solving problems or links to information resources, and even allow supervisory monitoring of users to make sure they're working or so others can give employees' guidance if they're stuck on a certain task.
The application centers on "activity-centric monitoring," which could be anything from "designing a new ad campaign" to "resizing an image." Either way, the program as described would be capable of monitoring related activity and providing advice or gentle nudging to carry out the task properly.
The program would even be able to determine performance levels across a group of employees and identify lower performers who might then be given additional training, be reassigned to other tasks, or, potentially, even be fired because they can't keep up with the work. (more)
The patent application, published Dec. 27, describes a program that would monitor users' computer activity, automatically offer help solving problems or links to information resources, and even allow supervisory monitoring of users to make sure they're working or so others can give employees' guidance if they're stuck on a certain task.
The application centers on "activity-centric monitoring," which could be anything from "designing a new ad campaign" to "resizing an image." Either way, the program as described would be capable of monitoring related activity and providing advice or gentle nudging to carry out the task properly.
The program would even be able to determine performance levels across a group of employees and identify lower performers who might then be given additional training, be reassigned to other tasks, or, potentially, even be fired because they can't keep up with the work. (more)
Private eye in spying row held on fraud and forgery charge
South Africa - Private investigator Niel van Heerden, who now owns the Mossel Bay franchise of George Fivaz and Associates, was arrested earlier this week on charges of fraud and forgery.
Van Heerden, 55, was arrested at his Mossel Bay home on Monday for allegedly making a false statement under oath. Police also seized three computers from his home.
Van Heerden recently made headlines when his firm was involved in the political spying accusations leveled against the DA in Cape Town. (more)
Van Heerden, 55, was arrested at his Mossel Bay home on Monday for allegedly making a false statement under oath. Police also seized three computers from his home.
Van Heerden recently made headlines when his firm was involved in the political spying accusations leveled against the DA in Cape Town. (more)
Monday, January 7, 2008
Sunday, January 6, 2008
The Kids Spy Back
(from the seller's web site...)Ideal snooper robot comes fully assembled and is fully remote controlled. Capable of entering a room undetected it will listen in on conversations then transmit them to up 150 feet away to the listening receiver. (more)
SpyCam Story #418 - Phat in Batu Pahat
Kuala Lumpur: Police will investigate the "hidden camera" aspect of the sex act involving Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek in a hotel room.
This follows some concerns that the secret recording of the intimate scenes captured on a widely-circulated DVD was an indication of an invasion of privacy and the possibility of more cases of sinister taping of other privileged information.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Ismail Omar said investigations would cover all aspects of the case including how the recording equipment came to be in the room at a hotel in Batu Pahat.
The first disc, which is about 60 minutes long, contains footage from four different angles -- suggesting four cameras in the room -- of a black-and-white recording of what appears to be a hotel room. The second disc is an enlargement of the angle above the bed. (more)
This follows some concerns that the secret recording of the intimate scenes captured on a widely-circulated DVD was an indication of an invasion of privacy and the possibility of more cases of sinister taping of other privileged information.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Ismail Omar said investigations would cover all aspects of the case including how the recording equipment came to be in the room at a hotel in Batu Pahat.
The first disc, which is about 60 minutes long, contains footage from four different angles -- suggesting four cameras in the room -- of a black-and-white recording of what appears to be a hotel room. The second disc is an enlargement of the angle above the bed. (more)
VoIP Reminder - ZFone
The VoIP industry has been amazingly uninterested in figuring out how to protect the privacy and security of VoIP users. Of all the commercial service providers, only Skype provides encryption and authentication. Fortunately, Phil Zimmerman, the inventor of the best encryption software for all platforms, PGP (Pretty Good Privacy), has turned his talents to protecting VoIP. This is good news because eavesdropping on VoIP traffic is just as easy as sniffing any TCP/IP traffic. So we now have the ZFone.
ZFone operates invisibly, without needing administration and setup the way PGP does. With PGP you have to set up a public key infrastructure (PKI). A PKI performs authentication, verifying that the person you're communicating with really is who he or she claims to be, prevents eavesdropping and alerts you if the transmission has been altered in transit. (more) (original alert)
Extra Credit...
VoIP calls are easy to eavesdrop on—anyone with access to any wire that carries your transmissions can snoop with trivial ease. There is a possible remedy, but it's not widely used yet, and that is the ZRTP encryption protocol. I think it shows the most promise, as it is lightweight, provides very strong encryption, and—best of all—requires no user or administrator intervention; it Just Works. ZRTP is somewhat like cell phone encryption, except that it's not weak or easily broken. Zfone is the software implementation of ZRTP, and now you can get a plugin for your softphones. It costs nothing but a bit of time to try it out. (more)
ZFone operates invisibly, without needing administration and setup the way PGP does. With PGP you have to set up a public key infrastructure (PKI). A PKI performs authentication, verifying that the person you're communicating with really is who he or she claims to be, prevents eavesdropping and alerts you if the transmission has been altered in transit. (more) (original alert)
Extra Credit...
VoIP calls are easy to eavesdrop on—anyone with access to any wire that carries your transmissions can snoop with trivial ease. There is a possible remedy, but it's not widely used yet, and that is the ZRTP encryption protocol. I think it shows the most promise, as it is lightweight, provides very strong encryption, and—best of all—requires no user or administrator intervention; it Just Works. ZRTP is somewhat like cell phone encryption, except that it's not weak or easily broken. Zfone is the software implementation of ZRTP, and now you can get a plugin for your softphones. It costs nothing but a bit of time to try it out. (more)
World's Best Places to... Keep it to Yourself
Individual privacy is best protected in Canada but is under threat in the United States and the European Union as governments introduce sweeping surveillance and information-gathering measures in the name of security and border control, an international rights group said in a report.
Canada, Greece and Romania had the best privacy records of 47 countries surveyed by London-based watchdog Privacy International. Malaysia, Russia and China were ranked worst.
Both Britain and the United States fell into the lowest-performing group of "endemic surveillance societies." (more)
Canada, Greece and Romania had the best privacy records of 47 countries surveyed by London-based watchdog Privacy International. Malaysia, Russia and China were ranked worst.
Both Britain and the United States fell into the lowest-performing group of "endemic surveillance societies." (more)
Book Review - "The Memory Room"
What makes somebody choose to become a spy?
What motivates people to make espionage their profession is one of the themes of Christopher Koch's seventh novel, an examination of the life, from childhood to the end of his career, of an Australian spy called Vincent Austin. (Jake Kerridge reviews "The Memory Room" by Christopher Koch)
What motivates people to make espionage their profession is one of the themes of Christopher Koch's seventh novel, an examination of the life, from childhood to the end of his career, of an Australian spy called Vincent Austin. (Jake Kerridge reviews "The Memory Room
" by Christopher Koch)
'Down' to "The Wire" :(
For five seasons, critics have worshiped "The Wire"—and lamented that more people don't. Now's your last chance to catch what may be TV's best drama ever.About 3,000 miles away from Hollywood, in a crusty dive called Kavanagh's on the corner of East Lexington and Guilford Avenue in downtown Baltimore, one of the most highly praised dramas on television is coming to an end... It is the last scene on the last day of filming on the last season of "The Wire," the HBO series that started out in 2002 as a drama about a single West Baltimore detective unit but has evolved, with furious ambition, into the story of an entire city in decline. The show is legendary here—many of the characters are based on people plucked from the city's recent past—and the cast and crew are often treated like folk heroes. (more) (Available on DVD)
Friday, January 4, 2008
Corp rivalry spells big bucks for spying biz
While this news article was written from an Indian perspective, corporate spying is a global phenomenon.
India - The intensifying competition and unprecedented number of business deals in the India Inc. has led to private detectives playing a bigger role in the corporate alley.
The detective agencies call it "corporate intelligence" and say it has become a necessity in the business world where companies routinely track their rivals’ products and services, keep an eye on their employees and even prospective alliance partners or takeover targets.
While select few cases of under-cover spying like for seeking details of a yet-to-be launched product and salaries of the top management people have been around for quite some time, the idea of corporate intelligence for not so discreet details is no more a secret and is being talked about openly. (more)
India - The intensifying competition and unprecedented number of business deals in the India Inc. has led to private detectives playing a bigger role in the corporate alley.
The detective agencies call it "corporate intelligence" and say it has become a necessity in the business world where companies routinely track their rivals’ products and services, keep an eye on their employees and even prospective alliance partners or takeover targets.
While select few cases of under-cover spying like for seeking details of a yet-to-be launched product and salaries of the top management people have been around for quite some time, the idea of corporate intelligence for not so discreet details is no more a secret and is being talked about openly. (more)
Pocket Spy - GPS Tracker
(from the seller's website...)The Smallest GPS Logger
The Super PocketTrack is an essential gadget that maps exactly where it has been by recording its own time, date, location, speed direction and altitude at preset levels.
Super PocketTrack will work anywhere on the planet. Using the latest in GPS mapping technologies from Google EarthTM, its exact location can be shown on satellite-based maps and 3D geographical terrain.
Designed with the surveillance professional in mind, the Super PocketTrack Personal GPS Tracking Device will allow you to provide eye popping reports for your client and save you time and money in the process. People are creatures of habit who rarely stray from their normal routine. If a wayward husband, wife, employee, or teenager is suspected of deceptive activity simply provide the Super PocketTrack to your client for them to plant in the suspect's vehicle and retrieve it later for you to download the results. (more)
Can't wait? Need real-time results?
Covert GPS Tracking
• Child Custody
• Teen Drivers
• Cheating Spouses
At only 2.5 x 1.7 x 1.1 inches, this Tiny GPS Tracking Device is fully self-contained and small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Place in packages, vehicles, or personnel. The miniature GPS Tracking Device sends detailed reports of routes traveled for quality control and security purposes. It can report with a variety of uses defined methods such as automatic sending of real time position data, on demand reporting, and "GeoFencing." These reports are delivered as SMS Text Messages over your local GSM Cellular Network. An internal rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery powers unit for 12-18 Hours. The External Battery Pack operates for 7-15 days depending on settings. (more)
Why do I mention these items?
So you know what you are up against.
Sky-high arsonist spycam a first
Australia - Sydney will be scanned by sky-high spy cameras to catch arsonists in the act in a world first surveillance operation.
As new statistics reveal that a juvenile is now being charged, cautioned or sent for youth conferencing every five days for lighting fires, The Daily Telegraph can reveal that a network of new generation spy cameras is being planned for Sydney to catch them in the act. (more)
As new statistics reveal that a juvenile is now being charged, cautioned or sent for youth conferencing every five days for lighting fires, The Daily Telegraph can reveal that a network of new generation spy cameras is being planned for Sydney to catch them in the act. (more)
...but, the silver space suit did cause a little envy.
Joseph Weisberg looks about how you would expect a Brooklyn dad and schoolteacher to look, with a bald head, white-flecked beard and baggy leather jacket. So on a recent frigid night, when he ambled down a Park Slope street and surreptitiously passed off a plastic container from a gumball machine to a reporter, nobody noticed.It was one of many examples of spy trade craft that Weisberg, 42, learned while training to be a case officer with the Central Intelligence Agency in the early 1990s. He no longer works there (or so he says), but he has used some of what he learned to write his latest novel, "An Ordinary Spy," which goes on sale today.
The novel, published by Bloomsbury USA, explores the moral complexity and psychological fallout of clandestine service, through a taut plot involving two case officers who meet after bungled foreign assignments a few years apart. Told in restrained prose that reflects the emotional reserve of the characters, the book is more than a thriller. It is also a chronicle of the mundanity of a spy's daily routine - not just the surveillance-detection routes and cryptic cables to headquarters, but also the staff meetings, petty rivalries between colleagues and idle chatter about pension plans. It's not quite "The Office" of espionage, but it's close. (more)
Putin on the dog...
Russia - President Vladimir Putin is to spy on his dog — by kitting her out with a sat-nav collar.
The former KGB agent’s black Labrador Connie often goes missing in woods around his holiday home.
Putin wanted to know about the hi-tech collar when he spoke to Russia’s deputy premier Sergei Ivanov yesterday, just before the launch of a satellite navigation rocket.
Putin asked him in Moscow: “When can I get a device for my dog so she can’t go too far astray?”
Ivanov replied: “Collars will be in the shops from July 2008.” (more)
The former KGB agent’s black Labrador Connie often goes missing in woods around his holiday home.
Putin wanted to know about the hi-tech collar when he spoke to Russia’s deputy premier Sergei Ivanov yesterday, just before the launch of a satellite navigation rocket.
Putin asked him in Moscow: “When can I get a device for my dog so she can’t go too far astray?”
Ivanov replied: “Collars will be in the shops from July 2008.” (more)
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Police to spy on New Year's revelers
Australia - Victorian police [No, not the Bow Street Runners. Police from Victoria, a state in Southern Australia] will be using live camera footage of streets and roads across the state to spot trouble early and control unruly revelers this New Year's Eve.
The surveillance is part of a larger early warning system which may see police 'spying on' potential troublemakers from a state-wide network of cameras.
In the New Year's Eve trial, footage will be taken from cameras operated on city streets by local councils, as well as vision taken from major roads by Vic Roads's Traffic Management Centre. (more)
The same technique was used in New York City last night... and it worked. Helicopter and street cams did their part to assure a safe celebration. I was in Times Square last night and had the opportunity to see it, and hear it (via police scanner) in action. In addition to modern technology, departments like NYPD realized back in the 70's that future law enforcement would need to be cerebral and technical in addition to physical. The 70's education push has filled the ranks with some very smart people. As always, it was a pleasure to see NYPD at work. I wasn't there to see "The Ball" drop. Standing in "a pen" for six hours is not very cerebral. I was on Broadway in Times Square to see Les Paul; the 92 year old legend who made rock and roll possible.
The surveillance is part of a larger early warning system which may see police 'spying on' potential troublemakers from a state-wide network of cameras.
In the New Year's Eve trial, footage will be taken from cameras operated on city streets by local councils, as well as vision taken from major roads by Vic Roads's Traffic Management Centre. (more)
The same technique was used in New York City last night... and it worked. Helicopter and street cams did their part to assure a safe celebration. I was in Times Square last night and had the opportunity to see it, and hear it (via police scanner) in action. In addition to modern technology, departments like NYPD realized back in the 70's that future law enforcement would need to be cerebral and technical in addition to physical. The 70's education push has filled the ranks with some very smart people. As always, it was a pleasure to see NYPD at work. I wasn't there to see "The Ball" drop. Standing in "a pen" for six hours is not very cerebral. I was on Broadway in Times Square to see Les Paul; the 92 year old legend who made rock and roll possible.
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