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Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
One Spy Outs Another at City Council Meeting
CA - A former Scientologist confronted a City Council candidate at a California meeting, where she revealed they both had been sent as spies by the group to harass one of the church’s critics.
Paulien Lombard, who has since left the church, addressed a City Council meeting in Garden Grove, describing how she and candidate Clay Bock had been sent by Scientology’s spy wing, the Office of Special Affairs, to intimidate a man who’d been protesting outside the group’s “Int Base,”...
Bock was actually in attendance when Lombard outed him as a Scientology spy, and the stunned City Council candidate nervously addressed the meeting afterward.
“I had no idea Paulien would be here or that this would be an issue,” Bock said. more
Paulien Lombard, who has since left the church, addressed a City Council meeting in Garden Grove, describing how she and candidate Clay Bock had been sent by Scientology’s spy wing, the Office of Special Affairs, to intimidate a man who’d been protesting outside the group’s “Int Base,”...
Bock was actually in attendance when Lombard outed him as a Scientology spy, and the stunned City Council candidate nervously addressed the meeting afterward.
“I had no idea Paulien would be here or that this would be an issue,” Bock said. more
Spycam News: Video Voyeur Builds Spy Camera into Toy Jukeboxes—Gives them to Kids
FL - Deputies with the Lake County Sheriff's Office seized various equipment after Robert Anthony O'Hare's arrest last year. Through the seizure, they learned O'Hare had placed hidden cameras in two miniature jukeboxes that were later delivered to children.
"They didn't go through the post office, it looks as they he hand-delivered them," said John Herrell, with the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
The hidden cameras were used to film the children unbeknownst to them, according to deputies.
"As long as they (the jukeboxes) were plugged into the wall, those cameras were activated," Herrell said. "He could use a remote control and remotely control what the camera was viewing."
O'Hare is accused of producing hundreds of videos using a telescopic lens and camera found in his closet during a search of his home in October 2015, deputies said.
Hundreds of downloaded pornographic videos involving adults were also found on his devices, according to authorities. O’Hare is also accused of downloading child porn at a coffee shop. more
"They didn't go through the post office, it looks as they he hand-delivered them," said John Herrell, with the Lake County Sheriff's Office. The hidden cameras were used to film the children unbeknownst to them, according to deputies.
"As long as they (the jukeboxes) were plugged into the wall, those cameras were activated," Herrell said. "He could use a remote control and remotely control what the camera was viewing."
O'Hare is accused of producing hundreds of videos using a telescopic lens and camera found in his closet during a search of his home in October 2015, deputies said.
Hundreds of downloaded pornographic videos involving adults were also found on his devices, according to authorities. O’Hare is also accused of downloading child porn at a coffee shop. more
Revision to Federal Criminal Procedure Rule May Lead to Widespread Electronic Surveillance
US - Effective December 1, 2016, Rule 41 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure will be amended to expand the reach of the authority of federal judges when they are issuing search warrants. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon contends that the upcoming changes present a major threat to civil liberties associated with content stored on or accessible through electronic devices.
As modified, Rule 41 will permit federal judges to authorize expanded remote searches of electronic devices including computers and smartphones. Senator Wyden contends that the revised rule will enable federal judges to issue search warrants to permit remote searches of virtually any device, and the material accessible through that device, no matter where the device is located.
Wyden claims that this broad authority would enable a single federal judge to facilitate remote searches of millions of devices and all the materials accessible through those devices. He has proposed legislation which would block this rule modification. His legislative proposal has, however, not yet been enacted, thus the proposed rule changes currently remain on track for the December 1 effective date. more
As modified, Rule 41 will permit federal judges to authorize expanded remote searches of electronic devices including computers and smartphones. Senator Wyden contends that the revised rule will enable federal judges to issue search warrants to permit remote searches of virtually any device, and the material accessible through that device, no matter where the device is located.Wyden claims that this broad authority would enable a single federal judge to facilitate remote searches of millions of devices and all the materials accessible through those devices. He has proposed legislation which would block this rule modification. His legislative proposal has, however, not yet been enacted, thus the proposed rule changes currently remain on track for the December 1 effective date. more
Monday, September 19, 2016
Spy Chip Implants - Common Complaint - Best handled with an X-ray
United Kingdom-based NRI (A Non-Resident Indian is a citizen of India who holds an Indian passport and has temporarily emigrated to another country for six months or more...) who claims ‘spying chips’ were installed in his body would be examined at Jalandhar’s Army hospital after the Ministry of Home Affairs forwarded his plea requesting their removal to the Punjab government.
Harinder Pal Singh, who returned from the UK three years ago, claimed British police had installed chips in his body for spying...
Narrating his bizarre-sounding story... “I went to UK in 1987 at the age of 15 with my grandmom. One day, I was sleeping in my room and some plainclothes policemen made me unconscious and got instruments installed in my body.”
“In 1996, my nearly four-year-old daughter died in an accident, which was changed into murder. I was convicted for it and sentenced to 15 years. After completing my jail term on February 13, 2013, I was deported,’’ he claimed. more
Harinder Pal Singh, who returned from the UK three years ago, claimed British police had installed chips in his body for spying...Narrating his bizarre-sounding story... “I went to UK in 1987 at the age of 15 with my grandmom. One day, I was sleeping in my room and some plainclothes policemen made me unconscious and got instruments installed in my body.”
“In 1996, my nearly four-year-old daughter died in an accident, which was changed into murder. I was convicted for it and sentenced to 15 years. After completing my jail term on February 13, 2013, I was deported,’’ he claimed. more
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Federal Court to Unseal Secret Electronic Surveillance Records... maybe
US - In a major victory for journalists and privacy and transparency advocates, a federal court has started the process of unsealing secret records related to the government's use of electronic surveillance.
US District Court Judge Beryl Howell said at a hearing Friday morning that absent an objection by government attorneys (the maybe), the court would post to its website next week a list of all case numbers from 2012 in which federal prosecutors in Washington, DC applied for an order to install a pen register or a trap and trace device.
A pen register is an electronic apparatus that tracks phone numbers called from a specific telephone line (though the 2001 USA PATRIOT Act expanded the definition of pen register to allow for collection of email headers as well). A trap and trace device is similar, but tracks the phone numbers of incoming calls. For decades, court records relating to these documents have typically been sealed in their entirety, including even the docket numbers. more
US District Court Judge Beryl Howell said at a hearing Friday morning that absent an objection by government attorneys (the maybe), the court would post to its website next week a list of all case numbers from 2012 in which federal prosecutors in Washington, DC applied for an order to install a pen register or a trap and trace device.A pen register is an electronic apparatus that tracks phone numbers called from a specific telephone line (though the 2001 USA PATRIOT Act expanded the definition of pen register to allow for collection of email headers as well). A trap and trace device is similar, but tracks the phone numbers of incoming calls. For decades, court records relating to these documents have typically been sealed in their entirety, including even the docket numbers. more
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Security Director Alert: USB Sabotage Kills Devices in Split-Second - Only $49.95
For just a few bucks, you can pick up a USB stick that destroys almost anything that it's plugged into. Laptops, PCs, televisions, photo booths -- you name it.
Once a proof-of-concept, the pocket-sized USB stick now fits in any security tester's repertoire of tools and hacks, says the Hong Kong-based company that developed it.
It works like this: when the USB Kill stick is plugged in, it rapidly charges its capacitors from the USB power supply, and then discharges -- all in the matter of seconds.
On unprotected equipment, the device's makers say it will "instantly and permanently disable unprotected hardware"...
The lesson here is simple enough. If a device has an exposed USB port -- such as a copy machine or even an airline entertainment system -- it can be used and abused, not just by a hacker or malicious actor, but also electrical attacks.
"Any public facing USB port should be considered an attack vector," says the company. "In data security, these ports are often locked down to prevent exfiltration of data, or infiltration of malware, but are very often unprotected against electrical attack."
Not every device is vulnerable to a USB Kill attack. The device maker said that Apple "voluntarily" protected its hardware. more
From USBKill.com...
USBKill.com strongly condems malicious use of its products.
The USB Killer is developed and sold as a testing device. Use of the device can permanently damage hardware. Customers agree to the terms and conditions of sale, and acknowledge the consequences of use.
In a nutshell, users are responsible for their acts.
A hammer used maliciously can permanently damage to a third party's device. The USB Killer, used maliciously, can permanently damage a third party's device.
As with any tool, it is the individual, not the manufacturer of the tool, responsible for how the individual uses the tool.
The USB Killer was used on our equipment
Please see above. We suggest pursuing the individual responsible, or reporting the act to the appropriate authorities.
This is only one spy trick.
We know hundreds more.
Call us for a TSCM / Information Security Survey.
Once a proof-of-concept, the pocket-sized USB stick now fits in any security tester's repertoire of tools and hacks, says the Hong Kong-based company that developed it.It works like this: when the USB Kill stick is plugged in, it rapidly charges its capacitors from the USB power supply, and then discharges -- all in the matter of seconds.
On unprotected equipment, the device's makers say it will "instantly and permanently disable unprotected hardware"...
The lesson here is simple enough. If a device has an exposed USB port -- such as a copy machine or even an airline entertainment system -- it can be used and abused, not just by a hacker or malicious actor, but also electrical attacks.
"Any public facing USB port should be considered an attack vector," says the company. "In data security, these ports are often locked down to prevent exfiltration of data, or infiltration of malware, but are very often unprotected against electrical attack."
Not every device is vulnerable to a USB Kill attack. The device maker said that Apple "voluntarily" protected its hardware. more
From USBKill.com...
USBKill.com strongly condems malicious use of its products.
The USB Killer is developed and sold as a testing device. Use of the device can permanently damage hardware. Customers agree to the terms and conditions of sale, and acknowledge the consequences of use.
In a nutshell, users are responsible for their acts.
A hammer used maliciously can permanently damage to a third party's device. The USB Killer, used maliciously, can permanently damage a third party's device.
As with any tool, it is the individual, not the manufacturer of the tool, responsible for how the individual uses the tool.
The USB Killer was used on our equipment
Please see above. We suggest pursuing the individual responsible, or reporting the act to the appropriate authorities.
This is only one spy trick.
We know hundreds more.
Call us for a TSCM / Information Security Survey.
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
New Chip Could Bring Highest Level of Encryption to Any Mobile Device
Random number generators are crucial to the encryption that protects our privacy and security...
For the first time, engineers have developed a fast random number generator based on a quantum mechanical process that could deliver the world’s most secure encryption keys in a package tiny enough to use in a mobile device.
In The Optical Society's journal for high impact research, Optica, the researchers report on their fully integrated device for random number generation. The new work represents a key advancement... delivering the highest quality numbers and thus the highest level of security — into computers, tablets and mobile phones.
“We’ve managed to put quantum-based technology that has been used in high profile science experiments into a package that might allow it to be used commercially,” said the paper’s first author, Carlos Abellan, a doctoral student at ICFO-The Institute of Photonic Sciences, a member of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Spain. “This is likely just one example of quantum technologies that will soon be available for use in real commercial products. It is a big step forward as far as integration is concerned.” more
For the first time, engineers have developed a fast random number generator based on a quantum mechanical process that could deliver the world’s most secure encryption keys in a package tiny enough to use in a mobile device.In The Optical Society's journal for high impact research, Optica, the researchers report on their fully integrated device for random number generation. The new work represents a key advancement... delivering the highest quality numbers and thus the highest level of security — into computers, tablets and mobile phones.
“We’ve managed to put quantum-based technology that has been used in high profile science experiments into a package that might allow it to be used commercially,” said the paper’s first author, Carlos Abellan, a doctoral student at ICFO-The Institute of Photonic Sciences, a member of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Spain. “This is likely just one example of quantum technologies that will soon be available for use in real commercial products. It is a big step forward as far as integration is concerned.” more
Hey Kids - Learn How to Operate a Stingray IMSI-Catcher!
Using mass surveillance software without a warrant is almost as easy as installing Skype, according to leaked footage and instruction manuals for Harris Corp. stingray devices.
The footage, obtained by the Intercept, shows Harris Corp.'s Gemini software being used on a personal computer demonstrating how accessible the program is with a noticeable lack of any registration keys, proof of ownership, or safety measures to ensure the software was only used for authorized purposes.
The manuals include instructions for several Harris surveillance boxes, including the Hailstorm, ArrowHead, AmberJack, KingFish and other products in the RayFish Product Family.
Some features mentioned in the manuals are the ability to impersonate four cellular communication towers at once, monitor up to four cellular provider networks at once, and the ability to knock a targets devices down to an inferior network, such as from LTE to 2G.
The manual also details how to set up a target or “subscriber” and how to set up bulk surveillance, according to a Gemini device “Quick Start Guide” that was leaked on DocumentCloud. more
The footage, obtained by the Intercept, shows Harris Corp.'s Gemini software being used on a personal computer demonstrating how accessible the program is with a noticeable lack of any registration keys, proof of ownership, or safety measures to ensure the software was only used for authorized purposes. The manuals include instructions for several Harris surveillance boxes, including the Hailstorm, ArrowHead, AmberJack, KingFish and other products in the RayFish Product Family.
Some features mentioned in the manuals are the ability to impersonate four cellular communication towers at once, monitor up to four cellular provider networks at once, and the ability to knock a targets devices down to an inferior network, such as from LTE to 2G.
The manual also details how to set up a target or “subscriber” and how to set up bulk surveillance, according to a Gemini device “Quick Start Guide” that was leaked on DocumentCloud. more
Business Espionage: At these rates, employees may start selling your passwords.
Hackers are claiming to have accounts at major United States government agencies for sale, including NASA, the Navy, and the Department of Veteran Affairs.
The unverified cache found by Infoarmor chief intelligence officer Andrew Komarov includes 33,000 records tied to the US Government, plus research and educational organizations and universities.
Agencies on the list include the US General Services Administration, National Parks Service, and the Federal Aviation Administration. One government data listing visited by The Register promised alleged access to six unnamed accounts for subdomains of the US Navy including 3.5 bitcoins (US$2132).
They are also selling alleged access to five accounts across subdomains for NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab for three bitcoins (US$1827).
Another three logins to servers of the US Centres of Disease Control and Prevention over FTP and SFTP were being flogged for half a Bitcoin (US$300). more
The unverified cache found by Infoarmor chief intelligence officer Andrew Komarov includes 33,000 records tied to the US Government, plus research and educational organizations and universities.Agencies on the list include the US General Services Administration, National Parks Service, and the Federal Aviation Administration. One government data listing visited by The Register promised alleged access to six unnamed accounts for subdomains of the US Navy including 3.5 bitcoins (US$2132).
They are also selling alleged access to five accounts across subdomains for NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab for three bitcoins (US$1827).
Another three logins to servers of the US Centres of Disease Control and Prevention over FTP and SFTP were being flogged for half a Bitcoin (US$300). more
Spycam Incident: Coach Resigned - Team Member Confessed - Police TSCM Search
The head coach of South Korea's national team resigned on Wednesday as police investigate allegations that two male swimmers secretly filmed female swimmers after installing a spy camera in their locker room at a training facility in 2013.
Ahn Jong-taek, who was named head coach in 2012, felt responsible for what allegedly happened under his watch, but maintained he and other coaches didn't know what went on, said Park Seong-su, an official from the Korean Olympic Committee.
Police in Seoul have been investigating two former national team swimmers over the allegations, and said one of them has admitted installing a camera at the national training facility in Jincheon, central South Korea, and discarding it after footage was taken. more
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Police in Seoul have been investigating two former national team swimmers over the allegations, and said one of them has admitted installing a camera at the national training facility in Jincheon, central South Korea, and discarding it after footage was taken. more
Attorney No-Show to Answer Questions About a Vast Eavesdropping Operation
CA - A judge in Palm Springs has issued an arrest warrant
for former Riverside County District Attorney Paul Zellerbach after he failed to appear at a court hearing to answer questions about a vast eavesdropping operation...
“He should have been there,” said Jan Ronis, the attorney who subpoenaed Zellerbach, according to the newspaper. “But he just blew us off. We could have had court today.”
In a telephone interview Tuesday night, Zellerbach insisted the warrant had been issued in error because of “lies and misinformation.” more
for former Riverside County District Attorney Paul Zellerbach after he failed to appear at a court hearing to answer questions about a vast eavesdropping operation...“He should have been there,” said Jan Ronis, the attorney who subpoenaed Zellerbach, according to the newspaper. “But he just blew us off. We could have had court today.”
In a telephone interview Tuesday night, Zellerbach insisted the warrant had been issued in error because of “lies and misinformation.” more
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Classic Spy Tradecraft: Sexy Spies at G20 Summit
This is a cautionary tale for all business people (men and women) who travel for work...
While Americans in Hangzhou may be worried about red-carpeted stairways, British officials are concerned about something much more important -- honey traps.
The team of officials accompanying new British Prime Minister Theresa May to the G20 summit have been warned to take steps to protect themselves from alluring Chinese spies offering sex during their stay in Hangzhou, the Telegraph reports.
Apparently, British security agents haven't just been reading too many James Bond novels; this kind of thing has happened before and they are taking care that it won't happen again by issuing officials with temporary mobile phones and email addresses.
The scandalous incident occurred during former prime minister Gordon Brown's visit to China in 2008. According to Brown's special advisor Damien McBride, the British officials were “accosted on one side by a beautiful posse of Chinese girls and on the other side by an equivalent group of Russian blondes."
Before they knew what was going on, one of the officials was lured away to his hotel room, where he was drugged and robbed of his Blackberry and "half the contents of his briefcase." more
PS - They can also plant eavesdropping devices and spycams.
While Americans in Hangzhou may be worried about red-carpeted stairways, British officials are concerned about something much more important -- honey traps.
Apparently, British security agents haven't just been reading too many James Bond novels; this kind of thing has happened before and they are taking care that it won't happen again by issuing officials with temporary mobile phones and email addresses.
The scandalous incident occurred during former prime minister Gordon Brown's visit to China in 2008. According to Brown's special advisor Damien McBride, the British officials were “accosted on one side by a beautiful posse of Chinese girls and on the other side by an equivalent group of Russian blondes."Before they knew what was going on, one of the officials was lured away to his hotel room, where he was drugged and robbed of his Blackberry and "half the contents of his briefcase." more
PS - They can also plant eavesdropping devices and spycams.
How Strangers Can Hack the Phone in Your Pocket
These days no one leaves home without a smartphone. But as 60 Minutes Overtime reports, you may need a "CryptoPhone" if you want to avoid hacking.
“In today’s world, there’s really only two types of companies or two types of people which are those who have been hacked and realize it and those who have been hacked and haven’t.”
That’s what mobile security expert John Hering tells 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi about the danger of cellphone hacking on this week’s broadcast. more
“In today’s world, there’s really only two types of companies or two types of people which are those who have been hacked and realize it and those who have been hacked and haven’t.” That’s what mobile security expert John Hering tells 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi about the danger of cellphone hacking on this week’s broadcast. more
Saturday, September 3, 2016
The Five Steps to Countering Business Espionage
Everyone has heard the phrase "loose lips sink ships."
That's the very essence of military operational security. Commonly shortened into "OPSEC," it is a fundamental—if not the most important—part of military operations...
The business world isn't nearly as life and death but that doesn't mean the same rules don't apply. The military has five basic steps to proper OPSEC, and they're just as useful in the civilian world, especially with the proliferation of tech that makes leaks and security breaches more common.
1. Identify critical information
2. Analyze potential threats
3. Know your own weaknesses
4. Assess risks
5. Apply countermeasures
That's the very essence of military operational security. Commonly shortened into "OPSEC," it is a fundamental—if not the most important—part of military operations... The business world isn't nearly as life and death but that doesn't mean the same rules don't apply. The military has five basic steps to proper OPSEC, and they're just as useful in the civilian world, especially with the proliferation of tech that makes leaks and security breaches more common.
1. Identify critical information
2. Analyze potential threats
3. Know your own weaknesses
4. Assess risks
5. Apply countermeasures
- OPSEC requires complete understanding of your company from the inside out. If you're truly going to be as secure as a well-oiled military unit you need to think about—and think like—the enemy.
- Think about the threats you might face and compare those to your vulnerabilities. The military uses that comparison to figure out where they need to focus on OPSEC—it is no different in the civilian world.
- Planning is nothing without execution. Make sure you're putting OPSEC lessons into play, and also be sure that everyone in your company is on board. The lowest ranking Private in the Army takes OPSEC classes, and so should the lowest level employee at your company. more
The Real Whole Spy Catalog
A confidential, 120-page catalog of spy equipment,
originating from British defense firm Cobham and circulated to U.S. law enforcement, touts gear that can intercept wireless calls and text messages, locate people via their mobile phones, and jam cellular communications in a particular area.
The catalogue was obtained by The Intercept as part of a large trove of documents originating within the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, where spokesperson Molly Best confirmed Cobham wares have been purchased but did not provide further information.
The document provides a rare look at the wide range of electronic surveillance tactics used by police and militaries in the U.S. and abroad, offering equipment ranging from black boxes that can monitor an entire town’s cellular signals to microphones hidden in lighters and cameras hidden in trashcans. more
The original Whole Spy Catalog.
originating from British defense firm Cobham and circulated to U.S. law enforcement, touts gear that can intercept wireless calls and text messages, locate people via their mobile phones, and jam cellular communications in a particular area.
The catalogue was obtained by The Intercept as part of a large trove of documents originating within the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, where spokesperson Molly Best confirmed Cobham wares have been purchased but did not provide further information.The document provides a rare look at the wide range of electronic surveillance tactics used by police and militaries in the U.S. and abroad, offering equipment ranging from black boxes that can monitor an entire town’s cellular signals to microphones hidden in lighters and cameras hidden in trashcans. moreThe original Whole Spy Catalog.
Relive Watergate by Living in Watergate
Watergate will forever be notorious as the site of the Democratic National Committee break-in. Now for $1.33 million, you can buy your place in its history.
That’s the asking price of the four-bedroom residence where then-Attorney General John Mitchell lived when planning the infamous break-in of 1972. The apartment, located in one of the Watergate’s three residential towers, measures 3,150 square feet and includes a private elevator entrance.
The buildings that make up the Watergate complex have a long list of A-list residents influential in politics, public policy, the arts and business. Current owners include Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, former Sens. Bob and Elizabeth Dole, and Jacqueline Mars, heiress to the Mars candy fortune. We take you behind the scenes in the Washington landmark. more
Fun Facts
• John Mitchell was the person who evaluated the results of the first Watergate burglary and ordered the five men to return to fix wiretaps and photograph more documents.
• "If it hadn't been for Martha Mitchell,
there'd have been no Watergate."
~Nixon
That’s the asking price of the four-bedroom residence where then-Attorney General John Mitchell lived when planning the infamous break-in of 1972. The apartment, located in one of the Watergate’s three residential towers, measures 3,150 square feet and includes a private elevator entrance.The buildings that make up the Watergate complex have a long list of A-list residents influential in politics, public policy, the arts and business. Current owners include Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, former Sens. Bob and Elizabeth Dole, and Jacqueline Mars, heiress to the Mars candy fortune. We take you behind the scenes in the Washington landmark. more
Fun Facts
• John Mitchell was the person who evaluated the results of the first Watergate burglary and ordered the five men to return to fix wiretaps and photograph more documents.
• "If it hadn't been for Martha Mitchell,
there'd have been no Watergate."
~Nixon
Thursday, September 1, 2016
50% of Email Users Deserve the Problems They Create
Security experts often talk about the importance of educating people
about the risks of "phishing" e-mails containing links to malicious websites. But sometimes, even awareness isn't enough.
A study by researchers at a university in Germany found that about half of the subjects in a recent experiment clicked on links from strangers in e-mails and Facebook messages—even though most of them claimed to be aware of the risks. more
about the risks of "phishing" e-mails containing links to malicious websites. But sometimes, even awareness isn't enough. A study by researchers at a university in Germany found that about half of the subjects in a recent experiment clicked on links from strangers in e-mails and Facebook messages—even though most of them claimed to be aware of the risks. more
Sports Smartphone App Accused of Eavesdropping
A putative class action suit filed in a California court on Monday against Oakland’s Golden State Warriors basketball team accuses the team of offering a smartphone app that secretly records the user’s conversations.
The app, developed by Yinzcam Inc., uses the phone’s microphone to track the user’s location by picking up on sonic beacons built by Signal360, but fails to warn users that it is doing so and that it is picking up nearby conversations in the process, plaintiff Latisha Satchell said.
“Unbeknownst to plaintiff and without her consent, defendants programmed the app to turn on her smartphone’s microphone and listen in. Specifically, because plaintiff carried her smartphone to locations where she would have private conversations and the app was continuously running on her phone, defendants app listened in to private oral communications,” Satchell said.
According to the complaint, the app, which is advertised as a source of scores, game schedules, news, statistics and other information about the Warriors, uses the phone’s microphone to pick up sound tones generated by Signal360 beacons and uses those tones to track the user’s location in the Warrior’s stadium and send the user appropriate notifications and advertisements or track the user’s movements for later analysis. Satchell argued that the app also picks up and temporarily records other nearby sounds, including conversations. more
The app, developed by Yinzcam Inc., uses the phone’s microphone to track the user’s location by picking up on sonic beacons built by Signal360, but fails to warn users that it is doing so and that it is picking up nearby conversations in the process, plaintiff Latisha Satchell said.“Unbeknownst to plaintiff and without her consent, defendants programmed the app to turn on her smartphone’s microphone and listen in. Specifically, because plaintiff carried her smartphone to locations where she would have private conversations and the app was continuously running on her phone, defendants app listened in to private oral communications,” Satchell said.
According to the complaint, the app, which is advertised as a source of scores, game schedules, news, statistics and other information about the Warriors, uses the phone’s microphone to pick up sound tones generated by Signal360 beacons and uses those tones to track the user’s location in the Warrior’s stadium and send the user appropriate notifications and advertisements or track the user’s movements for later analysis. Satchell argued that the app also picks up and temporarily records other nearby sounds, including conversations. more
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
BBC: Are hi-tech spies stealing all your firm's secrets?
Last weekend's reports about the New Zealand rugby team's discovery of a listening device sewn in to a hotel meeting room chair, have illustrated just how much spying technology has advanced in recent years.
These days, you don't need to sit outside in a van with your headphones on, listening to static for an hour before the battery runs out and the tape recorder gives a tell-tale clunk.
Tiny matchbox-sized gadgets are now capable of transmitting audio and video for hours on end to the other side of the world. more
If you are in business, you have information others want. Don't be an easy target.
Order our 3-point information security assessment. (Bug sweep / TSCM, Wi-Fi security and compliance audit & Information Security Survey)
Tiny matchbox-sized gadgets are now capable of transmitting audio and video for hours on end to the other side of the world. more
If you are in business, you have information others want. Don't be an easy target.
Order our 3-point information security assessment. (Bug sweep / TSCM, Wi-Fi security and compliance audit & Information Security Survey)
Rugby Bugging Scandal - CEO - Nieve? Negligent? You Decide...
Australian Rugby Union CEO Bill Pulver says... he’d never previously heard of sports teams sweeping rooms for bugs.
“I’m not going to describe the All Blacks as paranoid, it’s up to them to run their team the way they want to,” Pulver said.
“But I can tell you we don’t sweep rooms.” more
Obviously, if you never check, you'll never know. TSCM inspection sweeps work. Just ask the All Blacks.
“I’m not going to describe the All Blacks as paranoid, it’s up to them to run their team the way they want to,” Pulver said.“But I can tell you we don’t sweep rooms.” more
Obviously, if you never check, you'll never know. TSCM inspection sweeps work. Just ask the All Blacks.
CNN Report: How is the US / China Cyber Theft Agreement Working Out?
About a year ago, China and the United States formally agreed not to conduct or knowingly support the cyber theft of each other's intellectual property.
So, how is that agreement working out?
Not great, said Adm. Mike Rogers, head of US Cyber Command.
"Cyber operations from China are still targeting and exploiting US government, defense industry, academic and private computer networks," Rogers said last April during testimony before a US Senate committee.
Cyber theft of US trade secrets can easily ruin American businesses and result in higher prices for consumers. Even more worrisome, stolen American military secrets could put US servicemen and women at risk during combat. more with video
See the dramatic story of how the United States caught and convicted an American who was spying for China. Watch CNN's "Declassified," Sunday at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
So, how is that agreement working out?
Not great, said Adm. Mike Rogers, head of US Cyber Command."Cyber operations from China are still targeting and exploiting US government, defense industry, academic and private computer networks," Rogers said last April during testimony before a US Senate committee.
Cyber theft of US trade secrets can easily ruin American businesses and result in higher prices for consumers. Even more worrisome, stolen American military secrets could put US servicemen and women at risk during combat. more with video
See the dramatic story of how the United States caught and convicted an American who was spying for China. Watch CNN's "Declassified," Sunday at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
Eye in Sky Surveillance - “Imagine Google Earth with TiVo capability.”
Baltimore, MD - Since January, police have been testing an aerial surveillance system adapted from the surge in Iraq.
[See excellent video report.]
A half block from the city’s central police station, in a spare office suite above a parking garage, Ross McNutt, the founder of Persistent Surveillance Systems, monitored the city...
Since this discreet arrangement began in January, it had felt like a make-or-break opportunity for McNutt. His company had been trying for years to snag a long-term contract with an American metropolitan police department. Baltimore seemed like his best shot to date, one that could lead to more work.
He’s told police departments that his system might help them reduce crime by as much as 20 percent in their cities, and he was hoping this Baltimore job would allow him to back up the claim. “I don’t have good statistical data yet, but that’s part of the reason we’re here,” he said. McNutt believes the technology would be most effective if used in a transparent, publicly acknowledged manner; part of the system’s effectiveness, he said, rests in its potential to deter criminal activity.
McNutt is an Air Force Academy graduate, physicist, and MIT-trained astronautical engineer who in 2004 founded the Air Force’s Center for Rapid Product Development. The Pentagon asked him if he could develop something to figure out who was planting the roadside bombs that were killing and maiming American soldiers in Iraq. In 2006 he gave the military Angel Fire, a wide-area, live-feed surveillance system that could cast an unblinking eye on an entire city.
The system was built around an assembly of four to six commercially available industrial imaging cameras, synchronized and positioned at different angles, then attached to the bottom of a plane. As the plane flew, computers stabilized the images from the cameras, stitched them together and transmitted them to the ground at a rate of one per second. This produced a searchable, constantly updating photographic map that was stored on hard drives. His elevator pitch was irresistible: “Imagine Google Earth with TiVo capability.” more more videos
[See excellent video report.]
A half block from the city’s central police station, in a spare office suite above a parking garage, Ross McNutt, the founder of Persistent Surveillance Systems, monitored the city...
Since this discreet arrangement began in January, it had felt like a make-or-break opportunity for McNutt. His company had been trying for years to snag a long-term contract with an American metropolitan police department. Baltimore seemed like his best shot to date, one that could lead to more work.
He’s told police departments that his system might help them reduce crime by as much as 20 percent in their cities, and he was hoping this Baltimore job would allow him to back up the claim. “I don’t have good statistical data yet, but that’s part of the reason we’re here,” he said. McNutt believes the technology would be most effective if used in a transparent, publicly acknowledged manner; part of the system’s effectiveness, he said, rests in its potential to deter criminal activity.McNutt is an Air Force Academy graduate, physicist, and MIT-trained astronautical engineer who in 2004 founded the Air Force’s Center for Rapid Product Development. The Pentagon asked him if he could develop something to figure out who was planting the roadside bombs that were killing and maiming American soldiers in Iraq. In 2006 he gave the military Angel Fire, a wide-area, live-feed surveillance system that could cast an unblinking eye on an entire city.
The system was built around an assembly of four to six commercially available industrial imaging cameras, synchronized and positioned at different angles, then attached to the bottom of a plane. As the plane flew, computers stabilized the images from the cameras, stitched them together and transmitted them to the ground at a rate of one per second. This produced a searchable, constantly updating photographic map that was stored on hard drives. His elevator pitch was irresistible: “Imagine Google Earth with TiVo capability.” more more videos
Monday, August 22, 2016
Bugging devices 'widespread' According to Prime Minister
NZ - Prime Minister John Key says he too has been bugged, but won't go into specifics about how often that has happened, where it occurred and who might have been responsible.
His comments come as police in Sydney investigate the discovery of a listening device in a hotel meeting room used by the All Blacks.
Mr Key said it had happened to him, but would not give any details, except to say he would only know about a fraction of the times he had been bugged.
"I'm just saying it's not a new concept that people would put in bugging devices ... I'm just saying it's widespread and I think people would be wise to consider those factors." more
When you think about it, we only know about covert bugging, wiretapping and optical surveillance from the failed attempts.
By definition, all successful eavesdropping is never discovered. (Usually because no one is looking for it.)
This is why smart businesses, like the All Blacks rugby organization, conduct proactive technical surveillance countermeasures inspections (aka TSCM).
If you would like to add TSCM inspections to your security strategy, contact me. I'll recommend a trusted specialist in your area. ~Kevin
His comments come as police in Sydney investigate the discovery of a listening device in a hotel meeting room used by the All Blacks.
 |
| Example of a digital transmitter. |
"I'm just saying it's not a new concept that people would put in bugging devices ... I'm just saying it's widespread and I think people would be wise to consider those factors." more
When you think about it, we only know about covert bugging, wiretapping and optical surveillance from the failed attempts.
By definition, all successful eavesdropping is never discovered. (Usually because no one is looking for it.)
This is why smart businesses, like the All Blacks rugby organization, conduct proactive technical surveillance countermeasures inspections (aka TSCM).
If you would like to add TSCM inspections to your security strategy, contact me. I'll recommend a trusted specialist in your area. ~Kevin
Facebook Surveillance Would Make Santa Jealous, or...
...98 personal data points that Facebook uses to target ads to you...
Say you’re scrolling through your Facebook Newsfeed and you encounter an ad so eerily well-suited, it seems someone has possibly read your brain.
Maybe your mother’s birthday is coming up, and Facebook’s showing ads for her local florist. Or maybe you just made a joke aloud about wanting a Jeep, and Instagram’s promoting Chrysler dealerships.
Whatever the subject, you’ve seen ads like this. You’ve wondered — maybe worried — how they found their way to you...
While you’re logged onto Facebook, for instance, the network can see virtually every other website you visit. Even when you’re logged off, Facebook knows much of your browsing: It’s alerted every time you load a page with a “Like” or “share” button, or an advertisement sourced from its Atlas network. Facebook also provides publishers with a piece of code, called Facebook Pixel, that they (and by extension, Facebook) can use to log their Facebook-using visitors. more
Say you’re scrolling through your Facebook Newsfeed and you encounter an ad so eerily well-suited, it seems someone has possibly read your brain.
Maybe your mother’s birthday is coming up, and Facebook’s showing ads for her local florist. Or maybe you just made a joke aloud about wanting a Jeep, and Instagram’s promoting Chrysler dealerships.Whatever the subject, you’ve seen ads like this. You’ve wondered — maybe worried — how they found their way to you...
While you’re logged onto Facebook, for instance, the network can see virtually every other website you visit. Even when you’re logged off, Facebook knows much of your browsing: It’s alerted every time you load a page with a “Like” or “share” button, or an advertisement sourced from its Atlas network. Facebook also provides publishers with a piece of code, called Facebook Pixel, that they (and by extension, Facebook) can use to log their Facebook-using visitors. more
Banksy Spy Art Destroyed
This famous Banksy artwork showing "snooping" in Cheltenham has been removed.
Spy Booth depicts three 1950s-style agents, wearing brown trench coats and trilby hats, using devices to tap into conversations at a telephone box. On April 13, 2014 the mural first appeared on the house in Fairview Road, Cheltenham.
The graffiti street art - which highlights the issue of Government surveillance - is located on the Grade II listed building near GCHQ, where the UK's surveillance network is based.
Spy Booth was granted listed status by Cheltenham Borough Council but the house itself has been put up for sale in January this year.
A social media post yesterday appeared to show the mural being cut down behind a tarpaulin. more
Sunday, August 21, 2016
TSCM Find: Bug Discovered in Hotel Meeting Room Used by New Zealand Rugby Team
New Zealand Rugby says a Sydney hotel room where the All Blacks held meetings was bugged before their first Bledisloe Cup match against Australia.
The New Zealand Herald reported that a "sophisticated" listening device found on Monday had been hidden in a chair...
The paper reported that hiding the bug "was a highly skilled and meticulous act and whoever put it there would have needed a significant amount of time to have pulled off such an accomplished job".
Indications are that the device was working and would have transmitted conversations about the All Blacks' strategy for Saturday's match. more
The Herald understands the foam of the seat appeared to have been deliberately and carefully cut to make way for the device and then sewn or glued back together to be almost undetectable. more
The New Zealand Herald reported that a "sophisticated" listening device found on Monday had been hidden in a chair...
The paper reported that hiding the bug "was a highly skilled and meticulous act and whoever put it there would have needed a significant amount of time to have pulled off such an accomplished job".
Indications are that the device was working and would have transmitted conversations about the All Blacks' strategy for Saturday's match. more
The Herald understands the foam of the seat appeared to have been deliberately and carefully cut to make way for the device and then sewn or glued back together to be almost undetectable. more
It Just Got Harder to Spy on Your Spouse Online
Joseph Zhang became suspicious of his wife Catherine’s online activities, so he installed software called WebWatcher on their home computer in Ohio to track her. The fallout was not just a divorce, but a landmark court ruling that could have long-term implications for both users and makers of so-called spyware.
According to an appeals court in Cincinnati, the maker of the spyware used by Zhang violated federal and state wire-tapping laws by intercepting the messages of a Florida man, Javier Luis, who had been communicating with Catherine in an America Online chatroom called “Metaphysics.”
The legal case begin in 2010 not long after Zhang used messages captured with the spyware to obtain leverage in divorce proceedings, even though a court said the relationship between his wife and Luis was “apparently platonic.” more
According to an appeals court in Cincinnati, the maker of the spyware used by Zhang violated federal and state wire-tapping laws by intercepting the messages of a Florida man, Javier Luis, who had been communicating with Catherine in an America Online chatroom called “Metaphysics.”The legal case begin in 2010 not long after Zhang used messages captured with the spyware to obtain leverage in divorce proceedings, even though a court said the relationship between his wife and Luis was “apparently platonic.” more
Man Charged with Eavesdropping on Family
NY - A Bloomingburg man was charged Thursday with eavesdropping on family members.
State police said their investigation found that Joseph Codi, 33, of Bloomingburg, used a hidden electronic monitor to overhear conversations between other family members without their consent or knowledge for more than a month.
Codi was charged with eavesdropping, a felony. He was arraigned before Mamakating Town Justice Cynthia Dolan and released on his own recognizance, pending further court action. more
State police said their investigation found that Joseph Codi, 33, of Bloomingburg, used a hidden electronic monitor to overhear conversations between other family members without their consent or knowledge for more than a month.
Codi was charged with eavesdropping, a felony. He was arraigned before Mamakating Town Justice Cynthia Dolan and released on his own recognizance, pending further court action. more
Friday, August 19, 2016
Privacy Guidebook for Eavesdropping on Americans Draws Flack
A privacy update to 1982 Defense Department rules for conducting surveillance on Americans contains a loophole...
that lets the National Security Agency continue eavesdropping on a wide swath of online conversations, critics say.
"DOD Manual 5240.01: Procedures Governing the Conduct of DOD Intelligence Activities" was last issued when all email addresses could fit in a Parent Teacher Association-sized directory. The new rules reflect a shift in intelligence gathering from bugging an individual’s phone to netting communications in bulk from the global internet...
It remains to be seen, or unseen, how U.S. spies are following the new data-handling guidelines in practice when scanning networks.
On Wednesday, Defense officials declined to comment on internet cable-tapping. more
that lets the National Security Agency continue eavesdropping on a wide swath of online conversations, critics say. "DOD Manual 5240.01: Procedures Governing the Conduct of DOD Intelligence Activities" was last issued when all email addresses could fit in a Parent Teacher Association-sized directory. The new rules reflect a shift in intelligence gathering from bugging an individual’s phone to netting communications in bulk from the global internet...
It remains to be seen, or unseen, how U.S. spies are following the new data-handling guidelines in practice when scanning networks.
On Wednesday, Defense officials declined to comment on internet cable-tapping. more
The 10 Best Offbeat Spy Movies
You can see all the trailers here.
10. Casino Royale
9. Our Man Flint
8. The Man Who Knew Too Little
7. Burn After Reading
6. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
5. Spies Like Us
4. What’s Up, Tiger Lily?
3. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
2. Top Secret!
1. Spy
Enjoy the weekend! ~Kevin
10. Casino Royale
9. Our Man Flint
8. The Man Who Knew Too Little
7. Burn After Reading
6. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
5. Spies Like Us
4. What’s Up, Tiger Lily?
3. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
2. Top Secret!
1. Spy
Enjoy the weekend! ~Kevin
Three Espionage Tests
Denmark - The EspionageTest is the name of a newly developed free online test designed to reveal whether businesses are vulnerable to industrial espionage.
“The test is designed to provide an immediate picture of a business’s strengths and weaknesses. It provides a picture of the business’s challenges and the areas that need strengthening. The test looks at digital security, employee behaviour, culture and physical security,” says Senior Consultant Christine Jøker Lohmann from the Confederation of Danish Industry who is a member of the project steering group.
Employee behaviour and technology are tested
The test, which has been financed by the Danish Industry Foundation and developed by the intelligence and security firm CERTA Intelligence & Security, requires businesses to answer questions covering all areas of security and tests both technology and employee behaviour.
In each area, businesses will be told how they score in terms of security and will be given specific tips and recommendations on how to improve or develop suitable protection against espionage... more
The EspionageTest – Launching on 23 August 2016 – will be freely available to all Danish businesses.
...and, from another point-of-view, take these two tests to see if you would be good at espionage...
Espionage Spy Test #1
Espionage Spy Test #2
“The test is designed to provide an immediate picture of a business’s strengths and weaknesses. It provides a picture of the business’s challenges and the areas that need strengthening. The test looks at digital security, employee behaviour, culture and physical security,” says Senior Consultant Christine Jøker Lohmann from the Confederation of Danish Industry who is a member of the project steering group.
Employee behaviour and technology are tested The test, which has been financed by the Danish Industry Foundation and developed by the intelligence and security firm CERTA Intelligence & Security, requires businesses to answer questions covering all areas of security and tests both technology and employee behaviour.
In each area, businesses will be told how they score in terms of security and will be given specific tips and recommendations on how to improve or develop suitable protection against espionage... more
The EspionageTest – Launching on 23 August 2016 – will be freely available to all Danish businesses.
...and, from another point-of-view, take these two tests to see if you would be good at espionage...
Espionage Spy Test #1
Espionage Spy Test #2
Thursday, August 18, 2016
Spycam News: Gawker Smacks Down on Monday
Gawker, the best known part of Gawker Media, but apparently the least salvageable, will not be welcomed aboard the lifeboat that Univision has sent to the sinking company in the form of a $135 million bid for its assets. The site will cease publishing on Monday, according to a person familiar with the situation...
Gawker's nearly 14 years' worth of media-world scoops, amusing rants, gratuitous take-downs and occasional investigative gems will be archived, according to a memo company founder and Chief Executive Nick Denton sent to staffers Thursday announcing the site's closure.
"We have not been able to find a single media company or investor willing to take on Gawker.com," he wrote. "The campaign being mounted against its editorial ethos and former writers has made it too risky. I can understand the caution. Gawker.com may, like Spy Magazine in its day, have a second act. For the moment, however, it will be mothballed, until the smoke clears and a new owner can be found."...
Gawker Media, which declared bankruptcy in June after losing an invasion-of-privacy suit brought by Hulk Hogan. A Florida jury awarded him $140 million in the case, which revolved around a sex tape of the wrestler, whose real name is Terry Bollea, that Gawker published. more
Gawker's nearly 14 years' worth of media-world scoops, amusing rants, gratuitous take-downs and occasional investigative gems will be archived, according to a memo company founder and Chief Executive Nick Denton sent to staffers Thursday announcing the site's closure."We have not been able to find a single media company or investor willing to take on Gawker.com," he wrote. "The campaign being mounted against its editorial ethos and former writers has made it too risky. I can understand the caution. Gawker.com may, like Spy Magazine in its day, have a second act. For the moment, however, it will be mothballed, until the smoke clears and a new owner can be found."...
Gawker Media, which declared bankruptcy in June after losing an invasion-of-privacy suit brought by Hulk Hogan. A Florida jury awarded him $140 million in the case, which revolved around a sex tape of the wrestler, whose real name is Terry Bollea, that Gawker published. more
Early 20th Century Phone Privacy Gadgets
Invented in 1921, the Hush-A-Phone was advertised as a “telephone silencer” and a device that “Makes your phone private as a booth.”
It produced the same effect as cupping both your hands around the mouthpiece of the two-pieced candlestick model telephone, with others in the room only hearing a rumbling of indiscernible sounds.
Callers only needed to slide the Hush-A-Phone over the mouthpiece of the phone, place their lips in the circular opening, and speak. The device was simple, easy to use, and it worked.
Yet, the Hush-A-Phone isn’t remembered for its simplicity, or success in creating an artificial cone of silence. Rather, the device is known for waging a war against the telecommunication giant, AT&T—a historic legal battle law experts compare to feuds over today’s open internet. more
Predating the Hush-A-Phone by about 20 years was The Whispering Mouthpiece. ~Kevin
It produced the same effect as cupping both your hands around the mouthpiece of the two-pieced candlestick model telephone, with others in the room only hearing a rumbling of indiscernible sounds.
Callers only needed to slide the Hush-A-Phone over the mouthpiece of the phone, place their lips in the circular opening, and speak. The device was simple, easy to use, and it worked.Yet, the Hush-A-Phone isn’t remembered for its simplicity, or success in creating an artificial cone of silence. Rather, the device is known for waging a war against the telecommunication giant, AT&T—a historic legal battle law experts compare to feuds over today’s open internet. more
Predating the Hush-A-Phone by about 20 years was The Whispering Mouthpiece. ~Kevin
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Court: Producers of Spyware Can Be Held Liable
A federal appeals court says the maker of an online spying tool can be sued on accusations of wiretapping. The federal lawsuit was brought by a man whose e-mail and instant messages to a woman were captured by the husband of the woman. That husband used that data as a "battering ram" as part of his 2010 divorce proceedings.
It's the second time in a week that a federal court has ruled in a wiretapping case—in favor of a person whose online communications were intercepted without consent. The other ruling was against Google. A judge ruled that a person not using Gmail who sent e-mail to another person using Gmail had not consented to Gmail's automatic scanning of the e-mail for marketing purposes. Hence, Google could be sued (PDF) for alleged wiretapping violations.
For the moment, the two outcomes are a major victory for privacy. But the reasoning in the lawsuit against the makers of the WebWatcher spy program could have ramifications far beyond the privacy context—and it places liability on the producers of spyware tools. more
It's the second time in a week that a federal court has ruled in a wiretapping case—in favor of a person whose online communications were intercepted without consent. The other ruling was against Google. A judge ruled that a person not using Gmail who sent e-mail to another person using Gmail had not consented to Gmail's automatic scanning of the e-mail for marketing purposes. Hence, Google could be sued (PDF) for alleged wiretapping violations.For the moment, the two outcomes are a major victory for privacy. But the reasoning in the lawsuit against the makers of the WebWatcher spy program could have ramifications far beyond the privacy context—and it places liability on the producers of spyware tools. more
Friday, August 12, 2016
"DiskFiltration" - Siphons Data Even When Computers are Disconnected from the Internet.
Researchers have devised a new way to siphon data out of an infected computer even when it has been physically disconnected from the Internet to prevent the leakage of sensitive information it stores.
The method has been dubbed "DiskFiltration" by its creators because it uses acoustic signals emitted from the hard drive of the air-gapped computer being targeted. It works by manipulating the movements of the hard drive's actuator, which is the mechanical arm that accesses specific parts of a disk platter so heads attached to the actuator can read or write data.
By using so-called seek operations that move the actuator in very specific ways, it can generate sounds that transfer passwords, cryptographic keys, and other sensitive data stored on the computer to a nearby microphone. The technique has a range of six feet and a speed of 180 bits per minute, fast enough to steal a 4,096-bit key in about 25 minutes. more
Solution: Upgrade to a solid state drive.
The method has been dubbed "DiskFiltration" by its creators because it uses acoustic signals emitted from the hard drive of the air-gapped computer being targeted. It works by manipulating the movements of the hard drive's actuator, which is the mechanical arm that accesses specific parts of a disk platter so heads attached to the actuator can read or write data.By using so-called seek operations that move the actuator in very specific ways, it can generate sounds that transfer passwords, cryptographic keys, and other sensitive data stored on the computer to a nearby microphone. The technique has a range of six feet and a speed of 180 bits per minute, fast enough to steal a 4,096-bit key in about 25 minutes. more
Solution: Upgrade to a solid state drive.
Mom Alerted - Daughters' Bedroom Nanny Cam Streaming on Internet
A mother from Texas was horrified to learn that the cameras she used to keep watch on her 8-year-old girls had been hacked and were being live streamed on the internet.
She made the appalling discovery after she found a screenshot posted by another woman on a Facebook group for Houston Mothers, who was trying to alert mothers after stumbling across a free app ‘Live Camera Viewer.’ ...
According to security experts, her private cameras had been hacked by accessing the household’s IP address through her daughter’s iPad whilst she was playing a video game, and was consequently live streamed to an online feed.
The feed, which is sorted according to the number of ‘likes’ that users give, had been available since July, and had 571 ‘likes,’ meaning at least that many people had been watching it over the course of the stream. more
She made the appalling discovery after she found a screenshot posted by another woman on a Facebook group for Houston Mothers, who was trying to alert mothers after stumbling across a free app ‘Live Camera Viewer.’ ...According to security experts, her private cameras had been hacked by accessing the household’s IP address through her daughter’s iPad whilst she was playing a video game, and was consequently live streamed to an online feed.
The feed, which is sorted according to the number of ‘likes’ that users give, had been available since July, and had 571 ‘likes,’ meaning at least that many people had been watching it over the course of the stream. more
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
IT Guy Pleads Not Guilty to Eavesdropping Charge — Recordings Found
IL - The technology director of Abingdon-Avon schools pleaded not guilty to charges of eavesdropping Tuesday at a hearing.
Mark L. Rogers, 56, of Abingdon, is on paid administrative leave from Abingdon-Avon School District 276 and has been charged with three felony counts of eavesdropping. Abingdon Police Chief Kenneth Jones testified...
Jones said authorities found that Rogers had installed a webcam in his office that was not part of the school system. Authorities found a "number of videos collected from February 2016," including one of a meeting between Rogers and Drew Witherall, who was assistant technology director at the time. Witherall said he was unaware of the Feb. 11 recording. more
Mark L. Rogers, 56, of Abingdon, is on paid administrative leave from Abingdon-Avon School District 276 and has been charged with three felony counts of eavesdropping. Abingdon Police Chief Kenneth Jones testified...
Jones said authorities found that Rogers had installed a webcam in his office that was not part of the school system. Authorities found a "number of videos collected from February 2016," including one of a meeting between Rogers and Drew Witherall, who was assistant technology director at the time. Witherall said he was unaware of the Feb. 11 recording. more
Car Key Fobs — Wireless = Useless
...a team of researchers from the University of Birmingham and the German engineering firm Kasper & Oswald plan to reveal two distinct vulnerabilities they say affect the keyless entry systems of an estimated nearly 100 million cars.
One of the attacks would allow resourceful thieves to wirelessly unlock practically every vehicle the Volkswagen group has sold for the last two decades, including makes like Audi and Škoda. The second attack affects millions more vehicles, including Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Fiat, Ford, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, and Peugeot.
Both attacks use a cheap, easily available piece of radio hardware to intercept signals from a victim’s key fob, then employ those signals to clone the key. The attacks, the researchers say, can be performed with a software defined radio connected to a laptop, or in a cheaper and stealthier package, an Arduino board with an attached radio receiver that can be purchased for $40. “The cost of the hardware is small, and the design is trivial,” says Garcia. “You can really build something that functions exactly like the original remote.”
...they were able to extract a single cryptographic key value shared among millions of Volkswagen vehicles. By then using their radio hardware to intercept another value that’s unique to the target vehicle and included in the signal sent every time a driver presses the key fob’s buttons, they can combine the two supposedly secret numbers to clone the key fob and access to the car. “You only need to eavesdrop once,” says Birmingham researcher David Oswald. “From that point on you can make a clone of the original remote control that locks and unlocks a vehicle as many times as you want.” more
original paper
One of the attacks would allow resourceful thieves to wirelessly unlock practically every vehicle the Volkswagen group has sold for the last two decades, including makes like Audi and Škoda. The second attack affects millions more vehicles, including Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Fiat, Ford, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, and Peugeot.
Both attacks use a cheap, easily available piece of radio hardware to intercept signals from a victim’s key fob, then employ those signals to clone the key. The attacks, the researchers say, can be performed with a software defined radio connected to a laptop, or in a cheaper and stealthier package, an Arduino board with an attached radio receiver that can be purchased for $40. “The cost of the hardware is small, and the design is trivial,” says Garcia. “You can really build something that functions exactly like the original remote.”...they were able to extract a single cryptographic key value shared among millions of Volkswagen vehicles. By then using their radio hardware to intercept another value that’s unique to the target vehicle and included in the signal sent every time a driver presses the key fob’s buttons, they can combine the two supposedly secret numbers to clone the key fob and access to the car. “You only need to eavesdrop once,” says Birmingham researcher David Oswald. “From that point on you can make a clone of the original remote control that locks and unlocks a vehicle as many times as you want.” more
original paper
Quote of the Week
"We have never had absolute privacy in this country." ~FBI Director James Comey more
Pokemon Go — The Story Behind the Story
The suddenly vast scale of Pokemon Go adoption is matched by the game’s aggressive use of personal information. Unlike, say, Twitter, Facebook, or Netflix, the app requires uninterrupted use of your location and camera — a “trove of sensitive user data,” as one privacy watchdog put it in a concerned letter to federal regulators.
All the more alarming, then, that Pokemon Go is run by a man whose team literally drove one of the greatest privacy debacles of the internet era, in which Google vehicles, in the course of photographing neighborhoods for the Street View feature of the company’s online maps, secretly copied digital traffic from home networks, scooping up passwords, email messages, medical records, financial information, and audio and video files.
Before Niantic Labs CEO John Hanke was the man behind an unfathomably popular smartphone goldmine, he ran Google’s Geo division, responsible for nearly everything locational at a time when the search company was turning into much more, expanding away from cataloging the web and towards cataloging every city block on the planet.
Hanke landed at Google after his wildly popular (and admittedly very neat) CIA-funded company Keyhole, which collected geographic imagery, was acquired in 2004 and relaunched as Google Earth in 2005. more
All the more alarming, then, that Pokemon Go is run by a man whose team literally drove one of the greatest privacy debacles of the internet era, in which Google vehicles, in the course of photographing neighborhoods for the Street View feature of the company’s online maps, secretly copied digital traffic from home networks, scooping up passwords, email messages, medical records, financial information, and audio and video files.Before Niantic Labs CEO John Hanke was the man behind an unfathomably popular smartphone goldmine, he ran Google’s Geo division, responsible for nearly everything locational at a time when the search company was turning into much more, expanding away from cataloging the web and towards cataloging every city block on the planet.
Hanke landed at Google after his wildly popular (and admittedly very neat) CIA-funded company Keyhole, which collected geographic imagery, was acquired in 2004 and relaunched as Google Earth in 2005. more
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Inventor Builds Invisible iPhone Screen for Covert Viewing
A Kurdish inventor builds a secret screen for the iPhone that enables only the user to see the contents by wearing special glasses.
It's a problem many of us have faced - how to stop prying eyes peeking at what's on our phone screen But an inventor in Turkey claims to have solved it Celal Goger has invented a secrecy screen that turns iPhones invisible. Only the wearer of these glasses can see the screen. The magic is in a chip that enables the glasses to communicate with the phone...
"The mobile's screen is completely white, nothing can be seen, you can't see the menu. He gave me the glasses and, when I put them on, I saw the complete menu. If I had this on my mobile, nobody would see what I'm looking at or which apps I'm using when I'm commuting."
His next plan is to invent a nanochip that can fit any glasses and turn the screen visible or invisible with a single button. more
It's a problem many of us have faced - how to stop prying eyes peeking at what's on our phone screen But an inventor in Turkey claims to have solved it Celal Goger has invented a secrecy screen that turns iPhones invisible. Only the wearer of these glasses can see the screen. The magic is in a chip that enables the glasses to communicate with the phone..."The mobile's screen is completely white, nothing can be seen, you can't see the menu. He gave me the glasses and, when I put them on, I saw the complete menu. If I had this on my mobile, nobody would see what I'm looking at or which apps I'm using when I'm commuting."
His next plan is to invent a nanochip that can fit any glasses and turn the screen visible or invisible with a single button. more
Tapes Could Compel Major Fox News Settlement
A settlement with former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson
over alleged sexual harassment by Roger Ailes, the network's former chairman, is expected to reach eight figures. The reason: There are audio tapes of conversations between several female employees and Ailes, who resigned last month. A settlement would most likely keep the tapes private. more
over alleged sexual harassment by Roger Ailes, the network's former chairman, is expected to reach eight figures. The reason: There are audio tapes of conversations between several female employees and Ailes, who resigned last month. A settlement would most likely keep the tapes private. more
Monday, August 8, 2016
Android Bug May Affect 900 Million Smartphones
The bugs were uncovered by Checkpoint researchers looking at software running on chipsets made by US firm Qualcomm.
Qualcomm processors are found in about 900 million Android phones, the company said...
In response, Qualcomm is believed to have created patches for the bugs and started to use the fixed versions in its factories. It has also distributed the patches to phone makers and operators. However, it is not clear how many of those companies have issued updates to customers' phones.
Checkpoint has created a free app called QuadRooter Scanner that can be used to check if a phone is vulnerable to any of the bugs, by looking to see if the patches for them have been downloaded and installed. more
- Affected devices included:
- BlackBerry Priv
- Blackphone 1 and Blackphone 2
- Google Nexus 5X, Nexus 6 and Nexus 6P
- HTC One, HTC M9 and HTC 10
- LG G4, LG G5, and LG V10
- New Moto X by Motorola
- OnePlus One, OnePlus 2 and OnePlus 3
- US versions of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Samsung S7 Edge
- Sony Xperia Z Ultra
In response, Qualcomm is believed to have created patches for the bugs and started to use the fixed versions in its factories. It has also distributed the patches to phone makers and operators. However, it is not clear how many of those companies have issued updates to customers' phones.
Checkpoint has created a free app called QuadRooter Scanner that can be used to check if a phone is vulnerable to any of the bugs, by looking to see if the patches for them have been downloaded and installed. more
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