KGB Hotel Listening Post Now a Tourist Museum

Estonia - Old Town Tallinn in Estonia feels like it should be on top of a wedding cake, the old city walls, church steeples, narrow cobblestone streets, and pastel colors putting forth a true Medievil vibe...There are many hotels located within the Old Town walls to choose from, but if you want a true taste of KGB history during your visit, consider the Sokos Hotel Viru just outside Old Town. Opened in 1972, it's the largest hotel in Estonia with...

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Spybuster Tip # 523: Twitter Password Security Test

WARNINGThe link below is a clever gag.Similar sites are password collection scams.If you take the test on any of them, don't enter real information.http://www.ismytwitterpasswordsecure.c...

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FutureWatch: Trojan Horse Wi-Fi's and More - In Your Mail

This promotion is legitimate.But, imagine this small, inexpensive technology as an espionage tool...Microsoft is putting in real WiFi hardware hotspots inside some copies of the latest issue of Forbes magazine. The unique Office 365 promotion was revealed in a post on the Slickdeals.net message board. The WiFi router, when activated, offers 15 days of free WiFi service via T-Mobile's network on up to five devices at once. In any case, if you get...

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How to Bug an Entire Country - Drop Poop & Rocks

During the Cold War, both sides liberally used the “bug”--the remote listening device--to surreptitiously get wind of what the other side was up to by listening in on a room, a building, or, in the case of East Berlin, an entire city.Click to enlargeBut in America’s cooling war in Afghanistan, U.S. forces may undertake what could be the biggest bugging operation of all time, planting sensors all over the entire country that could feed the U.S. military...

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Interesting Security Technologies - Sunpass Bug & Butterfly Authentication

Doug Blakeway, President & CEO, Nanotech Security Corp., reveals new surveillance technologies in the company's Annual Report... (from their subsidiary) "The CTR-1300 JOEY, a disguised Variable Power Audio Transmitter Utilizing a new LiPo internal battery and incorporated into the Garage Door Opener, EZ Pass, and Sunpass as disguises."and, the latest in anti-counterfeiting technology...Click to enlarge."Nanotech is developing what it sees as...

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Spouse Spying Increase Seen By 92% of Divorce Attorneys

In this new age of technology, spy gadgets are no longer just for actors in James Bond movies. Studies show more spouses are using spy equipment to catch the other red-handed.The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers says in the past three years 92 percent of divorce attorneys saw an increase in evidence from text messages, emails and GPS trackers. In fact in 2011, a Minnesota man was thrown in jail for installing a GPS on his wife's car as he searched for proof she was cheati...

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Latest in Government Work Clothes - Immunity Suits

...documents show that the Justice Department secretly agreed to provide AT&T and other participating providers with so-called “2511 letters” that granted them immunity for activity that might otherwise have violated federal wiretapping laws. (mo...

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Spy Stories Behind "Peggy Sue" and "Winnie the Pooh"

U.S. country star Jerry Naylor revealed he used his international fame as cover to work as a secret agent for the CIA... Naylor, 74, who replaced Buddy Holly in the Crickets, says he was recruited on more than 100 occasions to spy for America under his guise as a touring singer. (more)The man who created Winnie the Pooh was a First World War spy, top secret files reveal. The papers — rescued from a skip — prove AA Milne worked for a covert arm of...

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Verizon's Tilt-Shift-Focus on Espionage

Ninety-six percent of cyber espionage cases targeting intellectual property and business trade secrets were attributed to “threat actors in China,” while the remaining four percent were unknown, according to the “2013 Data Breach Investigations Report," which is issued by Verizon, a large U.S. telecom firm...“Verizon doesn't explain how they determine that an event is state-sponsored, nor how they distinguish between legitimate attacks originating...

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New Book - "Eavesdropping, Surveillance and Espionage"

New Book "...examines the escalating security and privacy threats from spy cameras, audio bugs, telephone bugs, GPS trackers, GSM listening devices, surveillance software, smart-phone compromises and other high-tech technologies that are actively marketed to civilians. Modern security professionals must grasp the magnitude of these emerging threats, how they are identified and the counter-measures by which they are neutralized." The press...

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Detecting and Preventing Eavesdropping - U.S. Government Advice

(A long, but worthwhile read.) Detecting and Preventing Eavesdropping Any indication that an adversary or competitor is using illegal means to collect information should alert you to the possibility, at least, that listening devices might be planted in your office or home. There are a number of specific warning signs that you may be the target of eavesdropping. Of course, if eavesdropping is done by a professional, and done correctly, you may not...

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Interesting Question About Jamming Bugs & SpyCams

Q. "Looking for a bug jammer that will block out all bugs video or audio near my doorway looking at the rj4000 from the bug jammer store wondering if what they say is true they claim it will block 1 g bugs and 1.2 g bugs with a jamming frequency between 900 to 1000 mhz and 1100 mhz to 1300mhz for bugs"A. Good thing you asked.  You really don't want to solve your problem this way. Here's why... • Jamming is illegal in the U.S. http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/jammer-enforcement...

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How Obama's BlackBerry got secured

(Updated: November 1, 2013)Around January 20, 2009, when Barack Obama took over the office of president of the United States, there was quite a lot of media attention about the fact that he had to give up his BlackBerry, because it was considered to be a security risk.This caused almost world wide media attention, but the follow-up was less accurately covered and a number of different stories were told. Here we will show that Obama actually kept...

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Sand Sized Gyroscopes to Track You Anywhere

Mini-gyroscopes developed to guide smartphones and medical equipment... Prof. Koby Scheuer of Tel Aviv University`s School of Physical Engineering is now scaling down this crucial sensing technology for use in smartphones, medical equipment and more futuristic technologies.Working in collaboration with Israel`s Department of Defense, Prof. Scheuer and his team of researchers have developed nano-sized optical gyroscopes that can fit on the head of...

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Pentagon’s Spies Pimp Their Phones

The Pentagon has big plans for its spy agency. But first it’s going to upgrade its secret agents’ cellphones.That’s the gist of a recent request for information from the cryptic Virginia Contracting Activity (or VACA), the public face for the Defense Intelligence Agency’s secretive contract business. According to the request, the DIA is looking for a company with the “ability to work and store classified information at the SECRET Collateral Level”...

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Top Wi-Fi Routers Easy to Hack, Says Study

The most popular home wireless routers are easily hacked and there's little you can do to stop it, says a new study by research firm Independent Security Evaluators.Thirteen popular routers were tested and found vulnerable to hacks in a new study by research firm Independent Security Evaluators. The Wi-Fi router you use to broadcast a private wireless Internet signal in your home or office is not only easy to hack, says a report released today,...

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DoD Inspector General v. Army Commercial Mobile Devices (CMD)

There are lessons for your organization in this report. Insert your organization's name where you see the word "Army".Click to enlarge."The Army did not implement an effective cybersecurity program for commercial mobiles (sic) devices. If devices remain unsecure, malicious activities could disrupt Army networks and compromise sensitive DoD information." (full repo...

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If you travel with a cell phone, tablet and/or laptop...

...this should interest you...35,000. That’s how many business travelers depart the United States every day. With them goes over 40,000 cell phones, more than 50,000 laptops, and nearly 500,000 pages of business documents holding privileged information. When you travel abroad, your company is at risk. Among Enemies tells you how to protect yourself.Luke Bencie has traveled to more than 100 countries over the past 15 years on behalf of the U.S....

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Sen. Mitch McConnell's "Bug" - Recorded Acoustical Leakage

The center of political intrigue and an FBI investigation in Kentucky's U.S. Senate race is the otherwise inconspicuous second floor hallway of the Watterson West office building in Louisville. ...behind plain, black doors is Sen. Mitch McConnell's campaign headquarters. It is in this hallway on February 2 that two members of the Progress Kentucky SuperPAC allegedly recorded a private campaign strategy meeting underway inside an office on the other...

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FREE Security "Green" Papers on Laptop, Mobile Phones & Storage Devices

IT Governance is a supplier of corporate and IT Governance related books, toolkits, training and consultancy. They offer a wealth of knowledge and experience. Their Green Papers contain information and guidance on specific problems and discuss many issues. Here are two just published this month...Technical Briefing on Laptop and Mobile Storage DevicesTechnical Briefing on Mobile Phones and TabletsAbout two dozen more may be found he...

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... thus, giving new meaning to a bright idea!

Optogenetics is the process by which genetically-programmed neurons or other cells can be activated by subjecting them to light. Among other things, the technology helps scientists understand how the brain works, which could in turn lead to new treatments for brain disorders.Presently, fiber optic cables must be wired into the brains of test animals in order to deliver light to the desired regions. That may be about to change, however, as scientists...

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Small Business Espionage Attacks Up 42%

Smaller companies, their websites and their intellectual property are increasingly being targeted by cyberattacks, a new report on IT security trends says.Targeted attacks were up 42 per cent in 2012 compared to the year before, and businesses with fewer than 250 employees are the fastest growing segment being targeted, according to the annual internet security threat report issued Tuesday by Symantec...The type of information being targeted by attackers...

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McConnell's Suspected Bugger Has Hand Out

The man who is suspected of bugging Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office has started a legal defense fund aimed at raising $10,000 — and so far, he’s received $185.Breitbart reported that Curtis Morrison, who’s also a Progress Kentucky volunteer, said in a message about his fund that he’s cooperating with the FBI. But he’s struggling to pay for his legal defense...A Kentucky Democratic Party operative and the founder of Progress Kentucky...

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The Schizo Illinois Eavesdropping Law

There was major development Tuesday in the fight over the state's controversial eavesdropping law. A court decision now allows citizens to record the audio of police officers on the job in public.Citizens can legally record video of police officers doing their jobs on the public way, as long as you don't interfere, but the Illinois Eavesdropping Act does not permit you to record audio. If you do, you're still subject to arrest and criminal charges, even though two state court judges in Illinois have declared the law unconstitutional. It remains...

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RFID Tracks Jewelry Popularity

Interesting application of RFID technology.RFID smart shelves can help retailers analyze market demand. Beyond sales reports, retailers want to understand which items had the highest shopper interest. For example, while one jewelry item is picked up 100 times and sold 90 time, another jewelry item is picked up 100 times but only sold 10 times. Retail statistics monitoring shopper behavior cannot be accurately counted by man.However, the RFID...

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There is a Magazine for Everything... Even Penetration Testing

Kamil Sobieraj, editor of PenTest Magazine introduced me to his publication this week. It was an eye-opener. If you have anything to do with protecting information, you will find this as interesting as I did...  PenTest Magazine is a weekly downloadable IT security magazine, devoted exclusively to penetration testing. It features articles by penetration testing specialists and enthusiasts, experts in vulnerability assessment and management....

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Campaign Headquarters Bugged - FBI Investigating

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) accused opponents Tuesday of bugging his headquarters and asked for an FBI investigation after a recording from an internal campaign meeting surfaced in a magazine report. The 12-minute audiotape released by Mother Jones magazine reveals McConnell and his campaign staff at a Feb. 2 meeting lampooning actress Ashley Judd — then a potential Senate candidate — and comparing her to “a haystack of needles” because of her potential political liabilities. Judd has since decided not to run.“We’ve always said...

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Shodan - The Scary Search Engine

Cautionary Tale...Unlike Google, which crawls the Web looking for websites, Shodan navigates the Internet's back channels. It's a kind of "dark" Google, looking for the servers, webcams, printers, routers and all the other stuff that is connected to and makes up the Internet...It's stunning what can be found with a simple search on Shodan. Countless traffic lights, security cameras, home automation devices and heating systems are connected to the...

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Free - Computer Security Tools Book

"Open Source Security Tools: A Practical Guide to Security Applications"Few frontline system administrators can afford to spend all day worrying about security. But in this age of widespread virus infections, worms, and digital attacks, no one can afford to neglect network defenses. Written with the harried IT manager in mind, Open Source Security Tools is a practical, hands-on introduction to open source security tools. Seasoned security expert...

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Son Bugs Mom (yawn)... with a Wiretap!

UK - Police have arrested a Lincoln man on suspicion that he bugged his 90-year-old mother’s phone. Richard Stamler, 59, was arrested Thursday night for unlawful interception of communications, a felony, Lincoln Police Officer Katie Flood said.Stamler’s sister called police March 28 to say she found a recording device in the basement of her mother’s home that had been connected to the phone line, Flood said.The woman played the tape, Flood said,...

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