High School Football Spying?!?! - Four Destrehan Coaches Accused

LA - Five people, including four Destrehan High School assistant football coaches, were booked with unauthorized use of intellectual property Wednesday after they allegedly used a leaked computer password to get a sneak peek at the game plan of their upcoming opponent, South Lafourche. 

Others could still be charged, said Brennan Matherne, public information officer for the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office...

The criminal charges are the latest fallout stemming from an incident in which the coaches allegedly used computers to spy on South Lafourche’s football practices last week.

The scandal already has resulted in a forfeit for Destrehan and sanctions for the coaches involved. (more)

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Kremlin Alledegly Slipped Spy Gadgets into G20 Summit Gift Bags

Russian hosts of the Group of 20 summit near St. Petersburg in September sent world leaders home with gifts designed to keep on giving: memory sticks and recharging cables programmed to spy on their communications, two Italian newspapers reported Tuesday.

A Kremlin spokesman denied the allegations reported by Il Corriere della Sera and La Stampa, both of which attributed their stories to findings of technical investigations ordered by the president of the European Council and carried out by German intelligence.

The USB thumb drives marked with the Russia G20 logo and the three-pronged European phone chargers were "a poisoned gift" from Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turin-based La Stampa said in its report.

“They were Trojan horses designed to obtain information from computers and cellphones,” the paper said.

The bugging devices were included in gift bags given to all delegates who attended the Sept. 5-6 summit at the palace in Stelna, outside of St. Petersburg, the newspapers said. (more)

Too obvious to be true? 
You decide.

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Yet Another Bird Spying Story

Headlines of fowl accused of spying for Israel are making rounds again in Middle Eastern press, with the most recent bird of espionage 'arrested' in Lebanon. Hezbollah and Iranian-affiliated websites reported today that an Israeli 'spy eagle' had been caught this past weekend in Lebanon. 

According to one Lebanese news site, the eagle had been caught in the town of Achkout by local hunters who alerted authorities after discovering that the bird had an ID ring attached to its leg with the words "Israel" and "Tel Aviv University" printed on it. (really bad spycraft :) 

"On the lookout for bird spies here."

The Hezbollah- affiliated Al-Manar TV, whose news site's section on Israel is simply called "Enemy Entity," claimed that the eagle was one of many birds sent by Israel to spy and gather information via GPS transmitters across the Middle East. The report pointed to the "arrest of birds carrying similar devices" in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and most recently in Egypt. (more) (sing-a-long)

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... or, say Beetlejuice three times.

Taiwan - Rumors saying that people can verify if their cellphones or landlines are under surveillance by dialing *960*# and *26 are false, telecommunication experts said recently, as the snowballing controversy surrounding the wiretapping of government officials conducted by the Special Investigation Division (SID) of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office sparked concern among the public that private citizens are also under surveillance. (more) (sing-a-long)

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Laser Beam Eavesdropping - In the News Again

Since the 1970's, stories about laser listeners have periodically popped up in the news. The common thread is their magical ability to eavesdrop from far away using only an invisible beam of light. Fear mongering is the next element, closely followed by, "very expensive, only the government can buy one."

The reporters are either clueless or haven't done any decent research. Their information sources have vested interests: like governments spreading disinformation; or "de-bugging experts" and spyshop owners hoping the publicity will boost their business. Funny, a working device is never demonstrated, and nobody even claims first-hand knowledge.

Today, the BBC fell victim. Here is the story they published...

Not true.

The UK government has warned the Guardian newspaper that foreign agents could use laser technology to eavesdrop on them, in the wake of recent surveillance leaks. What are laser listening devices and are they effective? (more)

The theory is sound. CD / DVD players use it on a small scale. YouTube is full of videos demonstrating the technique... under very controlled conditions, with less than sterling results. But, is it really a practical surveillance tool? Click here for our research.

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Spy Drone Pisses Off Dr. Wee

KUALA LUMPUR - The two men, who allegedly spied on the home of MCA Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong (Deputy Minister of Education Malaysia) using a hexacopter, claimed that they were only testing the machine and not spying...

Both men have denied that they are members of a political party...

Dr Wee, when contacted, said the excuses given by the two men were ridiculous and urged police to investigate the matter further.

“Why would a photographer from Kluang come all the way to Cheras to take aerial photographs of my housing area and test the machine?” he said, adding that the footage in the camera showed it to be zooming in on only one or two houses.

He urged the authorities to push for more stringent rules and regulations on the use of such devices.

It was reported that the remote-controlled hexacopter, which had been allegedly spying on his bungalow in Bukit Tiara, Cheras on Aug 8, had fallen on the roof of the balcony of Dr Wee’s neighbour after hitting the lightning arrester. (more)

The Back Story
His neighbour’s 14-year-old son found the vehicle and informed his parents but his parents did not suspect anything amiss and told him to just throw it away.

However, the boy removed a chip attached to a tiny video camera from the vehicle and, together with his 15-year-old sister, played it on the computer. They made the shocking discovery and the family quickly informed Dr Wee.

Dr Wee collected the craft from his neighbor only on Thursday.

Dr Wee, who showed five short video clips extracted from the chip and recorded on Aug 5, said the hexa­copter was aimed in the direction of his house and his neighbour’s.

The video clip showed two men handling the hexacopter in its initial clip (Darwin Award!). In another, the camera screen paused when a security guard was going on his patrolling rounds and resumed when the guard moved away. (more)

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Spybusters Tip # 723 - Be Smart - Use a Dumb Phone to Thwart Spyware

Sometimes you just need a dumb phone that can't spy on you. 

inKlien Global's tiny phone

6.5mm Ultra Thin AIEK M3 Cool Card Cell Phone

One that can't hold spyware. 
One that can't GPS track you. 
One that can't bite you with Bluetooth. 

Dumb phones are not always easy to find.  

Your local cell phone store wants you to buy smartphones with data plans. Your significant other isn't going to gift you a dumb phone. (A smartphone, maybe, but don't trust it.)

If you are in the market for a spybusting phone, or just a secret second phone, try looking at these...

inKlien Global "The world slimmest card size phone." (turn off Bluetooth)
johnsphones.com "The world's most basic cell phone."
Kyocera Marbl K127  (Virgin Mobile) Cellular Phone
Motorola W260g  Prepaid Phone (Tracfone)
Motorola C139  Prepaid Phone (Tracfone)


More Spybusters Tips:
• If you suspect your phone is spying on you, don't completely stop using it until you can collect evidence to prove your case. 
• Pick up a cheap, dumb, unblocked secret phone.
-- Don't give out the number.
-- Don't tell anyone you have it.
-- Use a pre-paid SIM card.
-- Use it for very confidential calls only, Let a little information leak via your smartphone. You don't want to tip off your spy that you have gone dark.
-- Completely turn off your smartphone when using your secret phone.
• Block your phone number from being sent. Press *67 before entering the number you want to call. Remember, calls to toll-free numbers like 700, 800, and 900 numbers (and their variants) can not be blocked.
• Rather text than phone? Return to those thrilling days of yesteryear... rent a pager. 

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Living in La La Land - Where Nobody Spies

Canada's top corporate executives remain relatively unconcerned that their businesses are vulnerable to cyber attacks.

The latest C-Suite survey of business leaders shows that cyber-security is not a serious worry for a majority of those sitting in the nation’s corner offices.

Only 40 per cent say they are very or somewhat concerned about cyber-security threats to their companies. Even fewer say they think that businesses like theirs will likely be a target of an attack on the corporate computer system. 

And more than 90 per cent of those who responded are confident in their organization’s efforts to protect their business from these threats... (more)

A voice in the wind...
Greg Hawkins, CEO of Yellowhead Mining Inc., agrees that companies should not be complacent... Firms that think they have the situation completely under control “are living in la la land,” he said.

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SpyCam in Restaurant Can - "Don't like it? Don't go to the restroom!"

A visit to a restroom is usually a private thing but some customers at a Texas restaurant say that’s not the case. This comes after one man discovered a security camera in the restroom of Wolfie’s restaurant in Lake Conroe.

It’s not the place you’d expect to be under surveillance but the management says it’s for safety. The cameras are high up above the door so customers do not see them until they are about to exit.

There is a sign posted in the hallway stating the reason for the cameras but legal experts say it should not be done.

Management was asked about the tactic and they say it’s because some customers have destroyed property.

They also said if patrons do not like the cameras they do not have to go to the restroom. (more)

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Spy Camera Glasses - Austin Powers is Thrilled

Question Mark & the Mysterians may sue... 

from the manufacturer...
"Ankaka launches Innovative Spy Camera Glasses Espionage. The high tech spy gadget manufacturer Ankaka is back!

This time they bring people the Spy Camera Glasses espionage-spy-camera-sunglasses; Very stylish and comfortable to use, this latest make of high quality spy gadgets enables people to walk around with no worries as people spy on their subject..." (more) (video)

CUT! 
Enough already. This insults the word covert. It's time to stop applying the word "spy" to everything. (grab your glasses and sing-a-long)

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Foreign and Economic Espionage Penalty Enhancement Act of 2012 vs. My Baloney Meter

On January 14, 2013, President Obama signed the Foreign and Economic Espionage Penalty Enhancement Act of 2012.

The Act enhances the penalties for certain violations of the Economic Espionage Act.

The purpose of the Act was to amend title 18, United States Code, to provide for increased penalties for foreign and economic espionage.

Under the Act, the upper limit of penalties for individual offenses of Section 1831(a) are increased from $500,000 to $5,000,000 and the upper limit for corporate offenses of Section 1831(b) are increased from $10,000,000 to the greater of $10,000,000 or 3 times the value of the stolen trade secret to the organization, including expenses for research and design and other costs of reproducing the trade secret that the organization has thereby avoided. (more)

Why this approach alone has never worked, and what will work...
"A Cunning Plan to Protect U.S. from Business Espionage"

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Man Sends His Computer Security Token to China...

...so he can outsource his job!

A security audit of a US critical infrastructure company last year revealed that its star developer had outsourced his own job to a Chinese subcontractor and was spending all his work time playing around on the internet.
 

Verizon investigators found that he had hired a software consultancy in Shenyang to do his programming work for him, and had FedExed them his two-factor authentication token so they could log into his account. He was paying them a fifth of his six-figure salary to do the work and spent the rest of his time on other activities...

Further investigation found that the enterprising Bob had actually taken jobs with other firms and had outsourced that work too, netting him hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit as well as lots of time to hang around on internet messaging boards and checking for a new Detective Mittens video. (more)

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Investigative Journalist Finds Electronic Listening Device in Apartment

Ukraine - Lviv investigative journalist Taras Zozulinsky said he discovered an electronic listening device in his apartment on Jan. 6. He thinks it was planted because of his investigation into whether high-ranking police officers in Lviv Oblast are involved in the illicit drug trade.

"I didn't snitch on you. You snitched me!"

Police say they have launched criminal proceedings regarding intentional obstruction of journalistic activities, but complain that the newspaper is obstructing their work.

Zozulinsky said he did not trust the police, so the newspaper decided to give the device to a reliable and independent expert in Europe.

Zozulinsky said he found the device sewn to the label of a towel on a shelf and made a complaint to police the same day. Police interviewed him and searched the apartment at his request, but did not find any other bugs. (more)

My take... Until further evidence is brought forth, I'm saying he stole that towel from a hotel or a local gym, brought it home, and later discovered it had something extra in it. You can learn all about that something extra here. ~Kevin

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From those wonderful folks who brought you Godzilla...

Two moments of security Zen, from Japan... SECOM's rentable private security drones.

"Flyzilla"



and... "Flee, puny humans. FLEE!"

  
(more)

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Computer Anti-Virus King Becomes a Spy?!?! ...you decide.

Remember John McAfee? ...the man who, just weeks ago, went on the run from Belize after his neighbor was found murdered, claiming that the police wanted to kill him and frame him for the murder. 

He fled to Guatamala,...arrived in the US shortly after, and now he’s pecking out his tell-all tale via his blog, where he describes himself as the head of his own private spy operation.

According to the post he... purchased 75 laptops, loaded them with “invisible keystroke logging software,” packaged them back up so none would be the wiser, and gave them away to those in positions of power: law enforcement, government employees, etc. The software then sent McAfee text files of what was typed, and he soon had access to a variety of social media and email accounts.

Soon after, he amassed 23 women and six men whom he calls his operatives; eight of the women, he said, were so accomplished at their missions that they ended up living with him...

Of course, it’s important to remember some things: McAfee is known to be involved in drugs, even having had his place in Belize raided at one point on suspicion of meth manufacturing. (more)

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Police Strip Cut Shreds Used as Parade Confetti

Ethan Finkelstein, was at the NYC Thanksgiving Day Parade and noticed something weird about the confetti... "and it says 'SSN' and it's written like a social security number, and we're like, 'That's really bizarre.'

"There are phone numbers, addresses, more social security numbers, license plate numbers and then we find all these incident reports from police."

One confetti strip indicates that it's from an arrest record, and other strips offer more detail. "This is really shocking," Finkelstein said. "It says, 'At 4:30 A.M. a pipe bomb was thrown at a house in the Kings Grant' area."

A closer look shows that the documents are from the Nassau County Police Department. The papers were shredded, but clearly not well enough.

They even contain information about Mitt Romney's motorcade, apparently from the final presidential debate, which took place at Hofstra University in Nassau County last month. (more)

UPDATE: ...Sources close to the investigation into the incident told PIX11 News that an employee of the Nassau County Police Department was watching the parade near 65th Street and Central Park West, along the parade route. He had brought shredded NCPD documents with him for his family and friends to use as confetti... (more) (video)

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Mannequin Spies - Will Dummy Shoppers Revolt?

An Italian firm selling mannequins that secretly monitor the age, race and gender of customers using facial recognition software has come under fire from privacy groups. The information logged by the dummies is then used to implement more effective marketing strategies by stores in the US and Europe.

And the manufacturer now plans to add audio recording to the dummies' capabilities, listening in on customers' discussions about their clients' products.

Click to enlarge

The mannequins, known as "EyeSee" are manufactured by Italian company Almax and retail for £3,200 each.

Privacy campaigners agree, describing the technology as "creepy" and "totally disproportionate."

Emma Carr, deputy director of campaign group Big Brother Watch, told the Daily Mail newspaper: "The use of covert surveillance technology by shops, in order to provide a personalised service, seems totally disproportionate.

"The fact that the cameras are hidden suggests that shops are fully aware that many customers would object to this kind of monitoring. 

"Keeping cameras hidden in a mannequin is nothing short of creepy." (more)

As Seen on Predicted on TV in 1960!

(YouTube)

 

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