News copied from other online sources.
I've been away from the keyboard for a while, so I thought I would post a few updates as we begin the new year. - hidden cameras, recording devices, horses on the loose, and the passing of two spy genre greats in 2020.
The "VW Bug" takes on new meaning. Confidential meetings of the VW group were apparently systematically intercepted during years of disputes between Volkswagen and the supplier ASA Prevent Group. This is reported by the business magazine “Business Insider”. As a result, conversations from a special project group were secretly recorded in 2017 and 2018. How the almost 50 hours of material were created and used has so far remained unclear. The Prevent group told Business Insider that they had no knowledge of the audio recordings. How safe are your meetings?
Cisco Aironet critical flaw. | Man sentenced for phishing celebrities | Key-copying kiosks pose new threat | Hackers help track down missing persons.
In all major industries, conversations in board rooms and meeting rooms contain the most valuable and critical information. This article looks at reports of LG Display conducting sweeps in their Seoul office, recent theft of trade secrets cases, and the value of professional TSCM in protecting board rooms and securing trade secret discussions.
Nashville, TN, police arrested a man after they say he used a baby monitor to spy on a female coworker in her Sylvan Heights home. Baby monitors and other off-the-shelf communications devices work well as tools for eavesdropping and surveillance. Be on the lookout for any unauthorized or out-of-place devices that may be spotted in your place of business or your home. ...and you may want to check under your bed before you go to sleep tonight.
A Prince George's County school administrator found a recording device that may have been hidden inside their office for months, county officials said.
From the “just because you’re paranoid, it doesn’t mean…” department.
Reported on Page Six
Evi and Randy Quaid might be justified in some of their paranoia. They say they were among the victims of wiretapping private eye Anthony Pellicano and his inside man at the Los Angeles Police Department, Sgt. Mark Arneson.
Evi and Randy Quaid
Randy, 67, who was nominated for an Oscar and other awards for his serious dramatic roles, was best known for his Cousin Eddie character in the “National Lampoon’s Vacation” movies before his career derailed about eight years ago.
The Quaids claimed to be victims of “Star Whackers,” a secret cabal that they say are responsible for the deaths of David Carradine and Heath Ledger. The couple said Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan were also targets.
Now, they say they’ve learned they were part of a recently settled class action suit against the LAPD and Arneson, who was […]
If you are going to record -video or audio- there is a good chance you may be breaking the law. You may have good motivation, but don’t expect the courts – or your co-workers- to see it that way.
Such devices can appear anywhere, at home or in the work place.
from the Pocono Record
Pleasant Valley School District Director of Support Services Joshua Krebs was arraigned on wiretapping charges Tuesday. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on Jan. 26.
Court papers allege Krebs electronically eavesdropped on conversations in the elementary school faculty break room in April 2016.
Krebs was still working at the school district as of Tuesday’s arraignment.
Krebs, 37, of Kunkletown, his hands clasped in front of him, appeared calm and did not speak at the arraignment. He sported a full beard, closely cut hair, and wore a gray suit with a blue shirt and gray patterned tie […]
Interesting story of a man who listened to radio signals for a living. Mickey monitored the airwaves for the state-run Israel Radio and passed on information to his editors — and, sometimes, intelligence agents — to hijackings, invasions and revolutions, even intercepting a telephone call between the White House and Air Force One.
Motivation for eavesdropping #139: Retaliation Against Employees. High school district police chief charged with eavesdropping.
from CBC.ca May, 2017
A soldier at the Canadian military base in Oromocto, N.B., is facing several charges, including sexual assault, voyeurism and possession of child pornography, after electronic devices and videos were seized from his former residence near Washington, D.C., in February.
The charges involve two alleged victims, members of the Canadian Armed Forces in Washington and Esquimalt, B.C., at the time of the alleged incidents, said Lamirande.
The charges stem from the Washington-area member’s discovery of a recording device at their private residence in January, said Lamirande.
“The victim reported discovery of the device to their chain of command and the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service was notified,” she said in an email.
When the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service investigated, the device “was linked to the accused,” said Lt. (Navy) Blake Patterson, public affairs officer for […]
This past week marks the 50 year anniversary of the Automated Teller Machine, and probably 50 years of fraud as well. Krebsonsecurity offers advice: You are far more likely to encounter ATM skimmers over the weekend when the bank is closed (skimmer thieves especially favor long holiday weekends when the banks are closed on Monday). Also, if you have the choice between a stand-alone, free-standing ATM and one that is installed at a fixed location (particularly a bank) opt for the fixed-location machine, which is typically more secure against physical tampering. Most ATM skimmer devices can still be foiled by simply covering the PIN pad while entering your PIN...
It doesn't take much to motivate someone to spy or eavesdrop. Spy devices are readily available to anyone with online access. Even those who should know better are willing to breach the privacy of others for their own benefit. Duty of care may require security sweeps be scheduled for law offices, accountants, and many other businesses who handle the confidential affairs of their clients. South Africa: Advocate Penny Hunt has been suspended from practicing as an advocate for six months. Judgment handed down on Tuesday that Hunt was responsible for instructing a surveillance technician, Houston Wayne Impey, to plant a “listening bug” in the ceiling of the advocates’ chambers. She was also accused of having a GPS tracking device attached to the car of a fellow advocate.
The targets of spies are not just big corporations. Sports teams and sporting events are rife with confidential information and adversaries looking to get an edge on their competition. Here are two recent reports, one on spying concerns at the America’s Cup in Bermuda and the other on the Lyons rugby team .
Google to stop scanning Gmail for ad targeting
SAN FRANCISCO, June 24 — Google said yesterday it would stop scanning the contents of Gmail users’ inboxes for ad targeting, moving to end a practice that has fueled privacy concerns since the free email service was launched.
A Google statement said Gmail users would still see “personalized” ads and marketing messages but these would be based on other data, which may include search queries or browsing habits.
Google Cloud senior vice president Diane Greene said in a blog that the free Gmail service would now follow the same practices as its corporate G Suite Gmail.
“Consumer Gmail content will not be used or scanned for any ads personalization after this change,” Greene said.
“This decision brings Gmail ads in line with how we personalize ads for other Google products. Ads shown are based on users’ settings. Users can change those settings at any […]
The recent discovery of a hidden camera in the city animal shelter won’t spur a criminal prosecution, authorities say, but is the subject of an ongoing internal inquiry, and it factored into the dismissal June 2 of longtime City Marshal Mike Harris. The discovery of the camera prompted a search of other city facilities, which turned up another concealed camera focused on an office/storage area doorway related to a specific loss prevention concern.
From the "the cover up may be worse than the crime" department: Chipotle accused of covering up for manager who put hidden camera in women's bathroom.
The U.S. Justice Department today unsealed indictments against four men accused of hacking into a half-billion Yahoo email accounts. Two of the men named in the indictments worked for a unit of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) that serves as the FBI’s point of contact in Moscow on cybercrime cases. Here’s a look at the accused, starting with a 22-year-old who apparently did not try to hide his tracks.