Corporate Espionage and Countermeasures News
News updates and articles are presented regarding corporate espionage, eavesdropping, electronic countermeasures, and TSCM. Please subscribe for automatic updates by entering your email address in the box on the right. You can search past articles and view archives in the column on the right.
Excerpts from recent posts are shown below. Click on the title to view the entire article.
Covert recording devices invade offices in New York
Recent incidents serve as a warning- recording devices are easily secreted in a variety of places and can be very difficult to find. All someone needs is access to the target location. This could include employees, executives, cleaners, contractors, former employees who may still have access, or even the public at large...
Deep fried computers. “USB Killer” destroys at least 66 computers at College of St. Rose.
USB sticks are a major insider threat concern, but usually for either copying and stealing confidential files or possibly installing malware onto a computer or network. This case involves a USB stick designed deliberately to destroy computers. A former student of College of St. Rose in Albany, NY purchased a "USB Killer" thumb drive. It is a device adapted to convert USB voltage to higher levels and feed it back into the computer thereby destroying at least the USB port and possibly much more.
International news: Columbia looking into bugging of Constitutional Court
Colombia’s prosecutor general has launched an investigation into the possible eavesdropping of the Constitutional Court that complained about possible bugs and wiretaps earlier this week. Colombia’s constitutional court said on Sunday it had been meeting in Club Nogal outside its normal offices citing suspicions that the court’s own offices are bugged and phone lines are being intercepted.
Florida Law Firm Victim of Eavesdropping- Case Study
Details have emerged of a recent eavesdropping and bugging operation at a West Palm Beach law firm that reveal classic eavesdropping techniques. Looking at the details, we find some things they did right, and some things they could have handled better.
Tech report: ARINST SSA-R2 handheld spectrum analyzer
First look at the ARINST SSA-R2 handheld, touch-screen, 6GHz RF spectrum analyzer.
Beware public spaces- when on your cell or just hanging with associates.
Trains, planes, buses, restaurants, or just on the street- keep your conversations private! Lessons learned...
Your office phone could be eavesdropping – just like the FaceTime bug.
Unknown to many is that office phone systems have a similar "feature" to the notorious Apple FaceTime bug. "Auto-answer" features can allow incoming calls to any extension to be automatically answered and microphones turned on without the target user taking any action, leaving the phone on hook, and not even knowing it had happened.
Holidays ripe for spy gear.
While trying to grab some last minute Christmas gifts I couldn't help but notice a large display of eavesdropping devices at throw-away prices. Be on the look out as such covert devices become more and more popular. They may start showing up in your office.
KGB Spy Museum opening in NY.
Looking for something to do in NY this holiday season? The KGB Spy Museum is opening in the Chelsea area of New York this December.
SEC does not approve of insider trading after eavesdropping. (Minnesota man finds out the hard way.)
How valuable is conversation? Much of your day to day conversation may need to be kept confidential. Even if you know you are discussing critical, private matters, those around you may not have the same understanding. Eavesdropping resulted in $140,000 in fines for a Minnesota man who eavesdropped on his wife's conference calls.