Browsing articles from "October, 2010"

Electronic Bugs and Hidden Cameras Found In Councillors’ Homes

Oct 31, 2010   //   by Julian Claxton   //   Blog, Espionage Threats, News & Updates  //  No Comments

Earlier this year after a suspicious break-in, a leading Sydney Councillor accidentally discovered a listening device concealed under his house. It was alleged that the same councillor had located another device some weeks earlier that was apparently logging computer activity, via a crude attachment at the back of his PC. The councillor felt that the installation must be politically motivated, as little was stolen during the initial break-in. Furthermore, there was an election looming and various suspicious [political] incidents occurred during the lead-up.

As a result, management within the local government he represents requested that a series of sweeps be undertaken of other councillor’s homes.

It begs the question of who would be bugging a local councillor and for what benefit? We have undertaken technical surveillance countermeasure inspections for numerous governments (local, state and federal) over the years, generally as a precautionary measure. Interestingly, we’ve found definitive evidence of listening devices having been placed at a number of locations and have provided practical security advice accordingly. In most cases, however, we’ve believed that these placements have been in relation to various inquiries undertaken by law enforcement agencies – an area we do not want to interfere with.

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How To Protect Your Business From Spying

Oct 31, 2010   //   by Julian Claxton   //   Blog, Counter-Espionage Advice, Security Advice  //  No Comments

Corporate espionage is a very real threat

Levels of corporate espionage have significantly increased across all industry sectors in recent years, with the financial crisis exacerbating the problem. Technological advances and an increasingly transient workforce have contributed to the steady rise in espionage levels during the past decade. More recently, the increased competition between companies, heightened workplace pressures, large-scale redundancies and cost-cutting measures caused by the financial crisis have contributed to a dramatic proliferation in the scale and frequency of acts of espionage.

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Contract Cleaners Caught Stealing from Security Exhibition!

Oct 31, 2010   //   by Julian Claxton   //   Blog, Espionage Threats, News & Updates, Security Advice  //  No Comments

ASIS International recently held their 2010 international conference and exhibition in Dallas, Texas USA. I was lucky enough to have attended this exhibition and was absolutely amazed at just how many vendors were displaying state-of-the-art closed circuit television (CCTV) systems. Every step you took, was under surveillance. It is for this reason that I am shocked and amused to think that someone would be foolish enough to steal anything from such an exhibition, not to mention one of the world’s largest security exhibitions! Well, believe it or not, it happened!

Apparently, on the second morning of the ASIS 2010 Conference, several exhibitors reported that various items had been stolen from their exhibition stands. That’s right – a security exhibition is robbed! One of the victims was smart enough to approach a nearby exhibitor, who had several overt surveillance cameras pointing in the direction of the theft.

>> Continue reading “Contract Cleaners Caught Stealing from Security Exhibition!” »

Security Alert: iCracked

Oct 29, 2010   //   by Kevin's Security Scrapbook   //   Blog, News & Updates  //  1 Comment
A security flaw in the iPhone allows strangers to bypass the handset’s lock screen with a few button presses.

…the quick method to circumvent an iPhone’s passcode-protected lock screen:
• tap the “Emergency Call” button,
• then enter three pound signs,
• hit the green Call button
• and immediately press the Lock button.
That simple procedure gives a snoop full access to the Phone app on the iPhone, which contains the address book, voicemail and call history. (more)

Apple:

“We’re aware of this issue and we will deliver a fix to customers as part of the iOS 4.2 software update in November.” 

“Why is this important?”
Not having password protection on a smart phone leaves you open to information theft, jail-breaking and injection of spyware.

“Why does this trick exist?”
• It is a software loophole.
• It is a programmer’s shortcut they forgot to patch.
• It is a programmer’s Easter egg.
• It is a law enforcement backdoor never meant to become public knowledge.
Interesting question. You decide.

FutureWatch: The ability to create passwords longer than four measly digits… which is only a pool of only 10,000 passwords. ~Kevin

Firesheep Makes Stealing Your Wi-Fi Secrets Easy

Oct 28, 2010   //   by Kevin's Security Scrapbook   //   Blog, News & Updates  //  No Comments
via Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols
From all the yammering, you’d actually think there was something new about Firesheep, the Firefox extension that lets you grab login IDs, passwords, and other important information. What a joke. I, and any hacker or network administrator worth his salt, have been able to do this kind of stuff for years.
The only thing “new” about Firesheep is that how it easy makes it to do. I’m unimpressed. Anyone who was serious about grabbing your personal information has already been doing it for years. Trust me, if someone really wanted your data and you’ve been using open Wi-Fi networks, they already grabbed it.
No, the real worry isn’t about some jerk grabbing your Twitter password in a coffee house. The real worry has always been that your office Wi-Fi is easy to compromise and then someone can use a packet-sniffer to get something that really matters like your your Accounts Payable password. (more)
Need a Wi-Fi Security Audit and Compliance Inspection? (you do) Please call me. (more)

11/4/10 - UPDATE:  IBM researchers are proposing an approach to WiFi security they call Secure Open Wireless in light of the release of the Firesheep tool. (more)

11/5/10 - UPDATE: 10 Ways to Protect Yourself from Firesheep Attacks (more)

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Jayde Consulting's team are experienced practitioners of technical surveillance countermeasures (TSCM) bug sweeps and counter-espionage consulting. We work within Australia and regularly internationally. We also maintain close associates in Europe and the USA.

Please telephone us on our Sydney number for a confidential discussion:

(02) 8006-0635

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