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 important to you think access control is within your company?
Our advice is to maintain multiple layers of security. Physical and electronic access control is a critical part of that process.
We’d love to hear from you regarding what access control equipment and procedures you employ within your organisation.
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P.S. If you are wondering what these strange characters are, don’t worry – it’s simply a validation code for a blog site! We’ll remove it very soon…
Hi Folks,
I am off to the Espionage Research Institute annual convention in Washington, DC this week and will be speaking on SDR (Software Defined Radio) as it applies to counterespionage and eavesdropping detection.
This is the one time each year when eavesdropping detection specialists from all over the world gather to trade knowledge and socialize. It should be fun and I will report “the latest” next week when I return.
In the meantime, entries into Kevin’s Security Scrapbook may be lean. Hang in there. It should be worth the wait. Have a cup of coffee.
Be seeing you,
Kevin
Turkey –
Erzincan’s chief public prosecutor confessed to having wiretapped, albeit accidently, the prime minister on Saturday during the “32. Gün” (32nd Day) debate program aired by private TV station Kanal D.
According to Erzincan Chief Public Prosecutor İlhan Cihaner, “Had I given the telephone conversations of the prime minister [Recep Tayyip Erdoğan] to the media, the political composition in Turkey would have changed, and heaven and earth would have moved here.” The program’s host, Mehmet Ali Birand, asked whether he “witnessed” the phone conversations of the prime minister. In response, Cihaner said, “Yes, you could say so.”
Cihaner was arrested earlier this year on charges of membership in a terrorist organization. (
more) (
Turkish Sitcom)
Turkey has more than its share of wiretapping intrigue. I have been to Turkey twice on business and love the country, its people, food and history. I have yet to understand the wiretapping intrigue. But it happens. This is just one more story. P.S. If you would like a copy of Turkish Sitcom I will sell you my copy at half price. If you want your own, click
Turkish Sitcom
. (Trailer) “Kiss my Kabob.”
“Die Hard” director John McTiernan was sentenced to one year in prison Monday for lying about his association with a private investigator to illegally wiretap a movie producer.
In a stinging rebuke of the 59-year-old McTiernan, U.S. District Judge Dale Fischer said he should receive a harsher sentence than the year recommended by prosecutors because he didn’t accept responsibility for his actions. “The defendant doesn’t think the law applies to him,” Fischer said.
Fischer also ordered McTiernan to pay a $100,000 fine and serve three years probation. He will remain free on bond pending an appeal.
McTiernan previously pleaded guilty to lying to an FBI agent in 2006 about the investigation of private investigator Anthony Pellicano. Pellicano was convicted in 2008 of wiretapping film producer Charles Roven for McTiernan and of bugging the phones of celebrities and others to get information for clients.
In April 2006, McTiernan told Fischer he hired Pellicano to wiretap Roven. (more)
