Legal Surveillance Methods & Tools: How Do You Protect Yourself?

May 26, 2013 By

counter-surveillance-services

  1. In the past, people concerned about their safety and security had to rely upon large corporations to protect them, and at great financial cost. But as electronics have gotten smaller, and their capabilities expanded, the technology has become cheaper and easier to use. Those who are looking for legal surveillance methods to protect themselves or their property may want to know what is available and how to acquire it.

For many years the governments of the world, especially through their civilian and military intelligence services, have utilized special technologies to spy on other people. Although there have been significant and well-publicized abuses of this technology, in the majority of cases it was to protect national security. But as the world has become socially, culturally, and economically smaller the concerns that were once limited to national governments are now common for business owners, corporate executives, and even the average joe.

What are some of the available methods and tools for legal surveillance?

Despite all of the technology that is available, nothing replaces a good private investigator. With more tools available, and easier ways to obtain information, a private investigator can find anybody, anywhere, and usually in record time. For those who want to do it themselves, a simple phone tap is a popular option. In past decades tapping a phone required sophisticated equipment that had to be installed and hidden on the premises, but today that has changed. A phone can be tapped without even going in the person’s home or place of business, and can be tailed and tracked without the spy leaving their location.

Is someone spying on you?

If, on the other hand, you are concerned that someone else is spying upon you there are countermeasures available to detect this. This is particularly useful if you are a victim of a stalker, or concerned about other more sophisticated surveillance. Known as a “spy sweep”, expertly trained professionals are able to use equipment that scans all radio frequencies and determine if there are any potential vulnerabilities. If you are being bugged, they will be able to find anyone, or anything, that has been used to track you.

What do I do next?

Now that you have a better idea of what is available you are only limited by your imagination. Obviously you do not want to infringe on anybody’s rights, or create problems for innocent people, but if you are seeking to protect yourself, your families and your property then legal surveillance is one solution.  To find out, specifically, the best protection for your situation contact us, at http://ispyck.com/contact/  , email: mguadagno@ispyck.com, or Tel: 716-830-6757
Tel: 919-363-6321.

 

 

Filed Under: Featured, Legal Surveillance, Technical Surveillance Countermeasure Specialist Tagged With: , , , , ,

BYOC: The Mobile Cloud Computing Cyber Security Forecast

March 28, 2013 By

The problems with BYODAn outgrowth of Mobile Cloud Computing is BYOC (Bring Your Own Cloud).  However, instead of the Cloud service being taken to work, it is used abroad.  We are a far cry from the offices of yesteryear, which did all their business from claustrophobic cubicles.  Now, today’s workforce is free to go mobile and use systems such as Cloud to access work projects, suppliers, business partners, and customers wherever they travel.

The Problem:

However, this convenience raises the spectra of a cyber-security nightmare.  Since sensitive business data is kept in Cloud storage outside the company’s security realm, the wrong people may invade it.  For example, many of you have heard the news stories about stolen employee laptops, which contained highly private customer info…such as their social security numbers, etc.  This was a public relations disaster!

The Solution:

Michael Guadagno & Associates can aid your company in making a preemptive strike to try and prevent such worst-case scenarios from occurring.  As such, we will give professional guidance to your management on how to navigate away from the destructive storms of controversy that Cloud and other BYOD’s can potentially create:

BYOD / BYOC Cyber Security

First, we will discuss the importance of powerful device passcode enforcement, plus, how to/or how not to choose a code.

  • Next, we’ll move on to DLP (Data Loss Prevention), Antivirus Protection, and how to choose the most effective cutting edge products containing these features in the present.  Then, we’ll instruct how to be aware of what cyber security upgrades are coming to the marketplace in the near-future.
  • We’ll explore the question of what potential security hazards could arise from the next hot trending device on the horizon.
  • Then, we’ll have a look at how to choose and use full-disk encryption, removable media, and Cloud storage.
  • Also, we’ll familiarize your management with using application control features.
  • We’ll especially emphasize how to use MDM (Mobile Device Management) to destroy sensitive data when a device’s security has been compromised by loss, or theft.
  • Additionally, we’ll point out the alternate choice of using a malware scanner to remotely lock the vital data on a missing device. There is such a scanner, which works with *Android apps.

The bottom line is to encourage forward thinking in computer security to keep one, or more steps ahead of an intruder’s game.

* Disclaimer: [Michael Guadagno & Associates do not work for, or market any devices for their respective manufacturers.]

Filed Under: Corporate Espionage, Featured, Identity Theft, Mobile Device Security Risk, Online Content Tracking, Privacy, Social Networking Tagged With: ,

STAFF GADGETS: How to Monitor and Control their Usage at Work

March 15, 2013 By

corporate espionage 2BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) to work is a very hot trend among employees in a variety of businesses, universities, and government agencies. At its best, it sparks increased productivity in the work place, due to its easy usage. However, the downside to this practice is that BYOD can become BYOB (Bring Your Own Bug), which can infest company computers. This occurs as a result of outside devices having no security. (Such problems can not only happen in corporate offices, but also in university libraries that have PC’s that are available to both students and the general public). As for the staff-owned devices, companies can’t fight the popularity of their use at work. So, they are starting to be welcomed as an extra aid to employee performance. However, this brings up a range of security questions that need to be addressed:

Cyber Security Threats

  • What devices are connected to your network? Are they authorized?
  • Are they using the latest anti-virus protection? How can this be enforced?
  • How do you make sure that they’re safely used on the company network? Will they have unlimited, or limited functions?
  • How do you give limited network access to different guests?
  • When there’s an incident involving an intrusion, can you trace it to the source?

Cyber TSCM Eyes in the Sky

Michael Guadagno & Associates can help with your Cyber TSCM (Technical Surveillance Countermeasures). As such, our Aircheck Wi-Fi Network Analyzer can identify what APS are on your network. In addition, their signal strength is measured and it changes with a user’s proximity to them. What’s more, we can discover which ones are friends or foes (Eavesdrop Detection) and choose whatever authorization status is appropriate for them. Aircheck can, also, scan every existing Wi-Fi channel for APS, traffic, and interference. It can give the choice of connection with open or secured networks and doing continuous signal quality tests on them. In addition, an Auto Test feature will alert you to the condition of your wireless environment with 3 Bug Sweep tests: Air Quality, Network Quality, and Rogues. It will either be rated “Pass”, “Warning”, or “Fail”. The first test, Air Quality, simply shows results for APS that are owned by you, your neighbors, and Rogues. The Network Quality test is similar, but it only concentrates on your own network. Lastly, the Rogue AP Identification test lets us do Counter Surveillance by alerting us to the presence, info details, and location of intruders in your system.

Evidence Report

The AirCheck Manager software can load *security and encryption profiles into AirCheck. *(This security has Wi-Fi standards). Also, it can put together Session Reports from AirCheck’s collected information. Then, the session can be preserved. Also, we can generate a report on it in either summarized or detailed form. AirCheck’s final important feature is the Screen Capture, which can be used as documentary evidence in court.

We wish to extend our hands to those of your various offices in cooperation towards a more transparent and secure network for your entire professional team.

Filed Under: Corporate Espionage, Featured, Technical Surveillance Countermeasure Specialist Tagged With: ,

Hire a Spy to Protect Your Corporate Information

March 15, 2013 By

Corporate Espionage, Hire a Spy to ProtectA top spy has been hired by the House of Commons to defend MPs from cyber-attacks amid fears that foreign agents have penetrated Parliament’s computer system.

Paul Martin, a senior MI5 counter-intelligence expert, has been appointed to help repel ‘cyberwarriors’ working for the Russian and Chinese governments, who are trawling for secret data or compromising information to use against MPs in blackmail operations.

As a Royal Palace rather than a Government department,  Parliament is regarded as a ‘weak link’ by the Security Services because it does not automatically receive the same level of computer protection enjoyed by Whitehall.

The problem has been compounded by MPs’ widespread use of taxpayer-funded iPads, which operate on Westminster’s wi-fi networks.

One source has even claimed  that there was ‘panic’ in the Commons late last year after it was discovered that hackers linked to the Chinese government appeared to have broken into the system. The suggestion has since been denied by  Westminster-based security officials.

[Read Full Article Here]

Hire a Spy to Protect

Parliament is unable to keep up with information loss due to unscrupulous individuals so they reach out for help. Private industry such as exceptional Private Investigators, TSCM Sweep Engineers and the like, are emerging in the private professional protection of Information Security.

Who is The Unscrupulous?

Chinese and Russian governments are two of the main culprits sponsoring rogue hacking groups to infiltrate our system and steal your company’s trade secrets. One of the many key doors you allow for entering into your system is the use of unprotected electronic devices entering the work environment. BYOD guidelines with employees and networks need more attention especially within the Wi-Fi frequency communication range.

Cyber TSCM Sweep

Cyber TSCM is keeping us busy and there are many that do not have a perfectly safe office environment. Safe from vulnerability attack on the work place office/structure, and executive residence included. For that reason alone, corporate clients need for a TSCM Cyber/Bug Sweep to be conducted at regular intervals during the year. We are one of the best TSCM!

Filed Under: Corporate Espionage, Featured, Technical Surveillance Countermeasure Specialist Tagged With:

Cyber Targeted-Attack Analyzer Fights Corporate Espionage

March 4, 2013 By

Our Cyber Targeted-Attack Analyzer combined with other equipment is our approach to corporate counterespionage sweeps starting at the ground level. When administering our Technical Surveillance Counterespionage (TSCM) Sweeps on the suspect target corporate environment of an individual building structure our Cyber TSCM services are deployed with professional personalized human intervention.

We cannot help thinking the similarity of our services on the individual ground level client to national defense level protection as DARPA. We are thankful for them as well as the talented writer of this informative article with security affairs concerning, DARPA on Cyber Targeted-Attack Analyzer program & micro-satellites.

[Read full article here]

Filed Under: Corporate Espionage, Featured Tagged With:

Is Someone Watching you Inside your own Home: How do you Protect Yourself?

February 5, 2013 By

rossen report on webcam hacking

A video by an NBC National Investigative Reporter demonstrates how hackers can invade your privacy in the comfort of your own home. There are simple ways you can protect your privacy, which we use when we counsel clients in many of the cases we investigate:

  • First check your remote desktop connection and be sure you are not permitting access to your computer
  • Put tape over your computer’s camera lens (we suggest metal tape or black electrical tape)
  • Shut off your computer when not in use and close the lid
  • Exercise extreme caution when opening  email from those you do not know
  • Never click on links within a suspicious email
  • E-Cards, photos, and chain emails, for example, jokes that ask you to you to pass it on to others,  are commonly used to transmit viruses
  • Install  virus protection on your computer and keep it updated.

rossen report webcam hacking2Unbeknown to most users, there are applications that you can download to your computer, iPhone, or iPad, thinking that they are harmless. Appthority put together a list of some of the worst offenders that are virtual Trojan horses that steal personal data when you are not looking. Some of the popular apps include Facebook, QR Pay, a QR Code Scanner and Barcode Reader, and Angry Birds Star Wars, to name a few.

Situational Awareness

More often than not, you can protect yourself by just using common sense. Be wary of free offers, because you may inadvertently be making yourself a target.

Filed Under: Featured, Mobile Device Security Risk, Privacy Tagged With: , ,

Wifi Analysis – How Safe or Unsafe is Your Router?

January 22, 2013 By

In a story published by Naked Security, read about how WiFi internet routers might be able to cause security breaches for corporate offices.

“Stories of a vulnerability in Linksys consumer routers – the sort of device you might have at home between your family network and your ADSL modem, for example – have been circulating in the past week.

WiFi Analysis for Security Breach‘Cisco Linksys is a very popular router with more than 70,000,000 routers sold. That’s why we think that this vulnerability deserves attention,’ and to point out that it would widely disclose the vulnerability in the next two weeks, ‘according to our vulnerability disclosure policy.’

Anyone who can plug a LAN cable into the back of your router already has physical access to it, so they can get a root shell anyway, albeit that it might be more obvious that they’re trying.”

To read the full story, click here.

Unsafe Router?

We question anything traveling through the air such as router radio frequency, to be completely safe as some manufactures claim. For stronger security measures, we recommend:

  • using a strong WPA password,
  • chose friend contacts wisely,
  • keep your eye on vulnerability disclosure updates, and
  • schedule regular TSCM Sweeps with Wi-Fi Analysis as we do for our clients.

In past years of our company conducting sweep audits nationally, we are observing the ever increasing vulnerability of Wi-Fi within the corporate office structure.

Corporate Executive Security experts are aware of this being a possible situation for compromise of their trade secrets, and that is why they call on us for a complete thorough sweep of their office environment. Our work doesn’t end after the sweep results are made known.  Through our continuing education and briefings, we provide on-going TSCM support to our Corporate Security Executives to keep their trade secrets secret.

Filed Under: Corporate Espionage, Featured Tagged With: ,

Law Enforcement Using Cell Phone Tracking Devices

January 13, 2013 By
Stingray cell phone tracking device

Stingray cell phone tracking device

For more than a year, federal authorities pursued a man they called simply “the Hacker.” Only after using a little known cellphone-tracking device—a stingray—were they able to zero in on a California home and make the arrest.

Stingrays are designed to locate a mobile phone even when it’s not being used to make a call. The Federal Bureau of Investigation considers the devices to be so critical that it has a policy of deleting the data gathered in their use, mainly to keep suspects in the dark about their capabilities, an FBI official told The Wall Street Journal in response to inquiries.

A stingray’s role in nabbing the alleged “Hacker”—Daniel David Rigmaiden—is shaping up as a possible test of the legal standards for using these devices in investigations. The FBI says it obtains appropriate court approval to use the device.

Click Here to read the full Article ‘Stingray’ Phone Tracker Fuels Constitutional Clash

There are also other types of equipment that are able to covertly spy on your cell phone activity which also include text, voice, emails, and just about anything that your phone connects with. The Stingray Cell Phone Tracking Device is just one of many tools used for this purpose. In a Spy’s tool bag, there are other options with most on sale on the open market to anyone, not just law enforcement. They are the least of your worries with today’s advancing technology.

How Stingray cell phone tracking works

How Stingray cell phone tracking works

Filed Under: Featured, Mobile Device Security Risk, Privacy Tagged With: ,

Popular office phones vulnerable to eavesdropping

January 8, 2013 By
Cisco IP Phone easy to be hacked

Cisco IP Phone easy to be hacked

Bob Sullivan of The Red Tape Chronicles recently posted a story about how popular office phones are vulnerable to eavesdropping.

“You can imagine the implications of this,” Stolfo said of the vulnerability. “Anything that is said behind closed doors isn’t private, no matter how sensitive the conversation is. There is no privacy. How can you conduct business like that?”

“On the dark side, these phones are sold worldwide,” Stolfo said. “Any government that would like to peer into the private lives of citizens could use this. This is a great opportunity to create a low-cost surveillance system that is already deployed. It’s a monitoring infrastructure that’s free, when you turn these into listening posts.”
[read the full article here]

Comments by: Michael Guadagno of www.iSPYck.com

In our experience, this type of phone, including many other similar and also older models, has been used for eavesdropping devices for many years. The YouTube video competently shows how the compromise was done by one group.

The demonstration is very good and, also, may be hard to understand for some people who are not technically inclined. This specific compromise shows a technical way to take control of the system. However, the initial access into the system, as explained in this particular demonstration, may be just a simplified technique. We would like to point out there are several, easier means of eavesdropping on a phone system or other office equipment, including the entire office telecommunication system.

The compromise will exist for years until a TSCM Sweep makes the discovery. http://ispyck.com/

Filed Under: Corporate Espionage, Featured, Privacy Tagged With: , , ,

Government Report Warns of ‘Persistent, Pervasive’ Economic Espionage Attacks on U.S.

December 15, 2012 By

The Department of Defense is admitting it’s a problem, rather than sticking their head in the sand and claiming such talk is paranoia. When the DoD warns you, it’s time for the CIO to consider other means of protection.

Espionage

We are clearly able to see the aggressive espionage activity from certin foreign countries and interested others emerging, with the engagement of new clients contracting for our TSCM Counterespionage Services: www.ispyck.com
http://threatpost.com/en_us/blogs/government-report-warns-persistent-pervasive-economic-espionage-attacks-us-121312

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With:
«Older Posts