From: George Shaw Date: Fri Mar 1, 2002 0:37pm Subject: Chat Greetings from Belfast NI. Would love to attend the seminar but flights though cheaper are still probative from Belfast to USA:( The on-line chat facility could be used for a Friday night chat and virtual teach in. In fact if Net meeting was used a virtual course in most things could be held??? -- George Shaw eMail: george.shaw@b... eMail: george.shaw@u... Home:+44 (0) 28 9062 8924 Mobile: +44 (0) 77 4036 1163 ICQ#: 1741675 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.323 / Virus Database: 180 - Release Date: 08/02/02 4924 From: Rick Hofmann - MICROSEARCH Date: Fri Mar 1, 2002 9:32pm Subject: Re: Interesting article Steve P and Group, Thanks for posting this message. It was not picked up locally so I found out about it via this list. Since I am very close to Whittier I contacted the Private Investigator, Thomas Barnes, offering to help identify the device. I contacted him early this morning, and have not received a reply as of this evening. I also contacted the College spokesperson, Caye Brundage, with the same offer. Ms. Brundage is not sure who has custody of the device, but believes it is being held by the campus security officers. Ms. Brundage took my name and number and said she would pass it along to the powers that be. I was able to find out the following: 1.The device was not transmitting a signal. 2.It was installed behind a light switch that controlled a light table in the school newspaper office. 3.The "sweep" mentioned in the article consisted of a light physical search. 4.Ms. Brundage was unaware of any scanner being used during the "sweep". If I am able to check out the device I will post all the details as soon as possible. At 12:56 PM 02/28/2002 -0500, you wrote: > Found this today...thought the group my find it interesting: > >SteveP > >Students discover "bug" in Whittier College newspaper office >Listening device could have been planted several years ago, says private >investigator > >© 2002 Student Press Law Center > >February 27, 2002 > >CALIFORNIA - Student newspaper staff members at Whittier College uncovered >what may turn out to be the story of the year ... in their very own office. > >A routine maintenance service call last week turned up an electronic >surveillance device imbedded in the office walls of the Quaker Campus. It >is not known how long the bug, which was not functioning when pulled from >the wall, was hidden. The device was capable of transmitting a radio >signal to any receiver, tuned to the correct frequency, within a >three-mile radius, editor Amy Stice said. > >The discovery prompted a shared sense of disbelief and concern among the >newspaper staff and the university's administration. As this article was >posted, it was not clear which university offices, if any, were >investigating the matter. Whittier Police Department officials contacted >by the SPLC could not find a report of the incident in their database. > >The episode began last Thursday when a maintenance worker, in the >newspaper office to fix a broken light table, found a problem with the >electrical socket. Upon taking it apart, he discovered a two-inch >surveillance device soldered to the back of the socket, Stice said. > >The paper alerted campus security and on Monday an electrician checked all >of the other sockets in the office. No more bugs were found, but campus >security called the Whittier Police Department later that day. Stice said >the officers, however, were reluctant to take action. > >"The Whittier Police Department came in, apparently looked at the bug and >said, 'Well there's nothing we can do about it; yeah there's a bug but we >don't have any evidence for this,' " Stice said. The officers said they >did not want to file a report, she added, and that such a measure would >necessitate taking custody of the device, which would probably be thrown >away at a later time. > >The paper decided to keep possession of the bug. Student government >president Jess Craven, whose office is located in the same building as the >publications room, was worried that more bugs might be hidden in the walls >so he contacted a local private investigator, Thomas Barnes. > >Barnes, a retired police detective and former military officer, decided to >help the staff pro bono, "because they didn't have any money," he said. > >Barnes loaned the newspaper a scanner to check the office for additional >surveillance tools and he urged former Whittier mayor and current >councilman Bob Alexander to "light a fire under" the local police. > >"Most municipal police departments aren't really on the learning curve >when it comes to bugs, electronic surveillance, computer crime," Barnes >said. "You're lucky, [for] the older policemen, if they can even run a >computer. And if they can't even write their own reports or run a >computer, then they're surely not going to be able to understand the >implications of a bug." > >"It's pretty serious when you start hard-wiring in because it means you >have to have the opportunity to do it," he continued. "This is not for a >short-term problem, it's (for) somebody that wants to monitor somebody for >a long period of time." > >The school seems to share his concern. > >"Student journalism and the free exchange of ideas is something that the >institution has supported since its inception," university spokesperson >Caye Brundage said. "So we're very concerned about anything that would >inhibit the ability of our students to exchange ideas freely or that would >create an atmosphere where they felt they were being inhibited." > >Barnes said he considers the school's administration a suspect in the >surveillance. > >"Who would want to monitor [the newspaper] on a long-term basis?" Barnes >asked rhetorically. "You start to come up with a short list of people and >one of the people that usually comes up at the very top of the list is >administration. It's like a murder case; one of the first people you look >at is somebody related to the murder victim." > >Brundage disagreed, "I can't think of why I as an administrator would want >to bug the office," she said. "We are interested in knowing what the >[Quaker Campus] is doing but usually we're pretty aware of what stories >are being [investigated anyway]." > >Barnes and Brundage both said that the bug appeared to have been in the >wall for "a long time." Sweeps of the rest of the building turned up no >additional surveillance devices. > >In California, electronic eavesdropping in situations where there is an >expectation of privacy and individuals are unaware of the surveillance is >a felony, Barnes said. > >Whittier College is the alma mater of former President Richard Nixon, who >was forced to resign from office as a result of the Watergate scandal that >was triggered by the bugging of Democratic National Committee headquarters >in Washington. > > >< Return to Previous Page > > > > > > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > >======================================================== > TSCM-L Technical Security Mailing List > "In a multitude of counselors there is strength" > > To subscribe to the TSCM-L mailing list visit: > http://www.yahoogroups.com/community/TSCM-L > > It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. > It is by the juice of Star Bucks that thoughts acquire speed, > the hands acquire shaking, the shaking is a warning. > It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. >=================================================== TSKS > >Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Very truly yours, Rick Hofmann, CCO, CPP MICROSEARCH, LLC - Electronic Surveillance Detection - Counterespionage Post Office Box 2084 - Cypress, California 90630 714-952-3812 Fax: 714-209-0037 PI16998 4925 From: taylorhardwood Date: Fri Mar 1, 2002 9:32pm Subject: isa dar3 does anyone know anything about isa's dar3 as compared to I'm currently us cpm700 and need more equipment and would like info from someone who has first hand knowledge thanx in advance dan /taylortscm 4926 From: Steve Uhrig Date: Fri Mar 1, 2002 10:37pm Subject: Re: isa dar3 Once upon a midnight dreary, taylorhardwood pondered, weak and weary: > does anyone know anything about isa's dar3 as compared to I'm > currently us cpm700 and need more equipment and would like info from > someone who has first hand knowledge Hi Dan, They're not really all that comparable units. They each have their place. The DAR-3 is a broadband receiver with demodulator and a microwave downconverter/preamp internal to the unit. The DAR-1 is the same thing without the downconverter and preamp. I have owned several of each unit. I never felt like using the CPM on a real sweep, but I've used the DAR-3 all over the world. The DAR-3 is *much* easier to maintain and much less likely to need maintenance. The internal gelcell is inexpensive and you could change it in the dark. Plop the thing on a shelf with any sort of whip or duck antenna on it, and it will soon be hearing transmissions from planes overhead, analog cell or trunking transmissions near your building, and all sorts of stuff. Even up where I am in the country, the thing isn't quiet long. The demodulator basically is AM, but it hears both wideband and narrowband FM fine, and easily will recover audio from a low powered AM or FM signal generator output at a usable distance. The DAR is a mature, reliable, effective piece of RF sniffing equipment, and for a reasonable price, known to be in working condition, it is a nice product. www.isa-tscm.com The CPM-700 attempts to be a junior Scanlock, and in my opinion doesn't quite make it. It is capable of working almost as well as the advertising would have you believe. It accepts standard AA cells, either alkaline or nicads which is a nice advantage. I don't recall offhand if it will charge them; I think it will and chargers are cheap and usually included with REI (www.research-electronics.com) stuff. The CPM-700 was designed for those who are entertained by lots of chrome, blinking lights, whistles and baubles as is true of all REI equipment. This is an acceptable sales tactic/gimmick, however, and merely shows REI knows their market rather than indicating a low quality piece of equipment. The CPM includes an audio amp, and has various accessories (infrared probe; useless in the real world but don't turn it down if it's included in the package, an acoustic leakage transducer which works, an AC power line subcarrier which works and is nice to have, etc.). You usually see the CPM in a nylon sub-briefcase soft carrying case with Velcro straps to hold the cables, probe antenna, headphones, etc. in place. For the same money, I'd take the CPM. It hears fairly well but not excellent, and in testing the DAR hears significantly better. That does not mean, however, that the CPM is no good. You are waving the handheld antenna around, moving it close to potentially concealed transmitters. The virtues of an exponentially stronger signal due to close proximity (true in both units) makes up for lesser sensitivity. The CPM also, as mentioned, has more bells and whistles. Either unit will work acceptably well *if you do your part* for sniffing an average hostile RF device. The CPM does more. It's smaller. It uses more practical batteries. It has a lot of useful features. It has a lot of features that are nothing more than selling points and will never be used. The DAR is a better design purely for RF, and maintainable, although I have owned perhaps ten CPM-700s and have not had any fail. I have replaced that many gelcell batteries in various DAR units over the years ($17 from Mouser), but that is standard maintenance. A gelcell if not abused should last 5 years. Don't discharge it too deeply, charge it as soon as you can, and don't overcharge it. This advice does *not* hold true for nicads. See the battery articles in the Articles section of my website for battery care and feeding info. There are more CPM-700s on the planet than DARs probably by a factor of 50 or 100 to 1, but that is due to targeted marketing (every spy shop) of REI products. The DAR is real sweep equipment. I know a number of professionals who would not want to be seen using REI gear but willingly use ISA gear. I do not necessarily agree, but there is a largish amount of snake oil perception attached to the REI designs, and I speak as a 30 year manufacturer of the kind of stuff these gadgets and their owners try to find. I didn't understand from your message if you own or are considering buying one or the other pieces. Purely for RF, either will do fine. If you own neither and prices are comparable, the CPM probably is a better deal *but practice for a good while with anything you get*. I would disconnect the phone line from the base part of an analog cordless phone so you don't keep your line busy all night, put the handset in talk or intercom or whatever, have your wife hide it in various places around the house, and practice finding it. When you can find it 100% of the time with either unit, you're ready to start your sweep training. The above paragraphs hold true for any RF TSCM gear. I am willing to bet 99% of OSCOR owners could not find the cordless phone handset test as described above transmitting from within an average size house. An analog cordless phone is a fair approximation of a real bug as far as transmitting power and range. Now time for a commercial message. I have for sale some items: a CPM-700 with acoustic probe used on one occasion, quite a number of assorted Riser Bond TDRs, a nearly new Audiotel Super Broom Nonlinear Junction Detector, some radio direction finding equipment, communications gear, ICOM R100 and R8500 receivers which are NOT cellular blocked, and a good bit more new and used electronics for sale. Check some of it out here: http://www.swssec.com/used.html Not all pieces available are listed. If I ever stay off travel long enough to update the page, I will. Email me if interested in any of the items mentioned. I also buy unneeded equipment, and will consider trades or trades with cash. I take credit cards for payment and ship anywhere in the world. Eleventy-seven guys on this list can give a reference on me. Steve ******************************************************************* Steve Uhrig, SWS Security, Maryland (USA) Mfrs of electronic surveillance equip mailto:Steve@s... website http://www.swssec.com tel +1+410-879-4035, fax +1+410-836-1190 "In God we trust, all others we monitor" ******************************************************************* 4927 From: James M. Atkinson Date: Sat Mar 2, 2002 5:03am Subject: Mobster nailed by FBI keystroke logger pleads guilty http://www.idg.net/ic_823868_1794_9-10000.html Mobster nailed by FBI keystroke logger pleads guilty George A. Chidi Jr., IDG News Service\Boston Bureau March 01, 2002, 12:00 Ending the possibility for a showdown in higher courts between the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and privacy advocates, accused loan shark Nicodemo S. Scarfo Jr. pleaded guilty in a New Jersey federal court on Thursday to a charge of illegal gambling. Federal prosecutors charged Scarfo with racketeering, illegal gambling and loan sharking in 2000, and described him as being a member of the Mafia. The case took on broader significance when the government introduced evidence gained from secretly installing a keystroke-logging tool on Scarfo's computer in order to crack the PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) encryption on one of his files. Defense attorneys tried to suppress the evidence as unconstitutional, and requested details about the workings of the keystroke-logging tool in order to prove that it violated the U.S. Constitution's Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable search and seizure. But prosecutors kept specific details about the logger secret by successfully invoking the Classified Information Protection Act, asserting that the government has a compelling national security interest in keeping the technical details of the system from public view. U.S. District Court Judge Nicholas H. Politan rejected the defense's requests to suppress the keystroke evidence in December shortly before retiring and handing the case off to U.S. District Judge Joel Pisano, who heard Scarfo's plea on Thursday. With the guilty plea, privacy advocates will have to wait for another case in order to get a higher court to hear the constitutional challenge to the government's use of the technology, said David Sobel, general counsel to the Electronic Privacy Information Center watchdog group in Washington, D.C. "From a legal perspective, (the issues) continue to be resolved at levels about the District Court of New Jersey," Sobel said. Without being heard at a higher appellate court, the case sets no precedent beyond the New Jersey courtroom. And without more rulings from judges about the use of new surveillance technology in this or other jurisdictions, it may take a long time for a case to reach the U.S. Supreme Court. "We know that Carnivore (the FBI's controversial e-mail surveillance tool) has been in use for two years now, and there hasn't been a case where evidence gathered with it has been used in court." The FBI, in Washington, D.C., can be reached at http://www.fbi.gov/. Court documentation regarding the Scarfo case is available at http://lawlibrary.rutgers.edu/fed/html/scarfo2.html-1.html and http://www.epic.org/. -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The First, The Largest, The Most Popular, and The Most Complete TSCM, Bug Sweep, Spy Hunting, and Counterintelligence Site on the Internet. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- James M. AtkinsonPhone: (978) 546-3803 Granite Island GroupFax: (978) 546-9467 127 Eastern Avenue #291http://www.tscm.com/ Gloucester, MA 01931-8008mailto:jmatk@t... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy course; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt,1910 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4928 From: Bug Sweeper Date: Sat Mar 2, 2002 0:35pm Subject: FW: Re: Interesting article -----Original Message----- From: Zero Dog [mailto:bigzerodog@e...] Sent: Saturday, March 02, 2002 10:29 AM To: tscm-l@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [TSCM-L] Re: Interesting article Folks, I've arranged to inspect the student newspaper office on Sunday. Will post photos of the device and where it was found shortly. From a description given to me over the phone, it sounds like an FM broadcast band kit transmitter modified to run of 110VAC. The device was left with the student newspaper for several days and they took it to some spy shop in the area. There, a 'technician' hooked it up to power and said it wasn't working. The device is now in the custody of the PD as evidence -- hopefully they'll allow a better analysis. - Eric in Los Angeles -----Original Message----- From: Steve Uhrig [mailto:steve@s...] Sent: Friday, March 01, 2002 11:42 AM To: TSCM-L@yahoogroups.com Subject: [TSCM-L] Re: Interesting article Once upon a midnight dreary, preflat@p... pondered, weak and weary: > Students discover "bug" in Whittier College newspaper office Carpenter discovers brain tumor in pet goldfish. > Listening device could have been planted several years ago, says private > investigator Device might not have been a device at all, says someone who believes the private investigator most likely either was incompetent or a liar, likely both. > A routine maintenance service call last week turned up an electronic > surveillance device imbedded in the office walls of the Quaker Campus. It > is not known how long the bug, which was not functioning when pulled from > the wall, was hidden. The device was capable of transmitting a radio > signal to any receiver, tuned to the correct frequency, within a > three-mile radius, editor Amy Stice said. I will have to remember to contact College Newspaper Editors should I find a bug in the future somewhere, since the obviously have an extremely high level of working knowledge of communications, field theory, electronic surveillance technology, antennas, and of course such a breadth of pertinent experience so as to be able to recogize a surveillance device at sight. Funny, takes me a lot of math backed up by empirical testing to determine the range of a surveillance transmitter, and 3 miles is almost beyond what I would consider reality. Guess I need to go back to college and sign up for some journalism courses. Funny, those were the ones the engineering students switched to when they flunked out of engineering. Gonna have to hire this gal. > The discovery prompted a shared sense of disbelief and concern among the > newspaper staff and the university's administration. As this article was > posted, it was not clear which university offices, if any, were > investigating the matter. Whittier Police Department officials contacted > by the SPLC could not find a report of the incident in their database. How inconsiderate of the alleged bugger not to have filed a report with the police department detailing his installation. Terrible inconvenience. > The episode began last Thursday when a maintenance worker, in the > newspaper office to fix a broken light table, found a problem with the > electrical socket. Upon taking it apart, he discovered a two-inch > surveillance device soldered to the back of the socket, Stice said. Gonna have to hire that 'maintenance worker'. Fix a leaking radiator, dredge a hairbrush out of an overflowing toilet, find a bug. > The paper alerted campus security and on Monday an electrician checked all > of the other sockets in the office. No more bugs were found, but campus > security called the Whittier Police Department later that day. Stice said > the officers, however, were reluctant to take action. What action could they take other than prosecute the campus morons for destroying the chain of evidence and chain of custody? They should have spanked them, however, for sticking their noses into something they were not qualified to mess with. Oh, I forgot. They were journalists. They are qualified to do anything. > "The Whittier Police Department came in, apparently looked at the bug and > said, 'Well there's nothing we can do about it; yeah there's a bug but we > don't have any evidence for this,' " Stice said. The officers said they > did not want to file a report, she added, and that such a measure would > necessitate taking custody of the device, which would probably be thrown > away at a later time. 'Apparently' looked at the bug. Apparently said 'yeah there's a bug'. They also 'apparently' could have said, 'There's a dimmer, or noise filter.' > The paper decided to keep possession of the bug. Admission of a felony. Except it is unlikely, in my opinion, it was a bug, so probably no violation. > Student government president Jess Craven, whose office is located in > the same building as the publications room, was worried that more bugs > might be hidden in the walls so he contacted a local private > investigator, Thomas Barnes. An appropriate course of action by the uninitiated. > Barnes, a retired police detective and former military officer, > decided to help the staff pro bono, "because they didn't have any > money," he said. Because if he would have taken any money, it would have been under false pretenses, and he may have been at least that smart. > Barnes loaned the newspaper a scanner to check the office for additional > surveillance tools and he urged former Whittier mayor and current > councilman Bob Alexander to "light a fire under" the local police. Former police and military officers loan scanners to journalists to check for bugs. I will sleep better knowing this. > "Most municipal police departments aren't really on the learning curve > when it comes to bugs, electronic surveillance, computer crime," > Barnes said. Neither are former police officers, former military officers or private investigators. > Barnes said he considers the school's administration a suspect in the > surveillance. I would consider Barnes a suspect. > Barnes and Brundage both said that the bug appeared to have been in the > wall for "a long time." Knob and tube electrical wiring was the clue, no doubt. As was the large power supply and bank of 4CX250 power amplifier tubes in the bug. The blue flashing mercury vapor rectifiers were the real giveaway, however. > Sweeps of the rest of the building turned up no additional surveillance > devices. Good thing he loaned them that scanner. > In California, electronic eavesdropping in situations where there is an > expectation of privacy and individuals are unaware of the surveillance is > a felony, Barnes said. If someone is aware of a surveillance, is it still a surveillance? ============ ******************************************************************* Steve Uhrig, SWS Security, Maryland (USA) Mfrs of electronic surveillance equip mailto:Steve@s... website http://www.swssec.com tel +1+410-879-4035, fax +1+410-836-1190 "In God we trust, all others we monitor" ******************************************************************* ======================================================== TSCM-L Technical Security Mailing List "In a multitude of counselors there is strength" To subscribe to the TSCM-L mailing list visit: http://www.yahoogroups.com/community/TSCM-L It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the juice of Star Bucks that thoughts acquire speed, the hands acquire shaking, the shaking is a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. =================================================== TSKS Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ 4929 From: A Grudko Date: Sat Mar 2, 2002 5:48am Subject: Re: CPM 700 - Original Message - From: Steve Uhrig > The CPM includes an audio amp, and has various accessories > (infrared probe; useless in the real world but don't turn it down if it's > included in the package, an acoustic leakage transducer which works, an > AC power line subcarrier which works and is nice to have, etc A field observation. The CPM IR probe is not shielded and (I think) accidentally becomes a EM field detector - or at least mine does. If an object is oscilating (don't ask me at what f) and you put the CPM IR probe against it - literally in contact - the CPM audibly detects this. Seeing this post I walked round my house with the CPM IR probe and got the following results: Back of TV - loud 'Wooshing' sound TV screen - serious 'raster' Curtains 1 metre away from TV - background white noise Normal phone on hook - slight increase in noise amplitude Off hook - local FM radio station but noisy Phone amp (my dad is hard of hearing) on or off hook - local FM radio station but noisy PC - goes berzerk Fax machine - nothing except raster over the LCD Dictaphone/pocket recorder - on or off, no reaction ! (too LF?) Baseball cap - background white noise Alarm clock (digital) - humms 400 Meg Panasonic cordless phone on hook (RX mode) - obvious signal, about 900 hz demodulated. The result of this pop survey: this equipment will tell you if SOME electronic equipment is operating in your baseball cap - or if someone has placed a TX in your flowerpot....but not a dictaphone. Just a field observation; not an endorsement, recommendation, advertisement, promotion, scientific study or expert opinion. :-) Andy Grudko D.P.M., Grad I.S, (S.A.) - Grudko Associates - www.grudko.com , Est. 1981 International business intelligence and investigations - ICQ 146498943 Johannesburg (+27 11) 465 9673 - 465 1487 (Fax), Pretoria (+27 12) 244 0255 - 244 0256 (Fax) SACI, WAD, CALI, SAMLF, UKPIN, AFIO (OS), IWWA, PRETrust, AmChamCom When you need it done right - first time uaside> 4930 From: James M. Atkinson Date: Sat Mar 2, 2002 1:49pm Subject: Re: CPM 700 Yeah, There is a very serious flaw in the design of their IR probe, and about half of the one I've received over the years I have had to repair myself. What happens is the IR diode leads they use is only a mm or so away from a naked copper sleeve which provides a dead short to ground. I have actually had the IR probes come in dead from the factory. Fortunately I inspect equipment before I ship it to clients. The easiest way to fix it is to use a short 5 mm piece of black tubing to insulate the exposed leads which if a little longer then you need also makes the probe more directional. Also, consider getting a small piece of Wratten 25 filter or piece of exposed film and cover the diode so that it is only responding to infrared energy. At 1:48 PM +0200 3/2/02, A Grudko wrote: >- Original Message - >From: Steve Uhrig >> The CPM includes an audio amp, and has various accessories >> (infrared probe; useless in the real world but don't turn it down if it's >> included in the package, an acoustic leakage transducer which works, an >> AC power line subcarrier which works and is nice to have, etc > >A field observation. The CPM IR probe is not shielded and (I think) >accidentally becomes a EM field detector - or at least mine does. If an >object is oscilating (don't ask me at what f) and you put the CPM IR probe >against it - literally in contact - the CPM audibly detects this. > >Seeing this post I walked round my house with the CPM IR probe and got the >following results: > >Back of TV - loud 'Wooshing' sound Likely VLF from the CRT yoke. >TV screen - serious 'raster' Yep, at 15 kHz... but was the unit responding to the light... or to stray VLF? > >Curtains 1 metre away from TV - background white noise As we would expect >Normal phone on hook - slight increase in noise amplitude Does the phone have any lights on it? >Off hook - local FM radio station but noisy >Phone amp (my dad is hard of hearing) on or off hook - local FM radio >station but noisy > >PC - goes berzerk I would hope so... Pray, you you have a HP computer or printer with an IRDA port? > >Fax machine - nothing except raster over the LCD IR off the LCD >Dictaphone/pocket recorder - on or off, no reaction ! (too LF?) No IR energy >Baseball cap - background white noise As expected >Alarm clock (digital) - humms What was it humming? > >400 Meg Panasonic cordless phone on hook (RX mode) - obvious signal, about >900 hz demodulated. > >The result of this pop survey: this equipment will tell you if SOME >electronic equipment is operating in your baseball cap - or if someone has >placed a TX in your flowerpot....but not a dictaphone. > >Just a field observation; not an endorsement, recommendation, advertisement, >promotion, scientific study or expert opinion. Have you tried using a splitter to run two or more probes at a time with the unit? or, used multiple CPMs each with a different probe? >:-) > >Andy Grudko >D.P.M., Grad I.S, (S.A.) - Grudko Associates - www.grudko.com , Est. 1981 >International business intelligence and investigations - ICQ 146498943 >Johannesburg (+27 11) 465 9673 - 465 1487 (Fax), Pretoria (+27 12) 244 >0255 - 244 0256 (Fax) >SACI, WAD, CALI, SAMLF, UKPIN, AFIO (OS), IWWA, PRETrust, AmChamCom >When you need it done right - first time -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The First, The Largest, The Most Popular, and The Most Complete TSCM, Bug Sweep, Spy Hunting, and Counterintelligence Site on the Internet. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- James M. AtkinsonPhone: (978) 546-3803 Granite Island GroupFax: (978) 546-9467 127 Eastern Avenue #291http://www.tscm.com/ Gloucester, MA 01931-8008mailto:jmatk@t... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy course; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt,1910 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4931 From: zack <10-33@c...> Date: Sat Mar 2, 2002 8:59am Subject: Cell phone >I would like to enlist the knowlege of this group to confirm or expose a >certain device sold by Pep-Boys and others. Our intelligence Division >recently informed us of a device which is sold at the above stores to >notify the person his cell phone is ringing. Example: Im not making this up. The devices are sold to inform the driver/passenger that his cell phone is ringing by a small flashing light on the device ....... not connected to the cell phone, but hanging as an air freshener. The reason for this is that the " music " is so loud he/she cannot hear the cell phone ring, but sees the flashing light. It has been reported that these devices can ALSO detect certain transmitters used in undercover work. Hence, undercover officer coming up to vehicle/whatever with transmitter, opps, flashing light......blink.....blink......someone is shot. Anyone had any experience????? comments ???? visit http://www.copscops.com Washington DC Police Department http://mpdc.dc.gov/main.shtm "Unity... Resolve... Freedom. These are the hallmarks of the American spirit." George W Bush President of the United States of America God Bless The USA .. NEVER forget 9-11-01 http://www.copscops.com/blessusa.htm [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] 4932 From: Bug Sweeper Date: Sat Mar 2, 2002 3:22pm Subject: RE: Cell phone Had 'em at HRO for years. I can't make mine flash without at least 500mw out of an HT at 3 or 4 inches. Just a toy. -EL -----Original Message----- From: zack [mailto:10-33@c...] Sent: Saturday, March 02, 2002 6:59 AM To: TSCM-L@yahoogroups.com Subject: [TSCM-L] Cell phone >I would like to enlist the knowlege of this group to confirm or expose a >certain device sold by Pep-Boys and others. Our intelligence Division >recently informed us of a device which is sold at the above stores to >notify the person his cell phone is ringing. Example: Im not making this up. The devices are sold to inform the driver/passenger that his cell phone is ringing by a small flashing light on the device ....... not connected to the cell phone, but hanging as an air freshener. The reason for this is that the " music " is so loud he/she cannot hear the cell phone ring, but sees the flashing light. It has been reported that these devices can ALSO detect certain transmitters used in undercover work. Hence, undercover officer coming up to vehicle/whatever with transmitter, opps, flashing light......blink.....blink......someone is shot. Anyone had any experience????? comments ???? visit http://www.copscops.com Washington DC Police Department http://mpdc.dc.gov/main.shtm "Unity... Resolve... Freedom. These are the hallmarks of the American spirit." George W Bush President of the United States of America God Bless The USA .. NEVER forget 9-11-01 http://www.copscops.com/blessusa.htm [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ======================================================== TSCM-L Technical Security Mailing List "In a multitude of counselors there is strength" To subscribe to the TSCM-L mailing list visit: http://www.yahoogroups.com/community/TSCM-L It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the juice of Star Bucks that thoughts acquire speed, the hands acquire shaking, the shaking is a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. =================================================== TSKS Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ 4933 From: Charles P Date: Sat Mar 2, 2002 10:31pm Subject: Re: Cell phone You can get external belt clip vibrators for the same function. I had one that would vibrate whenever I used the microwave (oven, that is) or if a walkie talkie or other two way radio was transmitting in the vicinity. charles ----- Original Message ----- From: "zack" <10-33@c...> To: Sent: Saturday, March 02, 2002 9:59 AM Subject: [TSCM-L] Cell phone > > >I would like to enlist the knowlege of this group to confirm or expose a > >certain device sold by Pep-Boys and others. Our intelligence Division > >recently informed us of a device which is sold at the above stores to > >notify the person his cell phone is ringing. > > > Example: Im not making this up. The devices are sold to inform the > driver/passenger that his cell phone is ringing by a small flashing light > on the device ....... not connected to the cell phone, but hanging as an > air freshener. The reason for this is that the " music " is so loud he/she > cannot hear the cell phone ring, but sees the flashing light. > > It has been reported that these devices can ALSO detect certain > transmitters used in undercover work. Hence, undercover officer coming up > to vehicle/whatever with transmitter, opps, flashing > light......blink.....blink......someone is shot. > > Anyone had any experience????? comments ???? > > > visit http://www.copscops.com > Washington DC Police Department http://mpdc.dc.gov/main.shtm > > "Unity... Resolve... Freedom. These are the hallmarks of the American spirit." > George W Bush > President of the United States of America > > God Bless The USA .. NEVER forget 9-11-01 > http://www.copscops.com/blessusa.htm > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > ======================================================== > TSCM-L Technical Security Mailing List > "In a multitude of counselors there is strength" > > To subscribe to the TSCM-L mailing list visit: > http://www.yahoogroups.com/community/TSCM-L > > It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. > It is by the juice of Star Bucks that thoughts acquire speed, > the hands acquire shaking, the shaking is a warning. > It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. > =================================================== TSKS > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > > 4934 From: Date: Sat Mar 2, 2002 10:00pm Subject: Cell phone These devices have been around for several years, there is nothing special here. Mobile phones are notorious for generating large amounts of interference which can be used to your advantage. Several years ago I needed to activate a device in the middle of the countryside remotely 20 or 30 times a day. The theory was that I should use a sound activated switch which when the mobile rang would turn on my equipment for 2 minutes. In fact we noticed that the switch operated just before the phone rang so we put it in silent mode and it still worked. The device you are talking about has limited range and aimed at cell phone frequencies Brian [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] 4935 From: A Grudko Date: Sun Mar 3, 2002 3:31pm Subject: Re: CPM 700 + test TXs - Original Message - From: James M. Atkinson Fixes noted - thanx > >TV screen - serious 'raster' > Yep, at 15 kHz... but was the unit responding to the light... or to stray VLF? The light - if I optically blank it the raster goes and we are back to slightly elevated white noise. > >Normal phone on hook - slight increase in noise amplitude > Does the phone have any lights on it? No lights - I figured it was a bit of an RF hot spot caused by being attached to a really long antenna...the phone line - a bit like the boost to a weak AM commercial radio station you get when you pass under power lines. Of course it could be a cheap phone TX - I hear our government are having budget cut backs... :-) > >PC - goes berzerk > I would hope so... Pray, you you have a HP computer or printer with > an IRDA port? Compaq - IRDA port, yup but out of view to during my pop test. > >Dictaphone/pocket recorder - on or off, no reaction ! (too LF?) > No IR energy But none coming off the phone either - I hoped I'd got a cheap tape recorder oscilator detector in the deal....! > >Alarm clock (digital) - humms > > What was it humming? Brahms, I think. Naa, it was about 400 Hertz. Probably off the counter. > Have you tried using a splitter to run two or more probes at a time > with the unit? No - just a normal BNC 'T' connector? Is this to comparitivly test the function of each probe or is there an advantage in IR detection? > or, used multiple CPMs each with a different probe? I brought in 2 others with IR probes, for clients, but apart from a normal pre-delivery check I did not do side by side comparisons. I have a seperate IR linear RX receiver which my buddy G4AWZ, who assists me with equipment development, built. He's arriving here Thursday from the wet and cold UK with a new case of test equipment for me to experiment with. It looks like the home brew that it is BUT it is more sensitive, more directional and appears better screened than the CPM probe because it does not demod FM radio off my 'phone!!! Unfortunaly I don't have an IR lab so I can't measure frequencies. Incidentally, going back to the test TX question. I do carry test transmitters to show the clients that the equipment is not just bells and whistles. One of my Alum. cases is my random 'bit of kit' box. In there is a 432 Mhz Kenwood 10 Mw licence free Rx/Tx, an alarm system keyring TX (those pulsesare so sexy) and a deactivated parallel 'Infinity' ('Harmonica') hookswitch bypass phone tap, complete with croc clips!!! Andy Grudko D.P.M., Grad I.S, (S.A.) - Grudko Associates - www.grudko.com , Est. 1981 International business intelligence and investigations - ICQ 146498943 Johannesburg (+27 11) 465 9673 - 465 1487 (Fax), Pretoria (+27 12) 244 0255 - 244 0256 (Fax) SACI, WAD, CALI, SAMLF, UKPIN, AFIO (OS), IWWA, PRETrust, AmChamCom When you need it done right - first time 4936 From: James M. Atkinson Date: Sun Mar 3, 2002 6:18pm Subject: The Official MIT Nerd Test The Official MIT Nerd Test Score one point for each YES. Total score is % nerdity. Good luck! 1.Have you ever used a computer? (If the answer is no, try taking the Baker House Purity test.) 2.Have you ever programmed a computer? 3.Have you ever built a computer? 4.Done #2 continuously for more than four hours? 5.Have you ever "fingered" anyone on a computer? 6.Did you enjoy it? 7.Do you wear glasses? 8.Are your glasses broken (e.g. taped) ? 9.Is your vision worse than 20/40? 10.Worse than 20/80? 11.Are you legally blind? 12.Have you ever asked a question in lecture? 13.Have you ever answered a question in lecture? 14.Have you ever corrected a professor? 15.Have you ever answered a rhetorical question? 16.Do you sit in the front row? 17.Do you take notes in more than one color? 18.Have you ever worn a calculator? 19.A pocket protector? 20.Have you ever used a microscope? 21.Have you ever used a telescope? 22.Have you ever used an oscilloscope? 23.Is your weight less than your IQ? 24.Have you ever done #2 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the same weekend? 25.Have you ever done #2 past 4 am? 26.Have you ever done #2 with someone of the appropriate sex (besides your consultant)? 27.Have you ever done #2 for money? 28.Do you own a Rubik's Cube? 29.Can you solve it? 30.Without the book? 31.Without looking? 32.Do you have acne? 33.Do you have greasy hair? 34.Are you unaware of it? 35.Have you ever bought anything from Radio Shack? 36.Did you redesign anything from Radio Shack? 37.Do you know how to use a sliderule? 38.Do you know calculus? 39.Do you know Maxwell's Equations? 40.Do you have them on a T-shirt? 41.Have you ever dissected anything? 42.Do you know pi past five decimal places? 43.Do you know e past five decimal places? 44.Do you own more than $500 in electronics (excluding stereo)? 45.More than $1000? 46.Have you ever built more than $1000 worth of electronics? 47.Have you ever designed a multistep chemical synthesis? 48.Was it fun? 49.Have you ever read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? 50.Was your math SAT more than 300 points higher than your verbal? 51.Have you ever worked on a Friday night? 52.While there's a party next door? 53.And wished that someone would invite you to come over? 54.Have you ever played a computer game? 55.Done #54 in the last three months? 56.Done #54 in the last three weeks? 57.Have you ever written a computer game? 58.Are your pants too short? 59.Do your socks mismatch? 60.Have you used a chemistry set? 61.After the age of 13? 62.Have you ever played D&D (or other role-playing game)? 63.Since high school? 64.Have you ever entered a science fair? 65.Did you win? 66.Do you own a digital watch? 67.Does it play music? 68.Does it have a calculator? 69.Have you ever used a rare earth element? 70.Do you own a CRC? 71.Do you own a CRT? 72.Do you own an HP calculator? 73.Do you know how to use it? 74.Were you ever on a chess team? 75.Were you ever on a debate team? 76.Do you know more than three programming languages? 77.More than eight? 78.Have you ever made a technical joke? 79.Did no one get it? 80.Can you name more than ten Star Trek episodes? 81.Are you socially inept? 82.Do you own a pencil case? 83.Do you wear it? 84.Do you know Schrodinger's equation? 85.Have you ever solved it? 86.Have you ever used the word "asymptotic"? 87.Can you count in binary? 88.Have you ever broken into a computer system? 89.A government system? 90.Have you ever changed your bank account? 91.Changed someone else's? 92.Done #2 for money? 93.Have you ever inhaled helium? 94.Do you know the Latin name for a fruit fly? 95.Do you own anything that is radio controlled? 96.Have you ever interpolated? 97.Have you ever extrapolated? 98.Have you ever used a modem? 99.Have you ever reached sexual climax while doing #2? 100.Did you understand every question on this test? RankClassification 1-20Totally cool, dude! 21-40Your social life needs some serious help. 40-60Nerd! 60-80YOU need some serious help. 80-100Hail, O Great Nerd Master. I have sacrificed some virgin, untouched sliderules in your name. -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The First, The Largest, The Most Popular, and The Most Complete TSCM, Bug Sweep, Spy Hunting, and Counterintelligence Site on the Internet. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- James M. AtkinsonPh: (978) 546-3803 Granite Island GroupFax: (978) 546-9467 127 Eastern Avenue #291http://www.tscm.com/ Gloucester, MA 01931-8008mailto:jmatk@t... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Cuvier could correctly describe a whole animal by the contemplation of a single bone, so the observer who has thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidents should be able to accurately state all the other ones, both before and after. - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4937 From: A Grudko Date: Mon Mar 4, 2002 9:08pm Subject: Re: SteveU/Interesting article Original Message- > From: Steve Uhrig > Funny, takes me a lot of math backed up by empirical testing to determine > the range of a surveillance transmitter, and 3 miles is almost beyond > what I would consider reality. I have to take issue with my learned colleague (I've always wanted to say that - it sounds so British lawyerish). In the late 80s (maybe a sunspot maxima helped) I detected a nominal 10mw bug from 17 Km. Last time I worked a slide rule this was over 10 miles. The device was a Cony CM(?)100 continuously TXing, modified only by high impedance capacitive decoupling parallel onto a phone line and bigger batteries, mounted on top of a standard phone pole in the street but on a fairly high point. It had a 1/4 wave wire antenna and operated on a standard freq., I recall 143+ something Megs. My receiver was a Yaessu FT227R. I had an 18 metre mast with a rotatable 10 element 2M Yagi on a fairly high spot but it was not actual line of sight. Point to point, 17 Km, a fairly steady S6 signal except when aircraft passed over or in electrical storms. Andy Grudko D.P.M., Grad I.S, (S.A.) - Grudko Associates - www.grudko.com , Est. 1981 International business intelligence and investigations - ICQ 146498943 Johannesburg (+27 11) 465 9673 - 465 1487 (Fax), Pretoria (+27 12) 244 0255 - 244 0256 (Fax) SACI, WAD, CALI, SAMLF, UKPIN, AFIO (OS), IWWA, PRETrust, AmChamCom When you need it done right - first time > > Guess I need to go back to college and sign up for some journalism > courses. Funny, those were the ones the engineering students switched to > when they flunked out of engineering. > > Gonna have to hire this gal. > > > The discovery prompted a shared sense of disbelief and concern among the > > newspaper staff and the university's administration. As this article was > > posted, it was not clear which university offices, if any, were > > investigating the matter. Whittier Police Department officials contacted > > by the SPLC could not find a report of the incident in their database. > > How inconsiderate of the alleged bugger not to have filed a report with > the police department detailing his installation. Terrible inconvenience. > > > The episode began last Thursday when a maintenance worker, in the > > newspaper office to fix a broken light table, found a problem with the > > electrical socket. Upon taking it apart, he discovered a two-inch > > surveillance device soldered to the back of the socket, Stice said. > > Gonna have to hire that 'maintenance worker'. Fix a leaking radiator, > dredge a hairbrush out of an overflowing toilet, find a bug. > > > The paper alerted campus security and on Monday an electrician checked all > > of the other sockets in the office. No more bugs were found, but campus > > security called the Whittier Police Department later that day. Stice said > > the officers, however, were reluctant to take action. > > What action could they take other than prosecute the campus morons for > destroying the chain of evidence and chain of custody? > > They should have spanked them, however, for sticking their noses into > something they were not qualified to mess with. > > Oh, I forgot. They were journalists. They are qualified to do anything. > > > "The Whittier Police Department came in, apparently looked at the bug and > > said, 'Well there's nothing we can do about it; yeah there's a bug but we > > don't have any evidence for this,' " Stice said. The officers said they > > did not want to file a report, she added, and that such a measure would > > necessitate taking custody of the device, which would probably be thrown > > away at a later time. > > 'Apparently' looked at the bug. Apparently said 'yeah there's a bug'. > > They also 'apparently' could have said, 'There's a dimmer, or noise > filter.' > > > The paper decided to keep possession of the bug. > > Admission of a felony. Except it is unlikely, in my opinion, it was a > bug, so probably no violation. > > > Student government president Jess Craven, whose office is located in > > the same building as the publications room, was worried that more bugs > > might be hidden in the walls so he contacted a local private > > investigator, Thomas Barnes. > > An appropriate course of action by the uninitiated. > > > Barnes, a retired police detective and former military officer, > > decided to help the staff pro bono, "because they didn't have any > > money," he said. > > Because if he would have taken any money, it would have been under false > pretenses, and he may have been at least that smart. > > > Barnes loaned the newspaper a scanner to check the office for additional > > surveillance tools and he urged former Whittier mayor and current > > councilman Bob Alexander to "light a fire under" the local police. > > Former police and military officers loan scanners to journalists to check > for bugs. I will sleep better knowing this. > > > "Most municipal police departments aren't really on the learning curve > > when it comes to bugs, electronic surveillance, computer crime," > > Barnes said. > > Neither are former police officers, former military officers or private > investigators. > > > Barnes said he considers the school's administration a suspect in the > > surveillance. > > I would consider Barnes a suspect. > > > Barnes and Brundage both said that the bug appeared to have been in the > > wall for "a long time." > Knob and tube electrical wiring was the clue, no doubt. > > As was the large power supply and bank of 4CX250 power amplifier tubes in > the bug. The blue flashing mercury vapor rectifiers were the real > giveaway, however. > > > Sweeps of the rest of the building turned up no additional surveillance > > devices. > > Good thing he loaned them that scanner. > > > In California, electronic eavesdropping in situations where there is an > > expectation of privacy and individuals are unaware of the surveillance is > > a felony, Barnes said. > > If someone is aware of a surveillance, is it still a surveillance? > > ============ > > > > ******************************************************************* > Steve Uhrig, SWS Security, Maryland (USA) > Mfrs of electronic surveillance equip > mailto:Steve@s... website http://www.swssec.com > tel +1+410-879-4035, fax +1+410-836-1190 > "In God we trust, all others we monitor" > ******************************************************************* > > > > ======================================================== > TSCM-L Technical Security Mailing List > "In a multitude of counselors there is strength" > > To subscribe to the TSCM-L mailing list visit: > http://www.yahoogroups.com/community/TSCM-L > > It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. > It is by the juice of Star Bucks that thoughts acquire speed, > the hands acquire shaking, the shaking is a warning. > It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. > =================================================== TSKS > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > > > ======================================================== > TSCM-L Technical Security Mailing List > "In a multitude of counselors there is strength" > > To subscribe to the TSCM-L mailing list visit: > http://www.yahoogroups.com/community/TSCM-L > > It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. > It is by the juice of Star Bucks that thoughts acquire speed, > the hands acquire shaking, the shaking is a warning. > It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. > =================================================== TSKS > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > 4938 From: Steve Uhrig Date: Mon Mar 4, 2002 10:25pm Subject: Advice for novices Hello all, Following is a sanitized excerpt from a message exchanged with a gentleman starting in the field. Since it might be general interest, I am copying some here. No sales pitch intended; frankly I couldn't care less if anyone here buys anything from me or not, especially my precious extremely limited supply of unblocked receivers. My initial advice to the gentleman was not to spend any money on anything, merely do a lot of homework and research and learn for free before dropping a penny into hardware. This is my universal advice to newcomers. All the used equipment I have originally was purchased new by someone, then sold to me usually at a large loss for many reasons. Much of the stuff comes from new enthusiasts who get carried away, from their widows or former spouses, or former employers who have a bunch of crap some idiot in security bought from a spy shop then left to get a job more suited to his abilities, like flipping burgers. If you do want to make an investment, first put the money into something that goes between your ears, like training, basic electricity and electronics courses, or textbooks like the one described below if schooling is not practical or you aren't serious enough to make the commitment. You can always get your money back out of a used receiver if you lose interest. This is not true of most sweep equipment bought new or used. Sweep equipment is much like new cars in a way. The instant you unpack it you have cut its value by a third, permanently. If it lays around and gets dust and fingerprints on it, there goes another third. Then your ex sells it to me for 10% of what you paid for it, and I clean it up, replace the batteries, calibrate it and resell it for twice that, and someone gets a great deal because you spent money you shouldn't. You lose and everyone else wins. Don't buy hardware until you know what you will do with it and can justify it. Unless you are a professional, and if you are you don't need my advice, dream about the equipment if you want to, but don't buy it. Very, very few persons will ever earn enough sweeping to pay for their equipment. BUYING EQUIPMENT IS AN EXPENSE, NOT AN INVESTMENT, FOR MOST PEOPLE, AND THAT PROBABLY INCLUDES YOU. Don't fool yourself. Yes, I'm shouting. When a guy who sells equipment tells you not to buy it, maybe he's actually telling you the truth. ========================= Once upon a midnight dreary, a@b... pondered, weak and weary: > i have an XXX background and a pretty good set of ears > and was just wondering if it was still a bad idea to maybe tinker > around with an RF transmitter sweeper to get my ears used to combing > through the key frequencies you specified in your articles; and if you > do have a good, reliable used unit, i wouldn't mind having a new toy to > play with! The best universal tool for you, in my opinion, would be a decent general coverage shortwave/VHF/UHF receiver. You can manually tune the spectrum and every practical bug frequency up to 2 gigs. This does not include the high threat 2.4 gig video stuff, but there are cheap ways to sniff them with separate equipment. You will read about them if you go through all the archives for this list, as I recommended. You very likely would have a lot of fun doing some shortwave listening as well as learning in the process. And if you have kids, it's something you can do together and actually will drag many kids away from the web or the teevee. Have you ever spent an evening listening to Radio Moscow, or Radio Nederlands, or HCJB (Heralding Christ Jesus' Blessings, as they have been saying for at least 35 years) in Quito, Ecuador or Radio Havana? Fascinating. They still play music from the 40s and 50s, and you can still find Green Hornet and Fibber McGee and Mollie shows. And a very different view of international news, especially during a crisis. Manual tuning was the way it all was done until maybe 25 years ago when stuff like the Scanlock was introduced. Most of the government guys trained on and swear by Mason A2 or A3 receivers which were $30K to the government 30 years ago, and today a modern $2000 receiver is much better. An ICOM R8500 would be a good choice. I have them full coverage (meaning they will receive U.S. cellular telephone frequencies; illegal to sell for about the last 15 years) for $1850, or 'blocked' meaning cannot receive cell freqs, for $1250, used in perfect condition. Read more about frequency coverage elsewhere before buying. Scanner newsgroups like rec.radio.scanner is worth the noise level from the education you will pick up. Full coverage is important for sweeping. Listening to cellular calls is interesting for perhaps 30 seconds, then boring to most. Probably illegal to listen. Not illegal to sell the equipment secondhand or to possess it. You can get by with real simple antennas, perhaps even make a simple 'coat hanger groundplane' as a learning experience out of a connector and some coat hangers which will work perfectly fine for casual listening and cost under $5. Or you can buy a discone antenna which would work well and is what many/most of us use. I think I get $125 for them. They ship in a reusable cardboard tube where you can disassemble and transport the thing. You would need some feedline which would be something you could assemble yourself also as a learning experience. I would talk you through it. If you buy anything from me, remind me to throw in a toy you can take apart to see how transmitters are built, or fire up to see how it works. It will not transmit audio so it is not a bug and not illegal. It is a telemetry (data) transmitter which reads various weather conditions and transmits them down from a balloon. Good to use to teach kids about too. More description of them on my used equipment page www.swssec.com/used.html. I would recommend any issue in the last 10 years of 'The Radio Amateur's Handbook' published by the American Radio Relay League aka ARRL. www.arrl.org. This is a universal handbook covering everything about communications theory from the very beginning to the most modern. Virtually everyone has one around for reference, formulas, charts, etc. Since theory doesn't change, yet they publish the thing annually, it doesn't much matter which issue you get. I think my newest one is a 1972 and I have one which belonged to my dad from 1942 which was before I was born. The later editions have more about microwave and satellites and modern stuff, and older ones have more about stuff like teletype, vacuum tubes and earlier theory. Ideally you would want an older and a newer one, but for now anything you can find will be adequate. Check ebay for older ones. Don't pay collector's prices, though. You don't want an antique, you want a beat up reference book with coffee stains on it, for a decent price (like $20-$25 max). A new one from ARRL is $35 softcover for a 2002, and $32 for 2001 if they have any left. Either would be fine. You want the hard copy edition, NOT the CD. Nothing beats being able to carry the book to your bench, or photocopy a chart, or read it sitting on the potty. Best I can advise for now. I am going to copy this to the list anonymously, because others might be interested in the info. Regards ... Steve ******************************************************************* Steve Uhrig, SWS Security, Maryland (USA) Mfrs of electronic surveillance equip mailto:Steve@s... website http://www.swssec.com tel +1+410-879-4035, fax +1+410-836-1190 "In God we trust, all others we monitor" ******************************************************************* 4939 From: James M. Atkinson Date: Mon Mar 4, 2002 9:49am Subject: Uncle Sam Needs You - CIA Job Listings for TSCM People If any of the list membership is looking for full-time government TSCM employment at the CIA they should checkout the following. http://www.odci.gov/cia/employment/jobpostings/electronic_specialist.htm http://www.odci.gov/cia/employment/jobpostings/att5.htm The CIA, and Army are both seriously hurting right now for both TSCM people and decent equipment, so do your part. Float them a resume, and you may very well score a near term job offer right out of college. Contrary to the elite illusion they try to create, if you are under 35 years of age, can hold a soldering iron, or have a ham ticket, and have an interest in TSCM they will consider you for employment. While the base pay is sub par with what you could make in the private sector by 35-50%, they more then make up for it with benefits and intangibles. Around 70-75 subscribers of this list are US government TSCM people, including around two dozen CIA TSCM people. -jma -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The First, The Largest, The Most Popular, and The Most Complete TSCM, Bug Sweep, Spy Hunting, and Counterintelligence Site on the Internet. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- James M. AtkinsonPh: (978) 546-3803 Granite Island GroupFax: (978) 546-9467 127 Eastern Avenue #291http://www.tscm.com/ Gloucester, MA 01931-8008mailto:jmatk@t... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Cuvier could correctly describe a whole animal by the contemplation of a single bone, so the observer who has thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidents should be able to accurately state all the other ones, both before and after. - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4940 From: Date: Tue Mar 5, 2002 0:25pm Subject: New file uploaded to TSCM-L Hello, This email message is a notification to let you know that a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the TSCM-L group. File : /Gold List Uploaded by : graniteislandgroup Description : TSCM Referral List You can access this file at the URL http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TSCM-L/files/Gold%20List To learn more about file sharing for your group, please visit http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/groups/files Regards, graniteislandgroup 4941 From: James M. Atkinson Date: Tue Mar 5, 2002 2:53pm Subject: Labrador Retrievers [mildly off color humor] Three Labrador retrievers - a chocolate, yellow and black - are sitting in the waiting room at the vet's office when they strike up a conversation. The black lab turns to the chocolate and says, "So why are you here?" The chocolate lab replies, "I'm a pisser. I pissed on everything - the sofa, the drapes, the cat, the kids. But the final straw was last night, when I pissed in the middle of my owner's bed." The black lab says, "So what is the vet going to do?" "Gonna give me Prozac," came the reply from the chocolate lab. "All the vets are prescribing it. It works for everything." He then turns to the yellow lab and asks, "Why are you here?" The yellow lab says, " I'm a digger. I dig under fences, dig up flowers and trees, I dig just for the hell of it. When I'm inside, I dig up the carpets. But I went over the line last night when I dug a great big hole in my owner's couch." "So what are they going to do to you?" the black lab inquired. "Looks like Prozac for me too," the dejected yellow lab said. The yellow lab then turns to the black lab and asks what he's at the vet's office for. "I'm a humper," the black lab says. "I'll hump anything. I'll hump the cat, a pillow, the table, fire hydrants, whatever. I want to hump everything I see. Yesterday, my owner had just gotten out of the shower and was bending down to dry her toes, and I just couldn't help myself, I hopped on her back and started humping away." The yellow and chocolate labs exchange a sad glance and say, "So, Prozac for you too, huh?" The black lab says, "No, I'm here to get my nails clipped." -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The First, The Largest, The Most Popular, and The Most Complete TSCM, Bug Sweep, Spy Hunting, and Counterintelligence Site on the Internet. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- James M. AtkinsonPh: (978) 546-3803 Granite Island GroupFax: (978) 546-9467 127 Eastern Avenue #291http://www.tscm.com/ Gloucester, MA 01931-8008mailto:jmatk@t... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Cuvier could correctly describe a whole animal by the contemplation of a single bone, so the observer who has thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidents should be able to accurately state all the other ones, both before and after. - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4942 From: John McCain Date: Tue Mar 5, 2002 4:54pm Subject: FYI, UWB article There's a pretty good article on ultra wide band (believe it or not, this one actually includes some references to Shannon's equations and power spectral density) in the March, 2002 Communications System Design magazine. If you don't subscribe, read it online at http://www.commsdesign.com/design_corner/OEG20020301S0021 . Naturally, it's written by someone with a product to sell, but it's a pretty good intro for those of us who haven't looked into UWB before. Cheers, JohnM Manager, Corporate Security Voice: 217-352-3207 Data Comm for Business, Inc. Fax: 217-352-0350 807 Pioneer Web: http://www.dcbnet.com Champaign, IL. 61820 Email: Jmccain@d... 4943 From: James M. Atkinson Date: Tue Mar 5, 2002 11:09pm Subject: Re: Interesting article (Whittier College) Thanks for posting the article to the list, and I would encourage other list members to do the same when they come across similar article in the future. At 12:56 PM -0500 2/28/02, preflat@p... wrote: > Found this today...thought the group my find it interesting: > >SteveP > >Students discover "bug" in Whittier College newspaper office >Listening device could have been planted several years ago, says >private investigator > >© 2002 Student Press Law Center > >February 27, 2002 > >CALIFORNIA - Student newspaper staff members at Whittier College >uncovered what may turn out to be the story of the year ... in their >very own office. If a bug find at a college is a "big story" then campus life must be pretty boring. >A routine maintenance service call last week turned up an electronic >surveillance device imbedded in the office walls of the Quaker >Campus. OK, sounds like a typical bug find... unless they were having sweeps done on a regular basis (by a competent sweeper) the device could have been there for quite a while. >It is not known how long the bug, which was not functioning when >pulled from the wall, was hidden. The device was capable of >transmitting a radio signal to any receiver, tuned to the correct >frequency, within a three-mile radius, editor Amy Stice said. Er, I am afraid that Amy is mistaken... a device concealed "inside the walls" would likely have a range of less then 1000 feet, and more likely less then 500 feet. >The discovery prompted a shared sense of disbelief and concern among >the newspaper staff and the university's administration. It is called "organizational denial", and is normal behavior when a device is found. >As this article was posted, it was not clear which university >offices, if any, were investigating the matter. The university has no business "investigating" the device... that is a job for LEO's >Whittier Police Department officials contacted by the SPLC could not >find a report of the incident in their database. Argh... can you say "obstruction of justice" >The episode began last Thursday when a maintenance worker, in the >newspaper office to fix a broken light table, found a problem with >the electrical socket. Upon taking it apart, he discovered a >two-inch surveillance device soldered to the back of the socket, >Stice said. OK, sounds like it may be a legit find, but the fact that it was found in a newspaper office is suspect. >The paper alerted campus security and on Monday an electrician >checked all of the other sockets in the office. No more bugs were >found, but campus security called the Whittier Police Department >later that day. Stice said the officers, however, were reluctant to >take action. LEO's tend not to like to "do the right thing" when it comes to found bugs, but we are working to change that. No doubt that this electrician worked for the CIA. >"The Whittier Police Department came in, apparently looked at the >bug and said, 'Well there's nothing we can do about it; yeah there's >a bug but we don't have any evidence for this,' " Stice said. Ah, it's called an evidence pouch, and a chain of custody record. The device is examined by an expert, and their report added to the incident report (what do you mean they didn't do an incident report). A detective then prepares a investigative record, and takes everything to a local DA who determines if a Grand Jury needs to be empaneled. The DA and/or Grand Jury will decide what to do, not the local cops, and not the college. Remember that members of law enforcement can be convicted of "obstruction of justice" for the way they handle a case. >The officers said they did not want to file a report, she added, and >that such a measure would necessitate taking custody of the device, >which would probably be thrown away at a later time. Bullshit >The paper decided to keep possession of the bug. Ahem.. if they do so, then they are committing a serious federal felony. >Student government president Jess Craven, whose office is located in >the same building as the publications room, was worried that more >bugs might be hidden in the walls so he contacted a local private >investigator, Thomas Barnes. > >Barnes, a retired police detective and former military officer, >decided to help the staff pro bono, "because they didn't have any >money," he said. Bwah, ha-ha-ha-ha... pro bono, sure. He shot himself in the foot by loaning them bogus equipment, and then shot himself again by offering them faulty advise (where is the incident report). >Barnes loaned the newspaper a scanner to check the office for >additional surveillance tools and he urged former Whittier mayor and >current councilman Bob Alexander to "light a fire under" the local >police. A scanner? they have got to be kidding... a scanner? Why not loan them some frigging tarot cards, chicken bones, animal entrails, and tea leaves as well. Sure a scanner will pick up some bugs, but only if you know the frequencies, AND you can get close to the device. If the PI wanted to really help the college he should have loaned them a lab grade microwave spectrum analyzer, some broad band EMI antennas, preamplifiers, and filters (which of course this PI would have as he is holding himself out as a TSCM expert). >"Most municipal police departments aren't really on the learning >curve when it comes to bugs, electronic surveillance, computer >crime," Neither are some PI's from the sounds of it. >Barnes said. "You're lucky, [for] the older policemen, if they can >even run a computer. And if they can't even write their own reports >or run a computer, then they're surely not going to be able to >understand the implications of a bug." Wow, talk about double-speak... the "implications of a bug" are actually quite easy to understand once you get past all the hype and paranoia. I can just seen all the little spyshops, crank pots, con artists, and wanna-be's in California scrambling right now trying to get the college to buy sweep services and sweep gear. >"It's pretty serious when you start hard-wiring in because it means >you have to have the opportunity to do it," he continued. "This is >not for a short-term problem, it's (for) somebody that wants to >monitor somebody for a long period of time." Nah, probably just one of the college students with too much time on their hands. Just fume up some latent prints from the device, and the inside of the drywall and you should be able to get a clean ID on the offender. Assuming that the PI didn't totally screw up the crime scene there should be copious amount of trace evidence, latent prints, tool marks, and so on that will lead back to the spy. Of course if the PI was involved in any way, AND was even slightly involved with "the find" not being handled properly the state should (and probably will) revoke is license, or at least sanction and rebuke him. >The school seems to share his concern. Sure, but both of them seem to think this whole incident is a joke. >"Student journalism and the free exchange of ideas is something that >the institution has supported since its inception," university >spokesperson Caye Brundage said. "So we're very concerned about >anything that would inhibit the ability of our students to exchange >ideas freely or that would create an atmosphere where they felt they >were being inhibited." Blah, blah, blah... Determine the date of the install (easy to do), and then make the initial suspect list all students who worked at the paper for 3 years after the build date... suspect the paper employees first, and then everybody else. >Barnes said he considers the school's administration a suspect in >the surveillance. Clueless, absolutely clueless. >"Who would want to monitor [the newspaper] on a long-term basis?" Given the limited range of the device in question... suspect people working in the same building... >Barnes asked rhetorically. "You start to come up with a short list >of people and one of the people that usually comes up at the very >top of the list is administration. Any college graduate knows that you use rhetoric to mislead the audience, and hide the truth... so by such use of rhetoric we now see what the PI's relationship is to the "very top of the list is administration"... er, what kind of issues does this guy have with the college? >It's like a murder case; one of the first people you look at is >somebody related to the murder victim." Yes, and just like a homicide investigation you first suspect the person who found the device, and then the officers (or PI) who first responded to the scene. Funny that the PI is pointing his finger at the administration of the college, and yet HE was one of the first people to screw up the crime scene and/or the handling of the case... curious, very curious. >Brundage disagreed, "I can't think of why I as an administrator >would want to bug the office," she said. "We are interested in >knowing what the [Quaker Campus] is doing but usually we're pretty >aware of what stories are being [investigated anyway]." No, but the paper would stand to benefit by a bug discovery, as would a PI who was advising the school. In any eavesdropping investigation like this the two most important questions has to be. 1) Who would stand to gain from a find such as this (other then the obvious). 2) Who found the device, and what would THEY stand to gain by such a find. >Barnes and Brundage both said that the bug appeared to have been in >the wall for "a long time." Sweeps of the rest of the building >turned up no additional surveillance devices. OK, perhaps... but that has to be determined by experts in their respective fields, not comedians who loan neophytes scanners instead of laboratory grade test equipment. >In California, electronic eavesdropping in situations where there is >an expectation of privacy and individuals are unaware of the >surveillance is a felony, Barnes said. Federal law trumps state law, but under both jurisdictions it is a felony... but then so is obstruction of justice. >Whittier College is the alma mater of former President Richard >Nixon, who was forced to resign from office as a result of the >Watergate scandal that was triggered by the bugging of Democratic >National Committee headquarters in Washington. Oh, so logically it must have been Richard Nixon who planted the device while G. Gordon Liddy watched the door... talk about a stretch. Something funny is going on with this, and there are way to many people who stand to benefit. My initial impression is that it may be a publicity stunt, or an older device some reporter was playing with ten years ago. -jma -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The First, The Largest, The Most Popular, and The Most Complete TSCM, Bug Sweep, Spy Hunting, and Counterintelligence Site on the Internet. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- James M. AtkinsonPh: (978) 546-3803 Granite Island GroupFax: (978) 546-9467 127 Eastern Avenue #291http://www.tscm.com/ Gloucester, MA 01931-8008mailto:jmatk@t... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Cuvier could correctly describe a whole animal by the contemplation of a single bone, so the observer who has thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidents should be able to accurately state all the other ones, both before and after. - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4944 From: James M. Atkinson Date: Tue Mar 5, 2002 2:28pm Subject: Re: Interesting article (Whittier College) Thanks for posting the article to the list, and I would encourage other list members to do the same when they come across similar article in the future. At 12:56 PM -0500 2/28/02, preflat@p... wrote: > Found this today...thought the group my find it interesting: > >SteveP > >Students discover "bug" in Whittier College newspaper office >Listening device could have been planted several years ago, says >private investigator > >© 2002 Student Press Law Center > >February 27, 2002 > >CALIFORNIA - Student newspaper staff members at Whittier College >uncovered what may turn out to be the story of the year ... in their >very own office. If a bug find at a college is a "big story" then campus life must be pretty boring. >A routine maintenance service call last week turned up an electronic >surveillance device imbedded in the office walls of the Quaker >Campus. OK, sounds like a typical bug find... unless they were having sweeps done on a regular basis (by a competent sweeper) the device could have been there for quite a while. >It is not known how long the bug, which was not functioning when >pulled from the wall, was hidden. The device was capable of >transmitting a radio signal to any receiver, tuned to the correct >frequency, within a three-mile radius, editor Amy Stice said. Er, I am afraid that Amy is mistaken... a device concealed "inside the walls" would likely have a range of less then 1000 feet, and more likely less then 500 feet. >The discovery prompted a shared sense of disbelief and concern among >the newspaper staff and the university's administration. It is called "organizational denial", and is normal behavior when a device is found. >As this article was posted, it was not clear which university >offices, if any, were investigating the matter. The university has no business "investigating" the device... that is a job for LEO's >Whittier Police Department officials contacted by the SPLC could not >find a report of the incident in their database. Argh... can you say "obstruction of justice" >The episode began last Thursday when a maintenance worker, in the >newspaper office to fix a broken light table, found a problem with >the electrical socket. Upon taking it apart, he discovered a >two-inch surveillance device soldered to the back of the socket, >Stice said. OK, sounds like it may be a legit find, but the fact that it was found in a newspaper office is suspect. >The paper alerted campus security and on Monday an electrician >checked all of the other sockets in the office. No more bugs were >found, but campus security called the Whittier Police Department >later that day. Stice said the officers, however, were reluctant to >take action. LEO's tend not to like to "do the right thing" when it comes to found bugs, but we are working to change that. No doubt that this electrician worked for the CIA. >"The Whittier Police Department came in, apparently looked at the >bug and said, 'Well there's nothing we can do about it; yeah there's >a bug but we don't have any evidence for this,' " Stice said. Ah, it's called an evidence pouch, and a chain of custody record. The device is examined by an expert, and their report added to the incident report (what do you mean they didn't do an incident report). A detective then prepares a investigative record, and takes everything to a local DA who determines if a Grand Jury needs to be empaneled. The DA and/or Grand Jury will decide what to do, not the local cops, and not the college. Remember that members of law enforcement can be convicted of "obstruction of justice" for the way they handle a case. >The officers said they did not want to file a report, she added, and >that such a measure would necessitate taking custody of the device, >which would probably be thrown away at a later time. Bullshit >The paper decided to keep possession of the bug. Ahem.. if they do so, then they are committing a serious federal felony. >Student government president Jess Craven, whose office is located in >the same building as the publications room, was worried that more >bugs might be hidden in the walls so he contacted a local private >investigator, Thomas Barnes. > >Barnes, a retired police detective and former military officer, >decided to help the staff pro bono, "because they didn't have any >money," he said. Bwah, ha-ha-ha-ha... pro bono, sure. He shot himself in the foot by loaning them bogus equipment, and then shot himself again by offering them faulty advise (where is the incident report). >Barnes loaned the newspaper a scanner to check the office for >additional surveillance tools and he urged former Whittier mayor and >current councilman Bob Alexander to "light a fire under" the local >police. A scanner? they have got to be kidding... a scanner? Why not loan them some frigging tarot cards, chicken bones, animal entrails, and tea leaves as well. Sure a scanner will pick up some bugs, but only if you know the frequencies, AND you can get close to the device. If the PI wanted to really help the college he should have loaned them a lab grade microwave spectrum analyzer, some broad band EMI antennas, preamplifiers, and filters (which of course this PI would have as he is holding himself out as a TSCM expert). >"Most municipal police departments aren't really on the learning >curve when it comes to bugs, electronic surveillance, computer >crime," Neither are some PI's from the sounds of it. >Barnes said. "You're lucky, [for] the older policemen, if they can >even run a computer. And if they can't even write their own reports >or run a computer, then they're surely not going to be able to >understand the implications of a bug." Wow, talk about double-speak... the "implications of a bug" are actually quite easy to understand once you get past all the hype and paranoia. I can just seen all the little spyshops, crank pots, con artists, and wanna-be's in California scrambling right now trying to get the college to buy sweep services and sweep gear. >"It's pretty serious when you start hard-wiring in because it means >you have to have the opportunity to do it," he continued. "This is >not for a short-term problem, it's (for) somebody that wants to >monitor somebody for a long period of time." Nah, probably just one of the college students with too much time on their hands. Just fume up some latent prints from the device, and the inside of the drywall and you should be able to get a clean ID on the offender. Assuming that the PI didn't totally screw up the crime scene there should be copious amount of trace evidence, latent prints, tool marks, and so on that will lead back to the spy. Of course if the PI was involved in any way, AND was even slightly involved with "the find" not being handled properly the state should (and probably will) revoke is license, or at least sanction and rebuke him. >The school seems to share his concern. Sure, but both of them seem to think this whole incident is a joke. >"Student journalism and the free exchange of ideas is something that >the institution has supported since its inception," university >spokesperson Caye Brundage said. "So we're very concerned about >anything that would inhibit the ability of our students to exchange >ideas freely or that would create an atmosphere where they felt they >were being inhibited." Blah, blah, blah... Determine the date of the install (easy to do), and then make the initial suspect list all students who worked at the paper for 3 years after the build date... suspect the paper employees first, and then everybody else. >Barnes said he considers the school's administration a suspect in >the surveillance. Clueless, absolutely clueless. >"Who would want to monitor [the newspaper] on a long-term basis?" Given the limited range of the device in question... suspect people working in the same building... >Barnes asked rhetorically. "You start to come up with a short list >of people and one of the people that usually comes up at the very >top of the list is administration. Any college graduate knows that you use rhetoric to mislead the audience, and hide the truth... so by such use of rhetoric we now see what the PI's relationship is to the "very top of the list is administration"... er, what kind of issues does this guy have with the college? >It's like a murder case; one of the first people you look at is >somebody related to the murder victim." Yes, and just like a homicide investigation you first suspect the person who found the device, and then the officers (or PI) who first responded to the scene. Funny that the PI is pointing his finger at the administration of the college, and yet HE was one of the first people to screw up the crime scene and/or the handling of the case... curious, very curious. >Brundage disagreed, "I can't think of why I as an administrator >would want to bug the office," she said. "We are interested in >knowing what the [Quaker Campus] is doing but usually we're pretty >aware of what stories are being [investigated anyway]." No, but the paper would stand to benefit by a bug discovery, as would a PI who was advising the school. In any eavesdropping investigation like this the two most important questions has to be. 1) Who would stand to gain from a find such as this (other then the obvious). 2) Who found the device, and what would THEY stand to gain by such a find. >Barnes and Brundage both said that the bug appeared to have been in >the wall for "a long time." Sweeps of the rest of the building >turned up no additional surveillance devices. OK, perhaps... but that has to be determined by experts in their respective fields, not comedians who loan neophytes scanners instead of laboratory grade test equipment. >In California, electronic eavesdropping in situations where there is >an expectation of privacy and individuals are unaware of the >surveillance is a felony, Barnes said. Federal law trumps state law, but under both jurisdictions it is a felony... but then so is obstruction of justice. >Whittier College is the alma mater of former President Richard >Nixon, who was forced to resign from office as a result of the >Watergate scandal that was triggered by the bugging of Democratic >National Committee headquarters in Washington. Oh, so logically it must have been Richard Nixon who planted the device while G. Gordon Liddy watched the door... talk about a stretch. Something funny is going on with this, and there are way to many people who stand to benefit. My initial impression is that it may be a publicity stunt, or an older device some reporter was playing with ten years ago. -jma -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The First, The Largest, The Most Popular, and The Most Complete TSCM, Bug Sweep, Spy Hunting, and Counterintelligence Site on the Internet. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- James M. AtkinsonPh: (978) 546-3803 Granite Island GroupFax: (978) 546-9467 127 Eastern Avenue #291http://www.tscm.com/ Gloucester, MA 01931-8008mailto:jmatk@t... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Cuvier could correctly describe a whole animal by the contemplation of a single bone, so the observer who has thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidents should be able to accurately state all the other ones, both before and after. - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4945 From: Rick Hofmann - MICROSEARCH Date: Mon Mar 4, 2002 6:03pm Subject: Whittier College update Another list member made an appointment to meet with the Whittier College newspaper staff yesterday afternoon (3-3-02) and was kind enough to invite me to participate. In the mean time I was able to obtain some photos of the device from a colleague on the east coast. The device is a 110 VAC powered WFM transmitter built on a standard duplex wall socket. It is now in the custody of the Whittier Police Department. It is unknown if a crime report was taken. The device appears to be one I am familiar with, but without actually seeing it I do not want to name a specific manufacturer. If the device is what I believe it to be, it is probably at least 12 to 15 years old. It is unknown if the device was operating when discovered by the school's electrician. There was more than one layer of paint on the cover plate indicating that the device was in place for several years. According to the newspaper staff there was a sensitive story they were working on 10 or so years ago, and that may have been the reason for the placement of the device. The school newspaper office has been in this location for 17 to 18 years. It is unfortunate that the initial responders were not better acquainted with crime scene investigations in general, and Title 18 investigations in particular. There were a number of people involved with the find, and any chain of evidence appears to have been broken a few times. The correct procedure would have been notification of law enforcement (preferably the FBI) as soon as the electrician saw that he had an eavesdropping device, and without any further handling of the crime scene. Notification of law enforcement should have been done by campus safety officers, assuming they were the first to be notified by the school electrician. One of the benefits of the TSCM list is the information it provides. It is my hope that readers of this message will understand that I am not necessarily being critical of anyone involved in this case because I was not at the scene when the discovery was made, and I do not have all the facts. What I am saying is that TSCM professionals need to continue to educate their clients and potential clients about how to handle this type of incident. In this particular case there was also some incorrect information provided about the device and its capabilities. This can result in undue paranoia being generated in the minds of the victim as well as anyone reading an account of the incident in the newspaper. My personal policy is to not guess at answers to client questions about things with which I am not familiar. If I do not have the answer, I simply tell my client that I will find out and let them know later. I have seen too many cases of letting one's ego get in the way of honesty and ethics. Most of the time it ends up backfiring on the person with the giant ego anyway. Sorry for pontificating, but sometimes it's a good way to get a point across. Very truly yours, Rick Hofmann, CCO, CPP MICROSEARCH, LLC - Electronic Surveillance Detection - Counterespionage Post Office Box 2084 - Cypress, California 90630 714-952-3812 Fax: 714-209-0037 PI16998 4946 From: Matthew Paulsen Date: Tue Mar 5, 2002 9:59pm Subject: US National Lab Bans Wireless Devices (http://www.llnl.gov/) I don't remember this hitting this forum. -M http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/16206.html By Jay Wrolstad www.WirelessNewsFactor.com, Part of the NewsFactor Network February 6, 2002 'It's easy to take a Palm PDA or laptop PC with wireless networking capability from a non-classified area into a classified area inadvertently,' Livermore Lab spokesperson David Schwoeglen told Wireless NewsFactor. 'That creates a serious security violation.' Citing security concerns associated with the pervasive nature of, and potential flaws in, wireless LANs (local area networks), the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has banned their use in its facilities. Livermore Lab acknowledged that wireless computer network communications can improve productivity by enabling access to information without the constraints of wired connectivity. However, computer manufacturers increasingly are bundling LAN technology with their equipment, and that can become a problem when the hardware is moved within the lab. Livermore said tests have proven that wireless network technologies and their built-in security features are not secure, and that control of such technologies is needed until security vulnerabilities can be addressed. Ubiquitous Wireless Connectivity "For many years, we have had a ban on all wireless transmission devices in classified areas. That includes cell phones and other handheld devices," Livermore Lab spokesperson David Schwoeglen told Wireless NewsFactor. Products equipped for wireless communication and mobile Internet access have made their way into sensitive computer networks that could be vulnerable to attacks by hackers and other unauthorized individuals, Livermore said. "There is temporary ban on (wireless) LANs in all areas of the lab while we do a technical evaluation and develop a new policy for their use," Schwoeglen said. Finding Flaws Livermore, a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory that focuses on information-sensitive projects -- such as nuclear weapons design and national security research -- currently has only two LANs in operation, Schwoeglen said. "But it's easy to take a Palm PDA or laptop PC with wireless networking capability from a non-classified area into a classified area inadvertently," he said. "That creates a serious security violation." The policy states that any program or directorate with an existing wireless LAN in a "property protection" area must disconnect the LAN from all institutional networks and obtain an approved exception to the policy before resuming its operation. The new policy enables the lab to monitor on-site use of wireless technologies while evaluating their limitations and benefits. Securing the Perimeter "Many people who deal with technology don't understand how vulnerable their data is," Schwoegler said. "We do not want a pathway that connects our classified computer networks to the outside." Even TV crews working on news stories at the lab are required to obtain a special permit to broadcast from the facility, he said. The new regulations do not affect the use of cell phones and PCS (personal communications system) devices, pagers, two-way mobile and portable radios, or point-to-point voice, video and data communications systems. 4947 From: kirk Date: Wed Mar 6, 2002 0:34pm Subject: Re: FYI, UWB article I just wanted to let the group know that I've been a member of the Ultra Wideband Working Group which is a regulating and information group to the UWB industry. More information can be had on Ultra wideband at this website, www.uwb.org/faqs.html. If you feel you have something to add to the furtherance of this technology please feel free to apply for membership. Kirk ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: John McCain Date: Tue, 05 Mar 2002 16:54:12 -0600 >There's a pretty good article on ultra wide band (believe it or not, this >one actually includes some references to Shannon's equations and power >spectral density) in the March, 2002 Communications System Design >magazine. If you don't subscribe, read it online at >http://www.commsdesign.com/design_corner/OEG20020301S0021 . > >Naturally, it's written by someone with a product to sell, but it's a >pretty good intro for those of us who haven't looked into UWB before. > >Cheers, >JohnM > > > >Manager, Corporate Security Voice: 217-352-3207 >Data Comm for Business, Inc. Fax: 217-352-0350 >807 >Pioneer Web: >http://www.dcbnet.com >Champaign, IL. 61820 Email: >Jmccain@d... > > > > >======================================================== > TSCM-L Technical Security Mailing List > "In a multitude of counselors there is strength" > > To subscribe to the TSCM-L mailing list visit: >http://www.yahoogroups.com/community/TSCM-L > > It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. > It is by the juice of Star Bucks that thoughts acquire speed, > the hands acquire shaking, the shaking is a warning. > It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. >=================================================== TSKS > >Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > -- Kirk Adirim President TACTRONIX Tactical Electronics for Critical Missions 8497 Sunset Boulevard #28 West Hollywood, CA 90069 USA E: kirk@t... T: 323-650-2880 F: 310-388-5886 W: www.tactronix.com -- 4948 From: Date: Wed Mar 6, 2002 7:05pm Subject: interesting article check out http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/ieee02-optical.pdf in PDF format but worth the read SteveP 4949 From: A.Lizard Date: Wed Mar 6, 2002 4:57pm Subject: Those blinking lights on external modems fair usage quote from abstract of paper to be published in ACM Transactions on Information and Systems Security: Information Leakage from Optical Emanations JOE LOUGHRY Lockheed Martin Space Systems and DAVID A. UMPHRESS Auburn University A previously unknown form of compromising emanations has been discovered. LED status indicators on data communication equipment, under certain conditions, are shown to carry a modulated optical signal that is significantly correlated with information being processed by the device. Physical access is not required; the attacker gains access to all data going through the device, including plaintext in the case of data encryption systems. Experiments show that it is possible to intercept data under realistic conditions at a considerable distance. Many di®erent sorts of devices, including modems and Internet Protocol routers, were found to be vulnerable. A taxonomy of compromising optical emanations is developed, and design changes are described that will successfully block this kind of “Optical Tempest” attack. ======================== end quote find the full paper at: http://applied-math.org/optical_tempest.pdf A.Lizard ************************************************************************ new voicemail number,ask if you need it. Personal Web site http://www.ecis.com/~alizard Disaster prep info: http://www.ecis.com/~alizard/y2k.html Littleton Killings: http://www.ecis.com/~alizard/littleto.html backup address (if ALL else fails) alizard@o... IF YOU USE PGP, UPGRADE NOW! A major bug has been discovered in PGP, the new version with the bug fixed is available NOW. PGP 6.5.8 key available by request,keyserver,or on my Web site For e-mail privacy, download PGP from http://www.pgpi.org PGPfone v1.02 and v2.1 available for secure voice conferencing, get your own (W9x,NT,Mac) at http://www.pgpi.org/products/nai/pgpfone/ ************************************************************************ 4950 From: Matthew Paulsen Date: Wed Mar 6, 2002 2:37am Subject: mixing countries to sell transmitters Here's a question for the group. Stumbled across a website that is Israeli & US based. They are selling bugs on the web. Their hosting provider is in Florida, an nslookup yields no data on their dns other than this, so hence no company data, or address on website. Their website has only phone numbers for support - 310 area code being one of them. So, can a company like this operate legally or not? If the items are shipped/stored in Israel, and the website is hosted here, and payments are processed through a gateway provider for CC's (let assume Verisign for simplicity), is this legal or not? [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] 4951 From: A Grudko Date: Wed Mar 6, 2002 3:36pm Subject: Re: Unusual conditions Re. my last post - on the 17 km reception of a VHF bug. I should have pointed out that this was an exceptional case under conditions which do not normally apply in covert surveillance. Oh, and the bug was a Cony CN 100 not CM 100. Andy Grudko D.P.M., Grad I.S, (S.A.) - Grudko Associates - www.grudko.com , Est. 1981 International business intelligence and investigations - ICQ 146498943 Johannesburg (+27 11) 465 9673 - 465 1487 (Fax), Pretoria (+27 12) 244 0255 - 244 0256 (Fax) SACI, WAD, CALI, SAMLF, UKPIN, AFIO (OS), IWWA, PRETrust, AmChamCom When you need it done right - first time 4952 From: Matthijs van der Wel Date: Wed Mar 6, 2002 10:28am Subject: CIA network map Hi, The British company Matta has mapped part of the CIA network, using public sources (and without breaking the law). Download and read their full report at http://www.trustmatta.com/services/docs/Matta_Counterintelligence.pdf The map: http://www.trustmatta.com/services/docs/cia-map.jpg Yours sincerely, Matthijs van der Wel