Posts Tagged ‘MSI’

« Older entries
Newer entries »

Social Media + Mobile = Stalking Clues

By admin in Chicago, Crime, Illinois, Investigations, MSI Detective Services, Privacy, Safety, Security, stalking, Technology, technorati, Violence at January 23rd, 2011 | 1 comment

stalkbookThink that posting a picture on a social media website could put you in danger? Not danger like getting in trouble with family, friends, or an employer, but physical danger?

For even the poorest of cyber stalkers, it’s not that difficult to determine where someone lives based on their Facebook profile alone; indeed, there are many pictures on social media websites that show people standing if front of their homes, cars, workplaces, etc. With location-based sites added to the mix, every time you “check in” some place means that you’re saying, “I am not at home. I am here,” providing crooks vital information.

While no one wants to come home and find that their home has been burglarized, there are worse things that can happen…

Did you know that smartphones use metadata and GPS stamps to “tag” digital photos that encode Lat & Long coordinates into the image? Tags that, in essence, reveal the exact location a photo was taken? What if that picture was taken in your living room?

If you post that picture online, Ben Jackson, co-founder of the site ICanStalkU.com, says that someone can find out where you are instantly if they know how.

According to an interview on FoxNews.com, the site monitors Twitter and uses Google maps to determine when, and where, random people are located. The site shows the picture, the Tweet, and the location of numerous people in real time. The side has tracked over 50,000 different photos using geotags in 90 days.

The pictures provide “breadcrumbs,” or bits of information that aid navigation, that can provide unwanted intruders information regarding places people are likely to go.  Jackson said that they analyze data for patterns and are able to discern “where your house is, where you may work, what your favorite haunts may be, a coffee shop, restaurant, a place that you like to go to like a club of some sort. We can then piece those together and say, ‘hey, look at that. Every Friday night they like to go to this bar over on Main Street.’”

Criminals can use this data, combined with other information, to stalk victims or even burglarize homes. As the online technology becomes widespread, criminals using the Internet to commit crimes is expected to skyrocket, as the crooks are no longer required to seek opportunity, but just need for someone to deliver it them.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Cyber-Sleuth & Zero Day Blogger Missing

By admin in Crime, Debugging - Electronic Countermeasures, eavesdropping, Electronic Fraud, Electronic Theft, hidden cameras, invasion of privacy, Investigations, Locate Investigations, Missing Persons, Missing Persons Investigations, MSI Detective Services, Private Investigator, Screening, Security, Surveillance Services, taps, Technology, technorati at January 18th, 2011 | 2 comments

Zero Day's Dancho DanchevIn August 2010, malware researcher/blogger Dancho Danchev disappeared, his last post on ZD Net’s Zero Day blog (a blog covering online security) appearing on August 18th of last year, and the last entry on his personal blog was in September 2010. One of his most recent posts on his personal blog was a summary of three year’s investigation into Cyber Jihad.

In the past few days,  ZDNet took to the web with some disconcerting evidence that Danchev, who lived in Bulgaria, was either taken, or forced to flee, against his will.  ZDNet, which is owned by CBS Interactive, has made numerous attempts to contact Dancho Danchev via phone, e-mail, and snail mail. They’ve contacted Bulgarian authorities and Danchev’s colleagues to no avail; Dancho Danchev is missing.

Bugging Device

In December 2010, the online site received a cryptic message from a Bulgarian source that Danchev was okay, but “in a lot of trouble.” According to the article, this is keeping him away from computers and telephones, which makes contacting him nearly impossible.  

Following that, a colleague of Danchev’s reached out to ZDNet concerning a letter received on September 9, 2010. The letter reads:


“As I consider you as a trusted colleague, and someone who understands the big picture of cyber crime and cyber espionage, I’m attaching you photos of the “current situation in my bathroom”, courtesy of Bulgarian Law enforcement+intell services who’ve been building a case trying to damage my reputation, for 1.5 years due to my clear pro-Western views+the fact that a few months ago, the FBI Attache in Sofia, Bulgaria recommended me as an expert to Bulgarian CERT -> clearly you can see how they say “You’re Welcome”. I’m sending you these not with the idea to see them published, but as an insurance in case things get ugly, knowing that a trusted third-party has access to these and can always distribute them to [redacted] mailing list members, and pretty much the entire industry, especially the press. The LEO behind the whole operation: [ NAME REDACTED ] I’m in a process of contacting journalists -> just in case. I hope you’re the trusted industry contact that I think you are, and you’ll basically keep these somewhere safe. Thank you, and please use my PGP key.”


Photos (above and below) of what seem to be bugging devices hidden in the walls of Danchev’s residence accompanied the letter. ZDNet decided to publish the information to help them determine the fate of Dancho Danchev’s disappearance. They are asking for help: If anyone has information on Dancho Danchev’s whereabouts, please contact ZDNet.

 Apartment_Wiring

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Employers Monitor Workers Via Smartphone

By admin in Chicago, court cases, Criminal Background Check, Criminal Records, eavesdropping, gps, invasion of privacy, Investigations, MSI Detective Services, Privacy, Private Investigator, Safety, Screening, Security, Surveillance Services, Technology, technorati at January 13th, 2011 | No comments

SmartphoneInterGuard is a new Blackberry security software that allows employers to keep sensitive information from being publicized (by design or accident) and also ensure employee’s are where they’re supposed to be when they’re supposed to be there. Designed by Awareness Technologies, the Interguard software will monitor activity on work BlackBerry’s & computers.

According to VerticalNews, the CEO of Awareness Technologies stated that there are “over 50 million BlackBerry subscribers worldwide, many of whom use their devices for work.”  He also announced plans in 2011 for similar software applications that will work with the Android and iPhone platforms.

Using Interguard, employers can conduct surveillance on digital communications, monitoring content for every email sent and received by employees, and the parties with which employees are communicating. Once installed, the service is instantly implemented, allowing companies like insurance agencies and legal firms to protect themselves.

The software will also work on computers, monitoring all sites visited, emails, instant messages, and social network interaction. According to the article, Interguard is “mission-critical” in regulated industries (financial services is the example cited). Financial-type businesses usually own some sort of monitoring software for computers, but Interguard is bridging the gap to smartphones due to their explosive growth.

In such cases, the technology is available legally because the equipment is owned by the company; in most cases, employees usually sign a waiver stating that they were informed of the monitoring.

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Espionage Entertainment: Spy Anna Chapman Speaks on TV

By admin in Attorney Services, court cases, Crime, fraud, hidden cameras, Missing Persons Investigations, MSI Detective Services, Privacy, Private Investigator, scam, Surveillance Services, Technology, technorati, Wanted at January 9th, 2011 | No comments

WatchingYouRussian TV interviewed a spy working in the United States that could have come from the pages of Ian Fleming’s James Bond stories. Fleming, a one-time covert British agent himself, wrote about Bond working with incredible spy babes.

Anna Chapman, who obtained British citizenship via marriage, was recently ejected from the United States with 10 other spies and sent packing back to the motherland.  Her interview on Russia’s “Let Them Speak” was the first time Chapman spoke publicly anywhere since being stripped of her British citizenship and sent packing from the United States.

On her TV debut in Russia, the host referred to her as  ”woman of the year,” and although  Chapman probably has a lot to talk about, she kept the subject away from the investigation into her spying activity, steering toward more mundane topics. Chapman wants to be an actress, enjoys spy movies (really…) and likes Angelina Jolie. More than anything else, however, she wants a lion cub.

Although she didn’t talk about spying, she promised that all would soon revealed, as long as the Russian people stayed tuned to their television sets.  According to the NY Daily News, Chapman said; “Next year I will reveal all my secrets.

Seems that at least the Russians will stay tuned-in as their newest “star” of reality TV meets real-life espionage. The “hero” of the story, who’s pictures appear in the January 2011 Playboy, wants to be an actress; she’s been booted from two democratic countries, but has aspirations to be Russia’s version of Angelina Jolie. Following a criminal investigation, Chapman was busted in–of all places–a Barnes & Noble by American intelligence agents, all she wants is to cuddle with her baby lion cub…

It doesn’t get any better than this.

Tags: , , , , , , ,

« Older entries
Newer entries »