Importance of Surveillance Technical Countermeasures
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The threat of surveillance has grown in recent years due to the high demand for market intelligence and competitive advantage. In today’s highly competitive market, anyone can become a target of covert spying and eavesdropping, especially those sitting in the board room, mergers and acquisition as well as research & development.
Steven Tan, a retired Coronel, one of the first Singaporeans to command a submarine in the Republic of Singapore Navy and the Technical Consultant of ASTN gave an insight on some challenges being faced in the industries as well as of the government agencies when it comes to surveillance. Steven shared a presentation of what a typical office setup would be like with listening and spying devices hidden. These devices can be as small as a coin embedded on anything that can access power. Anything in an office environment can be used. Spying is possible by turning on the necessary devices via remote
High-Tech Spy listening devices
Recent high-tech spy listening devices change audio into a wireless signal and send it far away using an antenna. These sophisticated attacks use compromised?Radio Frequency (RF) devices as their entry points. The attackers may know when is the right time to switch on their spying devices.
You only need to go to the Internet and search for "Bugging Devices," "Listening Devices," or "Eavesdropping Devices" to be met with a wall of products that, at first glance, appear to be relatively mundane, such as mouse, power strip, fire detector and etc.?This kind of technology is available today on we as known as Ultra Low Power Signal and Ultra White Band. Traditional Scanners cannot detect a bugging devices with an ultra-low power signal. Solo or Acoustic sensors are used as an important sensor component in wireless sensor networks for wild environmental monitoring, because of their small size, lightweight, and low power consumption.
Wireless technologies have advanced with great speed in the past few years. Not only have the capacity and performance of wireless communications systems improved exponentially but so has the range of information and services that can now be accessed using mobile devices. However, there is a trade-off between convenience and security. Just as with cyberspace, wireless technology blurs the distinction between the real and virtual, between physical and ICT security. The popularity and widespread use of Wi-Fi, ZigBee, Bluetooth, Sigfox, and Lora gives the attacker a platform in which they can cause the most disruption. As other technologies gain popularity and usefulness, more attack tools are developed for those technologies.
Almost Anyone Can Be Bugged
Steven showed a few examples of some scenarios where the victims explained how they are being spied.
The first example is the Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter's car was bugged with a "sophisticated" device that he discovered under his seat while cleaning it. Steven suspected that the attacker might be someone who parked his car while eating at a nice restaurant or someone to whom he sent his car for maintenance. The attacker has the capability to plan and have access to his car.
The other example is the illegal bugging of Timor Leste Cabinet and Britney Spears’ former security staff claims her bedroom was bugged with recording devices.
Through the use of eavesdropping devices, business competitors may attempt to steal trade secrets or confidential business information. However, you can stay safe if you’re aware of what kinds of bugs are available in the market and how you can detect these covert eavesdropping devices.
24/7 Monitoring
Because of these readily available bugging devices that could be remotely controlled, organization needs to have an additional system called 24/7 Intelligence Surveillance Capabilities. 24/7 Intelligent Eavesdropping Detection System is necessary to be protected from the newest threats.
24/7 Eavesdropping Detection System?is a stationed intelligent system that detects eavesdropping/bugging devices in real-time. It also scans and detects suspicious and potential bugging (audio and video) device frequencies 24/7.
GITSN’s Intelligent Eavesdropping Detection System is able to detect all RF attacks in real-time Scans. GITSN is Korea's leading Technical Surveillance Counter Measures (TSCM) company with 22 years of experience. They have been providing counter-surveillance solutions to a number of government entities including the police and the military as well as major Korean corporations. GITSN's R&D focuses on creating a detection system against eavesdropping, wireless hacking, and spy cameras.
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Intelligent Eavesdropping Detection System (SMART-D)
MJ Lee the assistant manager of GITSN with his team demonstrated how the 24/7 Intelligence Eavesdropping Detection System Smart-D and Alpha-P works.
24/7 Intelligent Eavesdropping Detection System (SMART-D) can be installed in office areas and conference rooms to provide a work environment entirely free of eavesdropping threats. Also, its user-friendly interface offers easy and efficient management of its systems.
On the demonstration, MJ shared his screen to show the Remote Terminal software linked to the detection system. It shows the scanning of the RF activities of the area in real-time.
The Detection frequency range has 25 kHz ~ 6 GHz. The software can manage more than a thousand different terminals at the same time. For example, all Korean Embassies all around the world are using the detection device, and all of them can manage using only one terminal software.
MJ Lee showed a tapping device as small as a coin and a bugged mouse type. He turned on the small tapping device and after a second the Smart-D beeps because it detects the bugged immediately. The yellow line represents the normal frequency of the area and the green spike shows the real-time frequency when the bugging devices have been switched on.?He also showed that the device can also detect the sound that is transmitting to assume the location of the bug.
Portable Radio Frequency Detector (Alpha-P) is A fast, sensitive, and light Portable Radio Frequency Detector that is optimized for wireless security inspections. The Portable Radio Frequency Detector can be carried around and used to detect wireless threats and their location in real-time. It can quickly respond to threats such as wireless eavesdropping, hidden cameras, hacking, etc. Independent operation is possible, and the effects can be maximized when used along with a 24/7 detection system.
Bug Detection
Jason, MJ’s colleague turned on the bugging device while the other one is holding the Alpha-P to check the wireless frequency environment. Upon detection of an abnormal signal source, a beep sound is produced according to the intensity of the signal. It’s Detection frequency range is 20 MHz ~ 6 GHz. It can be operated separately through a isWI-FI connection with the body.
The Korean Embassy all around the world are now using the 24/7 Intelligent Eavesdropping Detection System (SMART-D). They are connected remotely and can control all the devices using one software. Their monitoring office is located in the central area of Seoul; they are monitoring 250 detection systems globally.
The concluding remarks for the learnings for the attendees were as follows;
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For further information on Smart-D and Alpha-P products, please contact [email protected]