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The Attack on Boston; Thoughts and then Tips On Terror Strike Safety.

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Lina Maini

UPDATE: 04.19.2013     SUSPECT MANHUNT UNDERWAY.  FOR THOSE IN THE AFFECTED AREA IN MA:  STAY INDOORS AND DO NOT OPEN YOUR DOOR TO STRANGERS. 

This morning, after a chaotic evening saw his partner in crime (and apparently his older brother) killed and as a city locked down to find him, Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev emerged as the name of the man in the ongoing manhunt in Boston Friday. According to information culled from multiple unconfirmed reports, Tsarnaev is a 19-year-old “from the Russian Region near Chechnya” who has been living, for the past year, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  (The Atlantic Wire)boston bomber

For more information, please visit the official FBI website.

 

 

Image: Explosions At 117th Boston Marathon

First and foremost, we’d like to express our sympathy for all of the victims of yesterday’s  Boston Marathon terror bombing.  This writing is only one day post-incident and already the rumors and misinformation are out at full pace and gaining speed.   If you have a blog, tv or radio show or contribute to any news media, let’s be careful about what we put out there.  This week, and for many weeks to come, we’re going to hear many theories, suppositions, patently false “information” bytes and the occasional truth regarding this horrific, deplorable and cowardly act.   Let’s wait out the investigations and use our common sense to come to conclusions, based on fact.  Then we demand action. Not double/triple-speak; rather, fair but firm action.  Most importantly, let’s not live in fear. If we do, the terrorists win.  If we carry on, they lose.

That said, as reasonable people, we know that there is nothing we can do once an attack has occurred to prevent the event but there are several procedures we should have in place before a terror threat becomes a reality.

Some of the following tips can help you remain safe in case of a terrorist attack in your city: (in conjunction with DHS suggestions):

  1. Keep up with the news and remain alert regarding any signs of terrorist activity in your area. Ensure that family and friends are alerted and also remain vigilant.
  2. Maintain a list of helpline and emergency numbers with you at all times.  You never know when you will need these numbers.
  3. Ensure that your  cell phone is adequately charged at such times.  Communication can mean the difference between life and death.
  4. Remain on high alert when at public places like a railway station, an airport, busy streets, town squares…  Be aware of your surroundings and report any items that appear to be abandoned to the police immediately.
  5. If you are in an area where there is a lot of gunfire and bomb blasts, make sure you do not head out in the open and reveal yourself. If you start running being unmindful of the dangerous situation that you are exposing yourself to, you are highly likely to get hit by an aimed or stray bullet. Make sure you find an area that is hidden from public view. It is best to crouch down at ground level to keep yourself safe. You should avoid being too loud or noisy as the terrorists may be targeting civilians.
  6. You should keep note of the people that you interact with on a daily basis and even strangers. Terrorists are basically people amongst us who think that they have been wronged in some way. They lash out by attacking the machinery of the state. You can recognize potential attacks by being aware of drastically changing behaviors of people around you. If someone starts to take notes of the ways to enter a building or develops other peculiar habits, it is best to inform your local intelligence agencies about the same.
  7. All schools, buildings and offices must have an evacuation plan in place for use in such events. Drills should be conducted for practice from time to time.

Again, our thoughts are with our fellow citizens in Boston and all those affected by yesterday’s terror attack.   May we bring them the swift justice deserved and allow their healing to begin.

(We’ll return to our regular format in a later article this week.)

As always, stay safe.

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How To Track A Cell Phone

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Lina Maini
cellphone_tracking_jpg_CROP_rectangle3-large
If you need to track down a cell phone, we’ve got your back.   Whether you’re simply trying to track the location of your lost phone, or you need to gain intel on the day-to-day whereabouts on a subject, we’ll give you the information you need to get the job done.  (Just be aware that tracking a smartphone is easier than the older phones but we’ll provide that know-how as well.)

Tracking your phone before you lose it

If you’re here just to prepare for the day that you lose your phone (which is inevitable, really), then  you’re ahead of the game. If you’ve got a smartphone, consider installing the apps listed below

For smartphones of any kind, we recommend Prey. It’s a free and open-source anti-theft application that can be used for both computers and mobile phones. After you sign up for the service, you simply sync your devices with it, sit back, and relax. The day that your phone goes missing, all you’ll have to do is find a computer, log into your account, and start tracking. It runs discreetly in the background and won’t track your phone’s location until you tell it to, so there’s no need to worry about your privacy while the phone is in your possession. We recommend this for any Android or iOS device, as well as any Mac, Windows, or Linux PC.

For non-smartphones that can’t run apps or connect to the web, we recommend using Google Latitude. It’s a free service that uses your phones built-in GPS to track the location of your phone. Most modern cellphones are GPS enabled, so as long as your phone isn’t over eight years old, you should be fine. When the day comes that you can’t locate your phone, just log in to Latitude from any computer and it’ll immediately show you the location of your phone.

Tracking your phone after you lose it

If you didn’t have the foresight to install a device recovery app on your phone before you lost it, don’t worry. There are still some easy ways to get it back.

Android users can download an application called Plan B. Even though your phone is gone, you can log into your Google account on any computer install the app from Google Play. When you click install, the app will begin downloading to your missing phone, and when the download is complete it will send your phone’s location info to your Gmail account. To retrieve the phone’s whereabouts again when you’re away from a computer, just text the word “locate” from a friend’s phone and you’ll receive a text with location info.

iPhone users can download the infamous Find My iPhone application. If you’re rocking a phone with iOS 5 or later, then this app will come pre-installed on your device. If not, just borrow a friends iDevice, install Find My iPhone on it, and log in with your Apple ID. Once you’re all logged in, the app will display your phone’s location on a map. You can even remotely trigger your phone to make a loud noise for two minutes, which makes pinpointing it a snap when it’s nearby.

Non-smartphone users are a bit out of luck in this case. If you didn’t register your phone with Google Latitude or any other service, you don’t have many options other than calling your service provider and hoping they can help. Most providers offer GPS location services for a fee, and if your phone is GPS-enabled, finding it is sometimes just a matter of activating the GPS chip.

Tracking someone else’s phone with their permission

If you want to track somebody’s phone with their permission, there’s always the option of calling them and asking where they are. No fancy GPS apps are necessary if the person doesn’t mind you knowing where they are. Then again, if you do it this way there’s always a chance that they could lie to you. So if you can’t always trust the word of the person you’re trying to locate, then we recommend using Google Latitude. After you’ve installed the app, just add your friends’ phone numbers and Google will send them an invitation to start using the service. They have to approve the request first, but once they do you’ll have complete access to their whereabouts on Google Maps. This option is especially useful for parents who need to keep an eye on their kids.

Tracking someone else’s phone without their permission

It’s best to be upfront about tracking somebody and respect their right to privacy, but if you absolutely must track a phone without the owner’s consent or knowledge (if you’re a parent), here are a few tips how to do it.

Tracking a smartphone user is relatively simple. The easiest method is to install a tracking app on the person’s phone whenever you get a chance to do so discreetly. Do it when they’re sleeping or they leave to go somewhere – and don’t forget to hide the icon of whatever app you install. You can place it in an obscure folder and hope they don’t notice it too soon, or you can also install an app hider program (like Poof for example) to make the icon disappear entirely.

Non-smartphone tracking can be a bit more difficult. If the phone is GPS-enabled, it’s the same drill as above – just wait until the person leaves their phone unattended for an extended period of time, and send them an invite to use Google Latitude from your phone. Approve the request on their phone, and hide the evidence as best you can.

If the phone you’re trying to track isn’t GPS-enabled, however, you’ll have to pull a James Bond maneuver and install a GPS chip on the phone before you can pinpoint its location. This might be a bit of an arduous task, as you’ll have to figure out which particular archaic model of phone they have, find and purchase a GPS chip that’s compatible with the device, and then successfully install the chip without their knowledge. Try going to a specialty electronics shop or spy gear retailer to find the right hardware. The other option is locating the phone in question via triangulation, but doing it this way means gaining access to cell phone tower data – and the feds probably wouldn’t approve of that.

We know that there are tons of other great tracking apps we didn’t mention here, so we invite you to comment on your experiences.

Our Operatives: Street smart; info savvy.

As always, stay safe.

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Cell Phones Demystified

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Lina Maini

In emergency situations, our cell phone is often our best resource for various reasons ranging from contacting our loved ones to determining our best avenues to safety to access to .

Our focus in this post is to remove the mystery behind several urban myths regarding cell phone capability.

1.  112, The Worldwide Emergency Number

Myth: The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you are outside of the coverage area of your mobile network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked.

Reality:   112 is the Europe-wide emergency phone number. Throughout most of the European Union and some neighboring countries, dialing 112 will connect callers to local emergency services. The system doesn’t include North and South America, Asia, or Africa.

Most, but not all, cell phone models are pre-programmed to redirect calls made to any of the most common emergency numbers (e.g., 911, 999, 000, 112) to the proper local services regardless of the caller’s location. And most, but not all, cell phone models and service providers will allow the most common emergency numbers to be dialed even if the caller is outside his or her regular service area, or the phone lacks a SIM card. However, no mobile phones can put through calls, emergency or otherwise, from locations where no cell service exists at all.

Within the U.S., dialing 911 remains the most direct and reliable way of contacting emergency services regardless of what kind of phone you use.
2.  Unlocking your car via mobile phone.

Myth:  If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone. Hold your cell phone up to your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will unlock.

Reality:   Cell phones and remote keyless entry systems work on entirely different radio frequencies. Therefore, cell phones are incapable of re-transmitting the signal from a remote key to unlock a car door.

3. Hidden Battery Power

Myth: Your cell battery is very low. To activate the “reserve” , press the keys *3370#  and your cell will show a 50% increase in battery power. This reserve will get recharged when you charge your cell next time.

Reality: Completely false.  In fact, toggling between codes that will invariably fail will decrease the battery life.

(We’re shutting down for the day due to Hurricane Sandy.  The remainder of this post will be up shortly.)

Stay safe.

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Warning Signs of Covert Eavesdropping or Bugging. Part ll/ll

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Lina Maini

Electromagnetic frequencies and the AM and FM ...

Motive.  That is the first thing you should consider if you believe you may be a potential target of covert surveillance.  If anything you write, say or do can increase someone else’s wealth or influence, that is more than motive enough.

Below are warning signs that you may be the target of a surveillance campaign.

  1. Others seem to know more than they should about your confidential business or professional trade secrets.
  2. Secret meetings, negotiations or bids seem to be open knowledge.
  3. You have noticed strange sounds or volume changes on your phone lines.   (Amateur wiretappers tend to use off-the-shelf equipment that is inferior to that used by professional eavesdroppers.  Almost all surveillance devices cause slight anomalies on the phone line, such as volume changes and or drop-offs.  This could also simply be a flaw in the line but definitely have the line checked.)
  4. Static, popping or scratching sounds appear on your phone line.  (This occurs when a poorly trained or amateur eavesdropper is messing with your line.  When two conductors are connected together - such as a bug or wiretap on a line, there is an electrical discharge that causes these sounds.)
  5. Your phone’s headset emits sounds when it’s hung up.  (This is caused by a hook switch bypass which effectively turns the phone receiver into a microphone and a speaker.  There is probably someone listening to everything being said within 15 – 25 feet of the telephone.)
  6. Your phone rings often and there is either nobody there, a very faint tone or a high pitched squeal or beep which is heard for a split second.  (This is indicative or a slave device or line extender being used on your phone line. )
  7. Your AM/FM radio suddenly develops strange interference. (Many amateurs use eavesdropping devices that use frequencies within or just barely outside the FM radio band.  These signals tend to drift and will “quiet” an FM radio in range of the bug.  If the radio begins to squeal when slowed moved around the room, keep it in motion until the sound becomes very high pitched.  You’ve now found you bug.  Make sure that the “stereo” function is turned off so that the radio is operating only in “mono” as this will seriously increase the radio’s sensitivity.)
  8. Your car radio suddenly becomes erratic.  (The antenna of your car radio can be, and often is, used by eavesdroppers.)
  9. Your television develops strange interference. (TV draws in a lot of bandwidth.  Because of this they are very sensitive to any nearby transmitter – bugs.)
  10. You have been burglarized but nothing was taken.  (Professional eavesdroppers often repeatedly break into a target’s home or office, usually to reposition or replace malfunctioning or dead bugs.  Rarely, however, can anyone reset furniture or room accents back to the exact position.  If you feel it, test it.)
  11. Electrical wall plates appear to be moved slightly.  (One of the most popular places to hide bugs are inside electrical outlets, smoke alarms and lighting fixtures.  This requires that the wall plate surrounding the device be removed and replaced.  Look for small amounst of debris directly below the electrical outlet and note the repositioned screws.)
  12. A dime-sized discoloration suddenly appears on the wall or ceiling. (This is a sure sign that a pinhole mike or small video camera has been recently installed.)
  13. One of your vendors has gifted you with any type of an electronic device such a desk radio, alarm clock, iPod, small TV…  (Many gifts of this type are Trojan horses.  Know your gifter.)
  14. A small bump or deformation appears on the baseboard near the floor.  (Someone may have concealed covert wiring or a mike imbedded into the molding adhesive, causing the discoloration.)
  15. Certain items just appear in your office or home, yet no one seems to know how they got there.  (Typical items to watch for are clocks, exit signs, sprinkler heads. picture frames and lamps.)
  16. You notice repair vehicles often now near your home or office.
  17. Telephone, cable, plumbing or HVAC repair people show up to allegedly do work when they have not been requested.  (A very common ruse is for eavesdroppers to pretend they need to repair a problem when in fact they are installing recording devices.)
  18. Service or delivery trucks are often parked nearby your office or home with nobody (that you can see) in them.  (These types of vehicles are often used as listening posts.  Be especially wary of those vehicles with tinted windows and those carrying what appear to be ladders and pipe racks on the roofs.  These are often sophisticated antennas.)
  19. Your door lock suddenly doesn’t ”feel right”.  (That is primary evidence that your door lock has been picked, manipulated or bypassed.  Try to always use coaxial locks with sidebars – such as Medeco locks.)
  20. Things seems to have been rummaged through but nothing taken.  (The most common rummaging targets are the backs of desk drawers, the bottom of cabinets, closets and dresser drawers.)

And finally, if an eavesdropper sends you a copy of your private conversations, texts, chats…, all bets are off.  You have been compromised and can expect to be blackmailed or terrorized.  At this point, inform your local police department and immediately contact the FBI.  If you believe that you have also been compromised/cyber defrauded, contact IC3 – The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C).

Our Operatives: Street smart; tech savvy.

As always, stay safe.

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The Walls Have Ears. So Do Your Cell Phone, GPS, Cable and Onstar.

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Lina Maini
Cell phone tower in Nyakrom, Agona District (e...

Image via Wikipedia

The most frequently requested service  we receive is for subject locates, (e.g., a client has moved and neglected to give  his attorney forwarding contact information,  a transient witness needs to be interviewed, an heir to an estate located).

Regardless of the seemingly obvious ease of locating someone in our now technologically-enhanced transparent society, if a person wishes to remain unlocatable, they will. (I’ll refer back to this later in this article.)

The electronic tracking has arrived,  however.   One of the best tracking devices is a cell phone. Point in case, below is an excerpt from a June 3, 2011  NY Post article:

A 22-year-old Manhattan man was found, thirsty and weak, beside his BMW deep in swampy woods along an upstate parkway four days after he went missing.

State police say Thomas Wopat-Moreau, last seen at a Saturday night party in East Fishkill, was found by searchers Thursday in a secluded area near the Taconic State Parkway about 45 miles south of Albany (Gallatin, Columbia County). His car had swerved off the road early Sunday and flew 400 feet into the woods, leaving no trace behind.

Troopers said they were able to focus their search by a signal from Wopat-Moreau’s cell phone before it died.The tracking technique used by the state troopers is called pinging.

Pinging a cell phone is finding out the responding  cell tower to the phone.   This can be used to locate a person that has a cell phone.

Usually the information is provided by the cellular provider and one has to  have an account with them. In 911 systems, the location is broadcast with the call.   If a subject  is carrying a cell phone, the phone is constantly sending signals to the closest cell tower, even if the phone isn’t turned on. The location of the cell tower will tell you that the person is within a certain range. When the person moves,  they can be tracked by the  cell towers to which the signal is bounced to.

Cell phones now come equipped with GPS so a subject’s  exact location can be determined.  Even when the phone is turned off!! Also, the phones can be used as a listening device. It can be activated via a cell phone tower and law enforcement can listen to everything said within range of the cell phone.  Again, the phone doesn’t even have to be turned on.  The phone acts as a secret microphone.

More sophisticated ways of listening to people are being developed and many are already in use.  ONSTAR has been used to listen in on criminals by law enforcement.   The microphone for ONSTAR in one’s  car can be activated remotely so others can listen in to the in-vehicle conversation.

A GPS unit can obviously identify a subject’s location. However, a GPS can be disabled and is worthless to locators once the juice has been cut.

Cable boxes are also being used to listen in on people in their homes. The signal is sent over the same coax cable to the head-end where a server records conversations in range of the target.

An ounce of prevention…

As we’ve often  advised, if you are in a conference or client meeting or any other public situation in which you would like conversations to remain confidential, request that all cell phones be left outside of the room, including your own.  In high-level negotiations, it’s make sense for the opposition to hire professionals who can easily ping a cell phone and listen in on talks.

Preventative measures:

1. If you want to remain anonymous with a cell phone,  use a prepaid phone and don’t send in your information for a mail in rebate. If you do, the phone will then be registered to your name. If nobody knows your phone number or ESN number then they can’t trace your phone by cell towers.

2. Turn off the GPS.

3. As for ONSTAR,  most people in the know disconnect it.

(There isn’t much that can be done, short of removing the unit, regarding silencing your cable box.)

On a final note, in order to ping a cell phone, one has be authorized. Obviously, law enforcement is automatically qualified to request cell service providers to track phones, but so are investigators, bails bondsmen and several other professions.

Our Operatives: Street smart; Tech savvy.

As always, stay safe.

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Text or Video Crime Capture to 911 in Real Time – Makes For New Evidence

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Lina Maini
Glock 17C (compensated) with Glock Rail and ad...

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In developing this week’s topic, I recalled an incident that occurred to me several years ago.  I was driving in a remote area behind Republic Airport (Farmingdale, Long Island, NY) after a flight lesson. For some odd reason, I’d left the airport using an exit I was unfamiliar with but nonetheless figured I could ground navigate myself to a major highway.  I was on that road for several minutes when the passenger in the vehicle in front of me threw a Glock out of the window and onto the road.  I immediately dialed 911 but could not adequately describe my position as a) my GPS was charged out and there were literally no street signs.  I began to name the shops and odd things (like a large spinning red light in front of one store) and the Suffolk County police quickly determined my location. 

Now granted, mobile technology has grown leaps and bounds since even a few years ago but the below article truly explains the future of emergency transmissions, using various mobile techniques.

New 911 may allow text and video ‘calls’

November  23, 2010: 2:22 PM ET

 

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — The U.S. government is trying to bring the 911 emergency service “into the 21st century” by looking into allowing text, photo and video reports from mobile phones.

The Federal Communications Commission said Tuesday that 70% of 911 calls come from mobile phones. It also said some situations — such as a home intruder — don’t allow the victim to make a voice call safely.

 

“Today’s 911 system [launched in 1968] doesn’t support the communication tools of tomorrow,” FCC chairman Julius Genachowski said in a statement. “We primarily use our phones to text, [but] right now, you can’t text 911. It’s time [for] the digital age.”

The proposed “Next Generation 911” would allow emergency call centers to receive text messages and use mobile photo or video for information about the situation in progress.

The FCC also wants to introduce automatic reports coming from medical devices, car electronics, security cameras and more.

The commission admitted that today’s 911 call centers are not well equipped technologically, with some even lacking access to broadband. It also said 911 texting would have been valuable during the shooting at the Virginia Tech campus in 2007.

“Students and witnesses desperately tried to send texts to 911 that dispatchers never received,” the FCC said. “If these messages had gone through, first responders may have arrived on the scene faster with first-hand intelligence.”

Genachowski, the FCC chairman, said he will launch a program in December to get public input on the changes to 911 services. To top of page

 

(Hat tip: CNN Money)
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Investigation Urban Myths Debunked

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Lina Maini
By Richard Wheeler (Zephyris) 2007. Lambda rep...
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At social events or during casual introductions, invariably the question is raised (sometimes politely), “So, what do you do?”  Presumably, the person is requesting my career field information.

I’m dual-careered - investigations/security and animation development/production (proprietary property only) and occasionally, marketing (for clients as diverse as Domino’s Pizza to law firms to Sony).  This career combination may appear odd but it’s a personal balance.  Which field I initially disclose is based on the requestor’s behavior.  I tend to be more restrained on discussing the investigative field.  The reason?  Urban myths about private investigations.  Whether generated by common lore, CSI or playing junior detective at home (we’re all curious), the majority of non-investigative specialists really do believe that products, concepts and forensics methods,  exist in reality.  For that reason, I’m debunking one in each category today in Myth/Reality/Explanation format:

1. Untraceable cell phones.  NO SUCH THING.

We’ve all seen the ads for “throw-a-way” phones, “turn your electrical jack into an instant phone – no number necessary” and the latest hi-tech “soft phone” (software download that is run through your ISP.)   If law enforcement has the reason and can show cause – all of these untraceables are locateable.  Manufacturers know which numbers are shipped to specific stores, the electrical jack converter does have a hidden (from you) tracker and rule-of-thumb and common sense, if it is downloadable, it is traceable. The factors of whether l.e. decides to go through the effort depends on the case and cause.

2.  Unlocateable person.  FALSE.

(The following information does not  apply to certain people in law enforcement or under protective cover – although, they too can be flushed out, the expenditure – i.e.,  money and time –  is not usually individually undertaken.)

Every person leaves a trail – including when they go off the grid.  There is a lot of advice from so-called experts on how to hide your identity.  It is no longer possible, given our existence in the Information Age.

What can be done to cloud your whereabouts, assets and history is a) plant red herrings/false information, b) protect assets association (if you have to ask, don’t even try it. It can be done – LEGALLY – just hire an expert.) and c) employ a good, tech-savvy P.I. and/or reputation saver provider.  (Be very careful with the latter.  Ask for specifics on data for which they will search.  Provide as much info yourself.  Unless you have money to toss around or think this is a “test the investigator” game, you have to know why you want information withheld from the public.  You may not know which information will come back to haunt or trip you up or even that it is out there, but your investigator must be told the reason for your request.  A party photo of you holding a glass of wine is not a big issue if you realize your assets are being researched – but it can make one  heck of a difference in a child custody case.  Also, when the results of what amounts to your own background check are provided to you, request the identification of the sites, databases, deep drills… that returned a ”no hit” status.  What you think may be lurking out there just might be but you may have unwittingly misinformed your investigator.  Conversely, you want to ensure that information that is returned was run through a comprehensive investigative wringer.)

3. DNA is incontrovertible proof.  WRONG.

While extremely effective, forensics scientists have proven that DNA can be modified with false markers and it can also be manufactured.  There is always Option Three for those with true intent – plant their target’s DNA at the designated scene.

This is the proper forum to ask these questions.  And they are very welcome here. If any of our loyal readers have any questions on any other urban investigation myths, please, query as to your curiosity.  Either myself, an expert partner or contact will provide you with the truth – as we know, experience (we are actively in the field) and test it.  Ask away.

BNI Operatives: A step ahead.

As always, stay safe.

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To Whom, What and Why are We All Texting?

Posted on June 14, 2010 by Lina Maini

A teen, mom or banker  texting on his/her ubiquitous cell phone is a common site anywhere in the United States.   It’s now a global trend.

Mobile phone use has exploded in the last seven years, according to a U.N report.

The number of global subscriptions quadrupled from around 1 billion in 2002 to 4.1billion at the end of last year.

The sudden surge in uptake of mobile phones is most marked in developing  countries where they are now an invaluable tool among the world’s poor.

In Africa 28 per cent of the population now has a mobile phone, compared to just two per cent in 2000.

An Indian lady

A customer visits a mobile phone shop in Mumbai, India.

Developing countries account for two-thirds of phone use, compared to less than half in 2002.

Money transfer services which allow people without bank accounts to send money by text message is believed to be one of the main reasons for the sudden increase in take-up.

Fixed line subscriptions increased at a much slower pace from  1 billion to 1.27 billion over the same period, according to the International Telecommunication Union.

Internet use has more than doubled with one in five (23 per cent) using the Internet last year. However, poor countries still lag far behind on Internet access, with only one in 20 people in Africa going online in 2007.

Despite offering the fastest Internet connection, fixed broadband makes up only 20 per cent of connections in developed countries and five per cent  in developing ones.

The 106-page report ranked Sweden as the most advanced in using information and communications technology. They were followed by South Korea and Denmark. The UK came 10th ahead of the U.S, France, Germany and Japan.

Myanmar bucked the trend of growing internet use. The Southeast Asian country saw internet bandwidth drop 90 per cent during the five-year period.

Myanmar’s military government has cracked down on Internet use by dissident groups, temporarily shutting down international connections and jailing bloggers.

graph

The United Kingdom was ranked 10th most advanced country in using information and communications technology. It was judged on criteria including infrastructure, broadband coverage and literacy levels

As per research conducted by Access Systems Americas and Amplitude Research, buyers of new cell phones look at video capability (33%), music (34%), accessing the Internet (61%), email capabilities (63%), camera (67%), and text messaging (73%) as the most important features that they look for.

Interesting insights from the survey:

  • 62 percent said they would use Bluetooth while 51 percent will use the hands-free microphone to comply with restrictions when driving
  • 39 percent said they have added new applications to their cell phones.
  • 41 percent said they send or check emails one to five times a day while 28 percent said they do not use their cell phones for email
  • 40 percent said they use their cell phones for traffic, weather, and stock market alerts
  • 30 percent said they use their cell phones for banking transactions

Related Site of the Week:   For parents of teens, we researched and located an excellent Teen Chat Decoder.  (It’s named just that!)   OMG and T+ but you should definitely keep your child away from that P.W.H.A.  Input any text abbreviation you wish to decode and the answer is before you in microseconds.  Combine  TCD  with the  Urban Dictionary and you should soon be able to decipher any text speak!

BNI Operatives: Street smart; web savvy.

As always, stay safe.

Filed under: cell phone, General Information, texting | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Small Phones; Big Ears: Phone Security Breaches

Posted on January 26, 2009 by Lina Maini

by Lina M. Maini

(This week’s Bulletin carries updates to our BB Vol. 7, May 12, 2008 edition regarding widespread telephone tapping and how to avoid having your firm fall victim to cell phone security breaches. The related video below cotains an actual conversation between a TV producer and her attorney. They are on the 36th floor of an office building; the intruder is FOUR MILES away.)

Small Phone, Big Ears: Cell Phone Tapping
Particularly disturbing law firms these days is the potential that client meetings, conferences… can be secretly monitored via the attorney’s own cell phone.

How it is done:
To remote access your cell phone’s “firmware” (hard drive), an interested party can:

1. scan for your phone’s frequency signature and bounce back an electronic tracer signal. In less than a nanosecond, your cell phone now serves as a broadcaster or

2. install spy software on your phone.

The obvious ethical issues of client/attorney privilege aside, firm operating procedures, sensitive case information, negotiation tactics… are delivered on a silver headset to outsiders with a desire to know.

How to tell if your phone is tapped:
The tech and investigation experts in the below video demonstrate cell tapping techniques , threat management and elimination. (Important note: the video concentration is on spy software installed on your cell, but your phone can be remotely tapped. There is no need for the thief to have physical possession of your phone.)

Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCyKcoDaofg

Spoiler: the three main clues that your cellphone is tapped are:
1. It feels unusually warm.
2. The battery drains more quickly.
3. You get static feedback from speakers on other electronic equipment within range of your cell.
How to prevent cell phone tapping:
1. Remove the battery before sensitive meetings.
2. Don’t take the cell phone into any high-stakes meetings.
3. Carry a signal jammer. Many are disguised as business card holders or similar small accessories and are extremely effective.

BNI Operatives; Street smart; Web savvy.

As always, stay safe.

Filed under: cell phone, phone breaches, security, wire tapping | Leave a Comment »

Is Your Client Meeting Secretly Being Taped?

Posted on May 12, 2008 by Lina Maini

Particularly disturbing to a law firm these days is the potential that client meetings, conferences… can be secretly monitored via the attorney’s own cell phone. Remotely accessing the phone’s “firmware” (hard drive), a would-be audio (and with smart phones, video) thief simply needs to scan for your phone’s frequency signature and bounce back an electronic tracer signal. In less than a nanosecond, the attorney/client confidentiality is breached.

The tech and investigation experts in the above video show and tell you how to detect a tapped cellphone… give it a view. (And remember, your cell can be remote tapped – no need to have physical possession of the phone.)

Spoiler: the three main clues that your cellphone is tapped are:

1. It feels unusually warm.
2. The battery drains more quickly.
3. You get static feedback from speakers on other electronic equipment within range of your cell.

Be safe,

Lina

Filed under: battery, bugged, cell, cell phone, cellphone, electronic data, tapped | Leave a Comment »

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