Posts Tagged ‘Surveillance’
Avatar -Chic CyberQuad UAV Trades Rotors for Fans] [UAVs]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News, Technology on December 18th, 2009
Cyber Technologies' CyberQuad UAV, implementing four silent, ducted fans in lieu of traditional rotor blades, has already been used to survey damaged oil rigs. Someday it will be used to transport troops in campaigns to exploit interplanetary resources.
The CyberQuad, an "electric ducted quadrotor Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)," gains significant maneuverability from its fan-based technology, including a "perch and stare" function which allows it to hover in one place with increased stability and endurance. That is, until it's attacked by flying extraterrestrial fauna.
Last month, on our own planet, the CyberQuad successfully investigated an oil platform fire, beaming high-definition video back to operators stationed at a safer location. Still, its silent fans, as well as its unique "perch and stare" capabilities, suggest it could be put to use on our own battlefields in the near future. [Cyber Technologies via Wired]
Insurgents’ $26 Drone Video Hack Works On Almost Every Military Plane [Military Intelligence]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News, Technology on December 17th, 2009
So, Iraqi insurgents found a way to hack into Predator drones' unencrypted video feeds with cheap Windows shareware. Ridiculous? Obviously! But also kind of minor—the story was more embarrassing than alarming; a gaffe, not a disaster. Then, this.
Wired's Danger Room found the whole situation kind of bewildering, so they went to their military sources to find out exactly what happened:
The military initially developed the Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver, or ROVER, in 2002. The idea was let troops on the ground download footage from Predator drones and AC-130 gunships as it was being taken...those early units were "fielded so fast that it was done with an unencrypted signal. It could be both intercepted (e.g. hacked into) and jammed," e-mails an Air Force officer with knowledge of the program. In a presentation last month before a conference of the Army Aviation Association of America, a military official noted that the current ROVER terminal "receives only unencrypted L, C, S, Ku [satellite] bands."
So the military fielded a rough, poorly secured video system on drones and AC-130s. We already knew that! The story's been reported, and late night comedians will have a good rest of the week. But there's a lovely twist:
Since then, nearly every airplane in the American fleet - from F-16 and F/A-18 fighters to A-10 attack planes to Harrier jump jets to B-1B bombers has been outfitted with equipment that lets them transmit to ROVERs. Thousands of ROVER terminals have been distributed to troops in Afghanistan and Iraq...
These insurgents didn't hack into a single type of drone; they found a cheap, dead-simple way to hack into the military's primary airborne surveillance system.
Is the ability to eavesdrop on live video streams from airplanes a significant strategic risk? It's debatable. But did this hack make a couple of dudes in a basement in Basrah feel like Angelina Jolie in (noted Western pornographic infidel film) Hackers? Hell yes it did. [Danger Room]
Sprint handed customer GPS data to law enforcement over 8 million times last year
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on December 2nd, 2009
Continue reading Sprint handed customer GPS data to law enforcement over 8 million times last year
Sprint handed customer GPS data to law enforcement over 8 million times last year originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Slight Paranoia | Email this | Comments Archerfish Quattro video monitoring and recording system now available at Amazon
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on November 20th, 2009
Continue reading Archerfish Quattro video monitoring and recording system now available at Amazon
Filed under: Household
Archerfish Quattro video monitoring and recording system now available at Amazon originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Police Wii Bowling team issued stern rebuke
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on November 12th, 2009
[Via Joystiq]
Filed under: Gaming
Police Wii Bowling team issued stern rebuke originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The Next Room Eavesdropping Device Is Way Better Than a Drinking Glass [Surveillance]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on November 6th, 2009
Next Room is kind of like a mash up between a stethoscope, MP3 player and an old fashioned drinking glass. According to the product page, you can hear what is being said through wooden walls, doors, windows—even steel plates.
It features an internal sound amplifier, a 3.5mm jack for headphones and a USB port for recharging. Nice, but if you really want to take this whole scumbaggy espionage thing to another level, you go with the SIM card spy ear. [Chinagrabber via 7Gadgets via OhGizmo]
Astak Mole Webcam Sends Your Shame To YouTube and Talks About You On Twitter [Webcam]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on October 28th, 2009
The Mole webcam infiltrates your inner sanctum, records the goings on and automatically sends the footage to YouTube. It can also notify you via email or Twitter.
In other words, this would be a great, inexpensive home surveillance cam. It's supposed to be a snap to set up, and you can access the feed and control the pan and tilt of the camera from any PC or internet capable cellphone. For $300, Astak also throws in motion detection, night vision, two-way audio and a built-in DVR. I have to believe this is as good a feature set as you will find on a webcam at this price point.
ASTAK INTRODUCES WORLD'S FIRST SELF-CONFIGURING, STANDALONE INTERNET CAMERA IDEAL FOR KEEPING AN EYE ON HAPPENINGS AT HOME
YouTube, Twitter and iPhone ready, the affordable and easy-to-use Mole is the first "do it yourself, view from anywhere" solution for remote viewing and sharing
SAN JOSE, Calif.–October 28, 2009–The lowly mole is a victim of poor PR, but that's about to change with Astak Inc.'s innovative new product, the Mole — a standalone Internet camera for consumers who need an easy and affordable way to capture, view and share unattended video over the Internet. Featuring automatic network configuration, the Mole makes it simple for home or business users to remotely view and share video in real-time from any web browser, social networking site, or Internet-capable cell phone, including the iPhone.
Unlike current webcams that require a PC for use, or IP cameras that are complicated to set up and often require customer software to view, the Mole is the first "do it yourself, view from anywhere" solution for home or business surveillance, health and family care (elder or children), social network sharing, pet or , bird watching, and other unfolding events such as social gatherings. The Mole is also an ideal way to keep an eye on business or home while traveling.
"The Mole will redefine home and business surveillance, and it also opens the door to using a remote camera for sharing unattended video, since it's Web 2.0 ready," said Jason Hsia, CEO of ASTAK. "Internet citizens are already uploading over 20 hours of video to YouTube every minute. When interesting or important events are underway, you can't always be there to see or record them in person. That all changes with the Mole, where motion-detected events can be auto-uploaded to YouTube and a tweet auto-sent to your Twitter feed."
A standalone Internet camera with advanced built-in software, the Mole provides auto-configuration so that the user can set up the camera in just a few easy steps and access their video privately without any network knowledge. Once set up, the Mole allows users to adjust the pan remotely to change the view instantly. While easy-to-use and affordable, the Mole camera includes high-end features such as motion detection activation, night vision, two-way audio, and a built-in DVR. The Mole also features both Ethernet or Wi-Fi connectivity.
The Mole is designed for direct access from any web browser, which lets users watch their video instantly, from anywhere, including the iPhone. The onboard software is specifically tailored for seamless Internet sharing including auto-uploads to YouTube. Users can also choose to receive real-time alerts via email or Twitter sent to their mobile phone or any IP-enabled device.
Available in early November 2009, the Mole will be distributed through Astak's network of retail and distribution partners, including Fry's, Costco, Amazon.com, Walmart.com and Astak.com, with an MSRP of $299.00.
[Astak]
Video: Drug raid turns into 9 hour Wii bowl-a-thon
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on September 23rd, 2009
[Thanks, Maurice]
Continue reading Video: Drug raid turns into 9 hour Wii bowl-a-thon
Filed under: Gaming
Video: Drug raid turns into 9 hour Wii bowl-a-thon originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSurveillance Footage Highlights The Hazards Of Living In the Woods [Security]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on September 10th, 2009
When you live out in the woods, thieves are the least of your worries.
This video was captured using Logitech's WiLIfe line of security cameras and submitted to the company as part of a weekly contest that rewards customers with the best videos. Awesome—perhaps they can use any money they won to buy a gun or throw into the pot on a down payment on a place in the city. At any rate, the second and third place videos are also pretty amusing.
[WiLife]
Safeguarding the public’s privacy
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Technology on September 16th, 2009
The Conservatives will check the rise of the surveillance state. We will scrap invasive databases and protect personal privacy
The government is backtracking furiously after casually announcing a vetting system that would force one in four adults to prove they are not paedophiles before they can carry out voluntary work with children. But this latest encroachment of the surveillance state is symptomatic of a far deeper problem.
We have seen ID cards introduced and a DNA database that holds samples on almost a million innocent people, not to mention the widespread use of surveillance powers for inappropriate purposes – like monitoring the permits of paper boys, or following children home from school to check their catchment area. Bit by bit, the government has ushered in a sea-change in the relationship between the citizen and the state. None of this has made us safer; since 1997, police-recorded violent crime has nearly doubled, the terrorist threat has risen to an all-time high and antisocial behaviour remains a scourge in many towns and cities.
Surveillance legislation passed in good faith has been stretched well beyond its original purpose. Meanwhile, the government has robotically relied on databases to provide an inadequate substitute for human judgment and care in delivering public services and protecting the public. The Baby P case shows how dangerous such a false sense of security can be. Equally, the Soham murders might have been prevented if proper reference checks had been completed.
The government's flawed approach has also led to a series of database fiascos – exposing us to more, not less, risk – culminating in the Treasury losing the entire nation's child benefit records in the post. Little wonder that nine out of 10 people do not trust the government with their personal data.
If the rise of a surveillance state has proved both intrusive and clumsy, it is also hugely expensive – at a time we can least afford it. ID cards have been independently estimated to cost £19bn. Time and time again public sector databases have run over their estimated costs. And, on one estimate, the new vetting scheme could cost £200m.
So today, the Conservatives are launching a report setting out 11 commonsense measures to protect personal privacy and check the rise of the surveillance state. Our approach is based on five principles. First, we want less, not more, mammoth databases – so ID cards and ContactPoint will be scrapped. Second, we want to see less of our personal data hoarded by the state – and when it is stored it must be held accurately and on a need-to-know basis. Third, we need greater limits on the sharing of our data across the sprawling arms of Whitehall – let alone quangos and councils. And, finally, we will introduce stronger duties on government to keep our private information safe.
Of course we should harness IT to strengthen public protection and public service delivery. But we also need proper checks on this increasingly arbitrary and authoritarian government. Our personal data belongs to us. Government holds it on trust. The state is there to serve the citizen, not the reverse.
Child protection, Children, Comment, Conservatives, Data protection, Dominic Grieve, guardian.co.uk, Identity cards, Politics, Privacy, Society, Surveillance
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