spying
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HP accused of spying on Dell: like the movies, only lame
We're sorry, but what's the good in corporate espionage if there aren't any high speed car chases, or innocent bystanders getting killed in the crossfire? Not much good, that's what. That's why we're a bit let down by this whole HP / Dell situation -- spying on Dell in hopes to unveil printer business secrets just doesn't quite have a blockbuster ring to it. All the same, there's plenty of drama in this situation to be getting on with. See, Karl Kamb got sacked by HP for purportedly founding a competing business while on the job -- Byd:sign, a flat-panel TV outfit -- and syphoning off HP resources and R&D to do it. He's being sued by HP for $100 million, and has now countersued HP, claiming that they hired him in 2002 to spy on Dell, a former employer of his, and of course asserting that all that "siphoning funds" stuff was off the mark. Just to make it all the more dramatic ('cause helping out HP anticipate a Dell launch into the printer business still isn't cutting it for us), Kamb is also asserting that HP obtained his private phone records via pretexting, a little practice that HP got into a heap big amount of trouble for last year. No telling at this point who's telling the truth: on the one hand, HP doesn't really have the best track record with pretexting and such, but at the same time it seems quite the convenient out for Kamb, to mark up HP's wrongdoings towards him as another case of pretexting. There's plenty more drama under the surface here, so we recommend hitting up the read link for more info -- before we start talking sequels.[Via Slashdot]
Canadian coins reportedly bugged by spies
According to The Canadian Press, a recent report by the U.S. Defense Security Service (a branch of the DoD) revealed that at least three American contractors who visited Canada returned home with more than a souvenir toque and supply of Tim Horton's coffee, finding Canadian coins bugged with miniature transmitters when they unloaded their pockets. Apparently, the bugs were planted by international spies hoping to pick up information about military technology from the contractors at conventions, seminars, or exhibits in the country. While the exact type of transmitter hasn't been revealed, speculation seems to suggest an RFID chip, although as former RCMP officer and current security consultant told the CP, the whole scheme isn't exactly the most foolproof one. Not only would a reader of some sort have to be nearby to pick up the signals from the coins, there's also of course no guaranteeing how long the individual will actually hold onto the coin before that poutine craving forces them to spend it. [Thanks, Dave W]Update: Alas, it appears that this bit of cross-border intrigue may have been too good to be true, with The Globe & Mail now reporting that the case of the bugged pocket change has been overblown, according to a US official familiar with the case. The official added that some "odd-looking" coins did trigger some suspicions when they were found, but ultimately posed no risk or danger.
Wireless Camera Hunter makes spying fun
If you thought Billy Baldwin had a pretty sweet setup in Sliver, but you don't have the time nor the funds to build your own monitor-filled "observatory," then a product called the Wireless Camera Hunter may be just the ticket to feeding your voyeuristic jones. Sporting two antennae and a 2.5-inch TFT LCD for maximum peeping enjoyment, the WCH DD9000 is a video Walkman-sized device that scans the airwaves for wireless video transmissions in the 900MHz to 2.52GHz range, and locks in on any usable signals within 500 feet. For $500, it would be nice to get some rechargeable batteries instead of having to use your own AAs with this model, but sometimes you have to sacrifice the little things for the greater good of spying on your friends and neighbors.
State Department bans Lenovo PCs from classified work
Remember a few months ago when the US State Department ordered thousands of Lenovo PCs despite concerns by some that the boxes could be infested with evil Commie spyware? Well, the computers have apparently been delivered, and the government has now decided those concerns should be taken seriously. The 16,000 Lenovo computers will basically be quarantined from other government computers, and won't be used for any classified work. Which we assume means they'll be used for games of Solitaire and BitTorrent downloads of patriotic anthems. C'mon guys, let's get real here. Sure, Lenovo's computers are made in China. But so are plenty of other computers, including Apple's shiny new MacBooks. And ThinkPads and ThinkCenters were made in China, in the exact same factories, even when IBM still owned the brands. The fact is, if Chinese spymasters really wanted to use PCs to check in on the US government, they could do it without Lenovo. We're not suggesting that the government not be wary of international espionage. But if they really want to get serious about it, there are better ways to do it than buying 16,000 computers and then limiting their use to back-office functions.
