DEF CON 22 - Dr. Philip Polstra - Am I Being Spied On?

[@spambot7110]

just a reminder: stalkers and law enforcement are not mutually exclusive categories. Police officers commit domestic violence at a higher rate than the general population, and leaving an abusive relationship with a police officer carries additional risks given the resources they have access to (including the fact that they're automatically trusted by most domestic violence shelters).

[@butteredtoast8666]

"Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get you."

[@Willam_J]

The tips about determining you are being followed or surveiled are somewhat useful, but most of the information about detecting bugs is relatively useless unless someone is spying on you with a Mr. Microphone. Simply using a wide band RF detector with a decent frequency range will catch 99% of all bugs. Bugs don’t typically use frequencies above 2.4GHz and most are in the VHF or low UHF range. Anything over 1GHz is nearly useless over any usable range and when you’re spying on someone, you want some range between them and you. If you’re paranoid enough to want a 10+ GHz sweep of your home or office, just call an experienced company in. Also, if someone is really spying on you, you can use it to your own advantage. As long as they don’t know that you know about their bugs, you can feed fictitious information to them. If it’s the government trying to gather information about you, talk about how you would never do something they suspect you of or talk about something they might be interested in, but you aren’t doing and they can’t prove. The point is to confuse them and give yourself time to ‘clean up’. If it’s corporate espionage, you can discuss bogus projects or make wild claims about your new products and throw them off course. Finding the bug is only half the battle. Deciding what to do with it is the other half.

[@AustinSteingrube]

Modern update on the IR bit - most digital cameras have filters that remove IR. As such, your smartphone will have issues seeing IR LEDs. You'd have to find either an older camera, use one that is ALSO meant for night vision, or (attempt) to remove the filter.

[@fallenaspie]

use open camera apk

[@angus6858]

Watch this at 1.25x speed for it to sound normal conversation speed!

[@an1skh4n]

Ahh. Much better.

[@martinkunev9911]

I'm watching it at 1.6x

[@thewhitefalcon8539]

wow you're right, I set it to 1.25x and the forgot I'd done that

[@thekornreeper]

1.75x here

[@harryman11]

much better if you watch it at 2.5x

[@tnick2469]

Or not at all. I will now watch weaponise your kitteh again. Twice, in order to re-calibrate my hacker spidey sense and get back in the zone.

[@zigitroll]

i dont even have to watch weaponize your kitty let me guess someone strapped a pi, yagi, and battery to tabby

[@alexoja2918]

Best if you press the number 9 in the beginning. Still makes you want a number 10 though.

[@jamesrustleton6517]

TOP LEL fam

[@codemiesterbeats]

lol "look for construction workers who appear not to be doing anything" the road workers just always seem to be milling around with one guy doing some work.

[@trupyrodice4462]

Bro, that’s literally every construction worker ever. Lol

[@carvoloco4229]

And probably in every country!

[@ITILII]

What....union "workers" and government "employees" Not doing anything?....isnt that standard procedure?🙄

[@Willam_J]

The reason your friend was able to talk over the store’s intercom wasn’t because he was close to its frequency. Store intercoms are typically wired. What happens is that the speaker wires act as antennas, feed the RF into the audio amplifiers, the RF gets detected/demodulated by the transistor junctions which converts it back to audio and then it gets amplified and is sent out to the speakers. Very common problem with people who live close to AM radio towers. The solution is to wind the speaker wires, near the amp, around a ferrite core to suppress the RF from getting into the amplifier.

[@HighestRank]

The speaker wires near the amp would be the primary side of the audio output transformer, which are almost impossibly short and require the tiniest ferrite beads in the world to ever fit there. Dare I even say that you’d have to scavenge the minuscule one from an RF balun in order to obtain the proper size?

[@HighestRank]

The next issue is that RF which “oft appears” as interference is from the 27-49Mhz band, so far above the threshold of hearing that even if it were to be processed and amped by the stage “nearest to the speaker”, you’d never detect it with your ears.

[@codemiesterbeats]

I use a thermal camera... never found any bugs but find lots of instances of me wasting electricity lol I am an automotive mechanic and at my shop we discovered a tracking device on a lady's car... we debated on whether we should tell her about it... we decided we should tell her. she was mad, and suspected her husband or boyfriend lol

[@scarakus]

Financed vehicles all have active trackers on them.

[@HighestRank]

Scarakus as do leased vehicles.

[@andrewferguson6901]

Husband +or+ boyfriend you say

[@selenadansfield1305]

Although this guy isn't as funny as some presenters, this is a packed-full of information panel!

[@lynxlive555]

with the dod budget they'd just buy the house next to you :P

[@targetedinperth4375]

They have. Mine just usually rent them out. Many moved in for the purposes of this.

[@martinkunev9911]

33:38 what about bulgaria? does he mean there are no regulations on these devices there?

[@siprus]

Btw if the video you are uploding has web links in it's slides plz upload them in the description! saves lot's of people lot's of time trying to look up that link!

[@micky9229]

I enjoyed this. Good to have a break from the high tech stuff for a bit.

[@dcsMagazine]

Great speaker.

[@landonpowell6296]

His initials are PP. Why did he pass up the opportunity to be Dr. P P?

[@HighestRank]

Landon J Powell is not a urologist.

[@harryassenbach]

I maintain if I ever found a bumper beeper on my vehicle I'd discretely remove it and then attach it to a rail car. :)

[@HighestRank]

D G who?

[@davidtaylor857]

Attach to a semi truck at a truck stop.

[@winstonchurchill8300]

This was shit. I canceled all my flights to the U.S.

[@testingmailbox1394]

Looks like jacob's talk was removed, but this appears to have been the code for it (since he used a terrible font). it's shift inverse is LiL vlLAIhwUglU

[@HighestRank]

Chris Rudd “it’s shift inverse”? That makes no damn sense.

[@jamesrustleton6517]

beaglebonebeaglebonebumperbeeperbumperbeeper

[@tnick2469]

Seriously?! WTF was this generic Walter Mitty talk doing at Defcon??? Using an AM radio to detect bugs in the 10MHz to 8GHz range... riiiiiight. And passive bugs... didn't mention nor explain nonlinear junction detection. FAIL. The guy would have done much better to introduce and explain his beagle bone work than spew off stuff that he obviously has only imaginary experience of. And don't keep telling the audience your talk is shit. They get it.

[@gerff01]

+tnick2 The talk is meant for people who aren't radio operators, to give them a general idea of things. It isn't a class, it is a general presentation.

[@Impedancenetwork]

This talk was way to simplistic. Everything on the tailing subject was obvious.

[@HighestRank]

Impedancenetwork it was meant to distract you while you were being tailed.

[@carvoloco4229]

What was the following talk? I might stay and watch it.

[@Gunth0r]

Imagine this: a paranoid hearse driver

[@HighestRank]

Sophrosynicle cameras in all the flowers on every grave.

[@xsatquest]

The link to the Applebaum presentation at the end is not working. Just gives you "This video is not available".

[@HighestRank]

xsatquest try 3 times.

[@Illudeandnottiyt]

this was about me :)

[@Islacrusez]

7 minutes in and I'm already reading the comments. Doesn't seem to be a particularly good talk. One error is that while digital cameras as typically found on phones will record IR, and as a rule digital cameras typically can pick up IR, a lot of higher-end equipment has an IR filter. Also a camera with built-in IR illumination is NOT designed to be a hidden camera and that illumination is not a flaw. If you're using them in that way, that's on you and not on the camera - and if that is you then maybe you shouldn't be presenting a talk on surveillance?

[@jamesmccallum1248]

I want to know why he has flowers in his workshop.

[@HighestRank]

James Mccallum ...in which to hide a camera. You need to finish your sentences or expect there’s such an obvious answer coming.

[@scarakus]

Construction dudes always seem to look like their doing nothing, lmfao!

[@HighestRank]

Scarakus they’re*

[@scarakus]

Well... Now I'm paranoid... Lol!

[@HighestRank]

Scarakus good, that’ll keep you alert for motorbikes.

[@troyhayder6986]

I'm definitely being spied on and it's bloody obvious.. Although why they bother spying on me is some kind of bizzare question nobody seems to want to answer...

[@nice4398]

be use they want to

[@troyhayder6986]

@@nice4398 becuz...cuz in case cuz...

[@nice4398]

@@troyhayder6986 they really like to

[@diablominero]

There's a night vision camera near my house that I can see the infrared LEDs on. They're very dim to the eye, and they wouldn't be any use if the camera found them as dim as I do. I think they should switch to longer-wave infrared or lower-power lights if they don't want to be caught watching the sidewalk.

[@danielschmider5069]

Pretty sure most phones have infrared filters these days

[@jamesrustleton6517]

beaglebone beaglebone

[@infiniteaesthetiks5155]

Is cherayah and Monsey spying on me?? Please help me!! Does anyone know anything??

[@HighestRank]

Infinite Aesthetiks of course but not going to share the scandal with you and be accused of espionage.

[@NihilisticHatred]

Isn't it Bolivia that has the better ruleset?

[@vikrantvijit1436]

A life saving talk about testing Technologies darkest sides that is killing the whole world.

[@thetruthseekerseekingthetr5264]

I have noticed on my cell phone and on my tablet when i look at the available networks that i have this perticular WiFi network by the name luserland -2.4guest or it will change just to luserland, which seems to alway follow me where ever I go in my truck. I could go for miles and it will be right there on my available network. And then so often it would disappear and I could be at my house and I suddenly appears. But most days its there then other days its gone. My concern or my question for anyone who has knowledge about this kinda of stuff can explain to me why this network is always available on my cell where ever I mean where ever I go and the signal is always very close. This just started maybe about 6months ago. I thought at first it was a joke someone was playing on me with the name luserland, but now I'm getting a little concerned, because I do everything on my phone. Its funny because it started when I started to watch a lot of KZbin becuz I was always curious about what the conspericy theriost had to say. Not that I am one but just a curious person. Please help me Thank you and be serious in no jokes.

[@VideoDroidORG]

Thetruthseeker Seeking The Truth anyone that easy too notice is nothing to worry about. its a mistake, correlation is not causation

[@whyohwhyfools]

+Thetruthseeker Seeking The Truth You are definitely a person of interest.

[@Willam_J]

Thetruthseeker Seeking The Truth - Are you doing illegal activities? No... don’t worry about it. Yes... start worrying about it. Also, remember that a lot of new cars have built-in Wifi. It could be one of your neighbor’s cars and you may just be near enough to them, once in a while, while driving around town, or while at home, to catch their signal. These mobile networks have user-definable SSID’s and have a pretty good range. I live in a rural area and my nearest neighbor is about 1/4 mile away. I can tell when his son’s girlfriend is in the area because I can pick up her mobile WiFi SSID at my house. If you are picking it up when you are far from where you live, I might start to worry, but if it’s only in your immediate area, I wouldn’t worry too much. Besides, government surveillance networks don’t typically broadcast their SSID. They try to remain as covert as possible and broadcasting their SSID would be like hanging a sign on their vehicle that says “SURVEILLANCE VAN”.

[@HighestRank]

Try following it in somebody else’s vehicle. If you get a block from your truck and it’s gone, chances are that the source it is somewhere on or in your truck.

[@tkcaapi2876]

please dont say S.U.V...omg is it a global trend?! i had a dream once of sustained hyundai burgundy red suv balding 40s white male sunglasses....over months go away.😡 .. single broken headlights at night. grid vehicle surv.

[@christose9247]

spied upon

[@sherri99516]

Interesting talk about surveillance. DEF CON 22 - Am I Being Spied On? - Dr. Philip Polstra. The talk will present several low-tech ways using your smart phone to detect even the high-tech surveillance & more. Topics covered will include: detecting surveillance cameras with your cell phone, signs that you are under physical surveillance, detecting active and passive bugs with low cost devices, and detecting devices implanted inside computers, tablets, and cell phones.

[@HighestRank]

sherri99516 and for those of you in the audience, for Complaints see the circular file.

[@HighestRank]

Both my iPhones have IR light filters on them.

[@meestyouyouestme3753]

Spoiler Alert: there's a giant gas ball in the sky that's always following you. The distance just changes a bit throughout the thymez

[@BonelessEar]

22:47 - there is no such thing as "AM radio band"

[@thedudeman9000]

+BonelessEar he's referring to the AM broadcast band in the US that all commercial radios tune to

[@gerff01]

+BonelessEar Yes, there is...

[@BonelessEar]

Gerff technically you can use any modulation (AM/FM/SSB/CW/FSK/PSK/QAM/...) on any frequency/band you want.... as long as you dont get caught

[@gerff01]

BonelessEar What does that have to do with what you wrongly stated?

[@BonelessEar]

Gerff ok, so what is the lowest and highest frequency of "AM BAND"?

[@jpfeif29]

Yes

[@ManuelPinner]

I have a Nintendo New 3DS, The Inner Cam, See Inferred Nicely, I also have Digital Radio Scanner that Pick up P25 use by Police and Federal Agencies,

[@Willam_J]

ManuelPinner - Wow. You’re a real James Bond.

[@kalm42]

Interesting topic, boring speaker.

[@devilmastah]

on the cameras, just get a flir if you want nightvision

[@tnick2469]

flir is not night vision. Resolution and frame rate not ideal either unless you have a big budget. If you were to use flir it would be to detect heat given off by electronics hidden in walls, ceilings or where ever else you can hide a listening device or similar.

[@HighestRank]

tnick2 what you’re describing is known as a pyrometer.

[@secretbandreappears244]

god, the amount of times I think this a day

[@deedubbs4412]

Uncheck the box that says active IR illumination....flaw redacted

[@HighestRank]

Dee Dubbs blindness managed.

[@alexoja2918]

Comating trailing. "Look." Yeah. Thanks for nothing.

[@37thgungrunts]

You'd be surprised how few people bother to look.

[@alexoja2918]

The video should be what you just said because thats pretty much everything you can say to thanks for nothing.

[@HighestRank]

Alex Oja no you can say ‘spoilers coming’.

[@SnapcrackerzTeam]

Tin foil lol wtf?

[@HighestRank]

SnapcrackerzTeam makeshift faraday cage.

[@electrontube]

lamer

[@HighestRank]

electrontube cop.

[@HighestRank]

Both my iPhones have IR light filters on them.

[@HighestRank]

Both my iPhones have IR light filters on them.

[@HighestRank]

Both my iPhones have IR light filters on them.