JJ Giner No sound

Hello, good afternoon, everyone. I hope everyone is having a good time today. Thank you for joining my talk and technical surveillance countermeasure or commonly known as TSCM. Before I dive in, I want to say that this presentation is dedicated to my beautiful and patient wife and to our loving, naughty kids. Without them, I will not be standing here. I'm working as a network administrator by day and doing manual labor of building cars by night. Also, working mostly part-time into TSCM and other specialized security operations. So today, I'm going to share some information regarding TSCM. First, for the agenda, I will show some recent news regarding common and advanced threats in Canada and also explore some examples of small surveillance gadgets.

And in addition, we're going to dive on the definition of TSCM and its components. Also going through some types of tools and professional equipment used inside of TSCM. And from there, we will tackle the processes and protocols from a physical sweep up down to data analysis and generating detailed report. Lastly, we hit on the case studies and upcoming trends in the specialized field of security. So according to CSIS Public Report of 2022, Canada, known for its strategic location, massive natural resources, advanced technology, and high skilled personnel, makes for a prime target that external groups seek to gain for their economic and personal gain. These entities employ some sophisticated methods, like surveillance gadgets and unconventional means of collecting data, mostly for gathering proprietary and financial information from individuals and mostly private and government sectors.

In addition, this report showed persistent spying incidents and threats from internal groups that prioritize their personal or organizational interests. Some of the most notable in early 2020 are the spike during the pandemic, and another factor is the use of foreign and non-traditional intelligence collectors in academic and research institutions across the world. I'm going to share some news in the main line regarding surveillance. So for some, maybe you recognize some of these. First, the article back in mid-2020 or 2021 regarding hidden cameras in the bathrooms at Airbnb around Britain, Columbia. This shows some persistent security risks happening mostly in rental accommodations. So recently there was some news about engineers stealing trade secrets and technical data on some tech companies. This shows an impact on industrial espionage and intellectual property rights inside Canada and global industries.

And lastly, back in April 13, maybe anyone remembered this, there's news about individuals installing key loggers inside public library and government centers. So first we dive on the common and advanced surveillance threats. We look into eavesdropping gadgets and electronic devices that common people have access with either commercially available or in public places. So for common threats, we have hidden cameras, GPS trackers, phones, key loggers, and eavesdropping devices. So for this slide, these are small devices can hide easily in many places inside around common areas such as offices and personal places. On the far left, you recognize some available mostly on Amazon. Usually cost between $10 to $20. On the right, these common devices being modified to house a hidden camera such as typical power outlet, clock, charging pins, and water bottles.

We move on into eavesdropping device or commonly classified with hidden microphones on top left or slide like typical electronic bugging components such as common radio receivers built up mostly by internal entities. On the right modified versions of regular item inside places like sockets and small microphones designed to be mounted on typical and mostly odd places. And there's this specialized audio recorder device by Nagra specially hidden between layers of normal looking dollar bills and only records when a human voice is heard. This can pick up an input clearly at 30 feet radius, capable of around 48 hours of constant recording time. Now we transition to keyloggers by either modified USB extensions or a module hidden behind electrical panel inside computers and can wirelessly transmission recorded keys to other devices like mobile phones. Some versions work with both Wi-Fi hotspot connectivity designed for data extraction and remotely through simple web interfaces on local networks.

Next are GPS trackers. We usually encounter these in most electronics nowadays like smart tags and recently news regarding vehicles and stalking examples or small specialized chips and circuits mounted in mobile devices can transmit the exact location information and recently added features that can transmit in remote eavesdropping recordings like ambient sounds from vehicles and people. Phones are by far the greatest and most widespread surveillance machine out there with internal microphones and front back faced cameras making it high personal vulnerability device which everyone basically has accessible almost 24/7. And by enabling hidden functionalities and internal features that can act like hidden transmitters used for live listening feature which enables user to hear conversations through other Apple peripherals in short ranges.

And here we look on advanced threats including sophisticated method on technical field which is more likely to be utilized inside sensitive organization like law enforcement or intelligence operations. These comprise of multi-layered threats by drone, cell site emulator, and targeted spyware malware on modern devices. For starters, we have targeted cell site simulators or in popular terms, Stingray. They masquerade as cell phone towers by high-power mobile transceiver that basically tricks our phone connecting to unauthorized receivers instead of original cell towers allowing someone to gather data and traffic analysis or track person accurate locations based off incoming data and connections. Then comes of course the drones which everyone is familiarized now. In modern times, drones are more used to carry internal systems by cameras and specialized sensors can also monitor internal network signals or by high definition camera hovering high outside windows can see everything inside an individual place or high office buildings with sensitive data without proper encryption for wireless peripherals.

And then we move on to sophisticated targeted spywares and internal data breach like malware which used mostly in intelligence levels known Pegasus zero-day remote attack on targeted high individuals by just having an active network address and also capable of fully command by infected devices even microphone camera or remote data gathering without notice and no interaction from victim at all. Lastly under advanced categories we have physical targeted spying through social engineering which basically getting physically close and gain building permissions with other forms like delivery services or maintenance plumbers that allows internal hidden devices installation behind common items in any type for commercial area. Now what is really TSCM? In NIST, definition states the set of advanced measures that allows to identify exploitation surveillance devices used on high government and mostly industries, aiming to counteract potential leaks to protect privacy intellectual property information.

TSCM operators uses special and technical standard equipment to detect potential unauthorized hidden microphones or cameras inside targeted scanning zones. These include spectrum analyzer and mobile scanning devices specialized internal components by detecting frequency emitters from unauthorized source locally within common places. Now inside typical field application there's special tools. For simple identification by scanning radio emissions to find emitters locally. Then we utilize more like non-linear junction detector. It detects microscopic traces from electronic semi-conductors and modified hidden parts within any area even some devices turned off by power and detecting internal hidden circuits through material and surfaces. Next by advanced thermal imaging cameras, it can see common devices components that generating slight thermal heat variations inside items like clocks, plants and charging wall mount adapters highlighting suspicious hot points that common eyes can and possibly mis-detect.

And also hidden camera scanners which utilizes infrared reflex detectors for picking specific and tiny glints from lenses within objects using red lights reflected characteristics from common mobile or hidden camera internal parts. Operators as well uses special UV lighting sources searching for tiny traces such with protein based oils left within regular surfaces around areas that suspecting common modification marks and identifying hidden installation traces and potential tiny finger reflections points left after a hidden bugging activity. Now look into basic process workflow regarding real applications divided standard into segments from identifying areas for survey then initial and comprehensive physical sweeping following more technical and deep analysis into signals emitters through the localized zones, until finishing generating final detailed risk analysis and recommendation reports based during findings found out inside scan and survey period.

At physical analysis process segment common checks starting with electrical outlets modification, scanning areas objects like small decors or suspicious internal furniture items around places following into deeper inspection up with internal systems by ducting pipes and floor boards to ensure nothing hidden under the physical surface layer for common spots around office buildings. Then during technical analysis deep signal emitter detection with spectrum and specialized equipment starts scanning whole area frequencies from basic 2.4 down until high wave ranges identified abnormal or high burst peaks patterns then using software to visually see traces locally through scanners showing unusual radio activity from possible internal modified devices that possibly transmitting collected data outwards. From there analysis collected with patterns identifying regular common radio traffic signatures through data capture versus typical patterns on the network identifying what is a false positive based by common local devices or truly suspicious burst identifying modified traffic going out to external sources outside localized target area.

Then a highly specialized and detailed report is compiled containing found logs identifying objects finding recommendations for mitigation threat and improving internal procedures policies or adding countermeasures protecting individual and organizations data privacy interests longer ways into full detailed technical summaries. So let's move along into famous case studies first is Great Seal bug also known was The Thing discovered 1945 inside wooden US seal gift from Soviet Union. It doesn't have battery powered internal circuit and use high radio power waves to activate its passive hidden microphone only which remained hidden for more than 7 years before identified during common and routine surveys found internally by lucky detection. Then in Canada famous case from Nortel downfall history back 2000s when trade secrets and sensitive intellectual property identified being taken away out for decades starting out internally with modified hardware found around the specialized hubs in buildings showing deep impact by technical espionage internally for long term duration leaks.

And mostly into specialized close access testing where a local person gain trust masquerading external staff services just to identify physical and logical network gap bypass for direct hardware physical manipulation internally by using social engineering to find and plug hidden bugging emitters devices locally. I've shown an example in video testing these exact conditions in localized sectors environment recently. Finally future trending is getting advanced with more IoT device vulnerabilities usage more with machine learning internal processing identify signals patterns or adding extra encryptions over physical threats using specialized sensors and drones also challenges within equipment cost for smaller firms and professionals shortage inside the surveillance and countermeasure specific specialized industries operations around world. In short summary TSCM is about deep technical countermeasures protects personal industries data privacy from unconventional intelligence threats identifying hidden areas where standard logical cybersecurity doesn't pick it up highlighting the huge importance into having specialized operators utilizing their expertise with professional equipment for more comprehensive security approach against these technical threats in modern days world scenario.

And that concludes my session share. I want to say thanks for joining into today's presentation. I hope for everyone take good knowledge points regarding these technical threats nowadays. Thank you so much everyone and having a nice day. Goodbye.