denolth2
04-30-02, 09:23 AM
Ok, this may not fall under "computer security" but it is something that may be of interest to folks with the items mentioned in this comment below. Taken from lockergnome:
den2
Stopping the Eavesdroppers
Scribbled by Daniel Gray
On your television show, Call for Help, yesterday, you were speaking of scanners - the handheld ones, in particular. Since I have been a scanner buff for over six years, maybe I can offer some help. I own an AOR 1000 handheld and will be buying an AOR 9000 Trunk Tracker for my home. Usually the channels of a scanner are divided into 'sections' of 10. In a 100 channel scanner, you have 10 sections (or banks) of 10 channels, and in a 1000 channel scanner you have 10 sections of 100 channels. This is pretty much standard, and unless I miss my guess, 100 channels is pretty much as high as they go for the sections / banks, though some will place 200 channels in there and say it is a new add on. Most scanners (the good ones anyway) usually start at 50MHz and go up to 1.2GHz. Some go up to 2.5GHz (like the AORs) and some go as high as 4.0GHz. Though, for the life of me, I cannot understand what the heck is being broadcast that high. My AOR starts at 25MHz and goes up to 2.5GHz and covers every frequency in between. I can listen to television stations / radio / etc. if the frequency is in that range.
Now, as for privacy... people should know that baby monitors / walkie-talkie / intercoms or portable phones (and even the 900mhz wideband / digital / spread spectrum phones can be heard with a kit that was shown in Popular Electronics magazine less then three weeks after these phones were announced. There are even kits to add to your regular scanner that will allow you to listen to trunk tracking signals). ANY device that enables you to broadcast a voice signal can be picked up on a scanner that is able to access that frequency. A Ham radio magazine will usually carry advertisements for scanners and tell you what they do. A good rule of thumb is for you not to speak in a way that you would not like your mother to hear - as you never know who could be listening.
I was scanning channels and heard a local person giving some VERY private information over the portable phone (his credit card number and social security number), I wrote down his social security number and his home phone, and then called him after he had hung up. I told him who I was and then - to prove the reason why I called - I gave him his social security number and home phone. I then explained that what he did was NOT very smart, as a crook usually drives around with cell phone frequencies placed in the scanner, waiting for people (like this guy) to do something. I gave him the frequency that he was broadcasting on and the time. Needless to say, he was pretty well shaken. I strongly advised him to get a regular "corded" phone or one that has the hand unit connected to the base - and use that when he wanted to give sensitive information out over the phone. He went out the same day and purchased a new phone. Later, I received a thank you note from him, as his bank called and asked if he had wanted to take a large cash amount on his credit card. He had not been in the city where this was to happen, as it was in the next state. In short, this little slip-up almost cost the guy $5000.00. He has since warned all his friends and family about it, and now considers me a friend for helping him - even though I didn't know him. I was only doing what was right, and made a new friend from the deal. Not a bad bargain, I would say.
Chris, it is very important that you warn your viewers and readers NEVER to give personal information out over portable phones. Also, tell them NOT to allow babysitters / kids to EVER say the parents are not there over these devices. As with the above person, there could be someone who you do not want to meet just waiting for this information. Even not having the port's frequencies programmed into the scanner does not help. Most portable phones run on a set frequency range, and all you need do is set the top and bottom and just hit scan. You're bound to run into someone sometime, and all it will take is one time. The same holds true with baby monitors and other voice broadcasting equipment. You would be amazed at the number of people that STILL do not know about this - and that is dangerous to themselves and their financial health. Especially in today's world.
den2
Stopping the Eavesdroppers
Scribbled by Daniel Gray
On your television show, Call for Help, yesterday, you were speaking of scanners - the handheld ones, in particular. Since I have been a scanner buff for over six years, maybe I can offer some help. I own an AOR 1000 handheld and will be buying an AOR 9000 Trunk Tracker for my home. Usually the channels of a scanner are divided into 'sections' of 10. In a 100 channel scanner, you have 10 sections (or banks) of 10 channels, and in a 1000 channel scanner you have 10 sections of 100 channels. This is pretty much standard, and unless I miss my guess, 100 channels is pretty much as high as they go for the sections / banks, though some will place 200 channels in there and say it is a new add on. Most scanners (the good ones anyway) usually start at 50MHz and go up to 1.2GHz. Some go up to 2.5GHz (like the AORs) and some go as high as 4.0GHz. Though, for the life of me, I cannot understand what the heck is being broadcast that high. My AOR starts at 25MHz and goes up to 2.5GHz and covers every frequency in between. I can listen to television stations / radio / etc. if the frequency is in that range.
Now, as for privacy... people should know that baby monitors / walkie-talkie / intercoms or portable phones (and even the 900mhz wideband / digital / spread spectrum phones can be heard with a kit that was shown in Popular Electronics magazine less then three weeks after these phones were announced. There are even kits to add to your regular scanner that will allow you to listen to trunk tracking signals). ANY device that enables you to broadcast a voice signal can be picked up on a scanner that is able to access that frequency. A Ham radio magazine will usually carry advertisements for scanners and tell you what they do. A good rule of thumb is for you not to speak in a way that you would not like your mother to hear - as you never know who could be listening.
I was scanning channels and heard a local person giving some VERY private information over the portable phone (his credit card number and social security number), I wrote down his social security number and his home phone, and then called him after he had hung up. I told him who I was and then - to prove the reason why I called - I gave him his social security number and home phone. I then explained that what he did was NOT very smart, as a crook usually drives around with cell phone frequencies placed in the scanner, waiting for people (like this guy) to do something. I gave him the frequency that he was broadcasting on and the time. Needless to say, he was pretty well shaken. I strongly advised him to get a regular "corded" phone or one that has the hand unit connected to the base - and use that when he wanted to give sensitive information out over the phone. He went out the same day and purchased a new phone. Later, I received a thank you note from him, as his bank called and asked if he had wanted to take a large cash amount on his credit card. He had not been in the city where this was to happen, as it was in the next state. In short, this little slip-up almost cost the guy $5000.00. He has since warned all his friends and family about it, and now considers me a friend for helping him - even though I didn't know him. I was only doing what was right, and made a new friend from the deal. Not a bad bargain, I would say.
Chris, it is very important that you warn your viewers and readers NEVER to give personal information out over portable phones. Also, tell them NOT to allow babysitters / kids to EVER say the parents are not there over these devices. As with the above person, there could be someone who you do not want to meet just waiting for this information. Even not having the port's frequencies programmed into the scanner does not help. Most portable phones run on a set frequency range, and all you need do is set the top and bottom and just hit scan. You're bound to run into someone sometime, and all it will take is one time. The same holds true with baby monitors and other voice broadcasting equipment. You would be amazed at the number of people that STILL do not know about this - and that is dangerous to themselves and their financial health. Especially in today's world.