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New satallite images identification technology
Researchers offer the first computerized method that can analyze a single photograph and determine where in the world the image likely was taken
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Team developing NGI defines roles and responsibilities
Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor for the FBI’s ambitious Next Generation Identification System; team members define their contributions to the project
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Gates orders more killer UAVs to Iraq, Afghanistan
The firing of the U.S. Air Force chief of staff and the secretary of the Air Force over the mishandling of nuclear weapons has allowed Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to accelerate the pace of deploying armed UAVs to the Central Command theaters
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OMG helps UAVs see as human pilots do
Northrop Grumman tests Oxford Metrics Group’s software which make UAVs “see” things the way a human pilot would
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New compression technique makes VoIP vulnerable to eavesdropping
New VoIP compression technique, called variable bit rate compression, produces different size packets of data for different sounds; simply measuring the size of packets — without even decoding them — can identify whole words and phrases with a high rate of accuracy
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Plasma-propelled flying saucer
University of Florida researcher designs a plasma-propelled flying saucer — the patent application calls it “wingless electromagnetic air vehicle” — which may be used for surveillance purposes; vehicle powered by magnetohydrodynamics — the force created when a current or a magnetic field is passed through a conducting fluid
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Airlines may be forced to fit antiterror cameras in seats
The EU moves across a broad front to increase air travel safety; airlines will be forced to install spy-in-the-cabin cameras and increase the use of biometrics technology for passenger identification
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Worry: VoIP especially suitable for conveying hidden messages
Steganography involves concealing messages within digitally transmitted images or sound files; VoIP systems tolerate packet loss and have built-in redundancy, and are thus especially suitable for conveying hidden messages; law enforcement officials have expressed frustration about the difficulty of deciphering VoIP messages made by suspected terrorists using Skype
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Phase II for AV's nano aircraft
Tiny UAV — 7.5 cm wing span, 10 grams in weight — to be used by military, law enforcement to gather information outdoors and indoors
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In-flight surveillance could foil terrorists in the sky
Big Brother comes to the skies: EU-funded aviation security system uses a camera in every passenger’s seat, with six wide-angle cameras to survey the aisles; software on the computer to which the cameras are connected detects suspicious behavior of passengers — from air rage to terrorist intent
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Surveillance systems for Singapore
The Port of Singapore is the world’s largest container transshipment hub, handling around 27 million containers last year; U.K. CCTV company wins large contract to secure the port
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Pentagon wants laser attack warnings for satellites
The U.S. economy and military capabilities are dependent on satellites for communication and information gathering; growing anti-satellite warfare capabilities — for example, by China — lead Pentagon to seek a measure of protection for space-based assets
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Australia to use UAVs to bolster border security
Australia’s customs agency has been testing an Israeli-made UAV in efforts to enhance the security of the country’s borders
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Boeing Hummingbird breaks heavy UAV endurance record
Boeing’s unmanned rotorcraft breaks endurance record: it flies for nearly 19 hours, carrying a 300-pound internal payload at altitudes up to 15,000 feet, and landing with more than 90 minutes worth of fuel in reserve
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Chinese spy network steals U.S. UAV secrets
Chinese intelligence service plants a spy at the University of Tennessee - he was masquerading as a graduate research assistant - and recruit a retired professor and a local company to steal advanced UAV designs
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The long view
How DHS Laid the Groundwork for More Intelligence Abuse
I&A, the lead intelligence unit of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) —long plagued by politicized targeting, permissive rules, and a toxic culture —has undergone a transformation over the last two years. Spencer Reynolds writes that this effort falls short. “Ultimately, Congress must rein in I&A,” he adds.