Includes items such as:

• GPS Jammer
• Cell Phone Bugs
• VHF/UHF Jammers
• Bug detecting
• and more.

Homebrew Military & Espionage Electronics

via consumerist.com

Employment History Reports
The Work Number
ChoicePoint (866) 312-8075
Acxiom
Abso

Tenant History Reports
ChoicePoint (877) 448-5732
First Advantage SafeRent (888) 333-2413
Tenant Data Services
RentBureau
UD Registry (818) 785-3905

Auto & Home Insurance Claim Reports
ChoicePoint
Insurance Services Office (ISO) (800) 627-3487

Credit Bureaus Reports
Equifax
Experian
Transunion
Innovis
Payment Reporting Builds Credit (PRBC)

Full File Disclosure/Personal Information Reports
ChoicePoint
LexisNexis

Check Writing History Reports
ChexSystems (800) 428-9623
TeleCheck (800) 835-3243.
Shared Check Authorization Network (800) 262-7771 Fax: (800) 358-4506

Health History Reports
Medical Information Bureau (MIB) (866) 692-6901

Prescription Drug Purchase History Reports
Ingenix MedPoint
Milliman IntelliScript

Social Security Statement
Social Security Administration

Purchase Returns History Reports
Retail Equation

Gaming Patron’s Credit History and Transaction Data
Central Credit

Other Reports
TeleTrack

Utilities & Telecommunications Reports
National Consumer Telecom and Utilities Exchange, Inc (NCTUE) Call 1-888-201-5643 for reports

(Thanks to Bob!)

SOURCES:
Do A Background Check On Yourself [Consumerist]
[Consumer Reports]
[PrivacyRights]
[Bankrate]
[Listergeant]
[MyFico Forums]
[CreditBoards]

http://consumerist.com/2010/02/get-all-your-reports.html

[Miguel A. Vallejo] wanted a portable spectrum analyzer for the 2.4GHz ISM band. No problem, there’s modules for that are easy to interface with a microcontroller and LCD screen. But carrying around a black project box doesn’t exactly scream ‘cool’ so he fit his spectrum analyzer inside of a cell phone. This made a lot of things easier for him; he already had a few old phones, he was able to use both the original battery and the original LCD screen, and a lot of the mounting work is already done for you. The only challenge was to fit his custom circuitry inside. By hacking off part of the CYWM6935 module and cutting some protoboard in the same shape as the original PCB he managed to get everything into this tiny portable package. Now he’s looking for a way to incorporate a charger, and an on/off switch.

If you don’t have an old cell phone sitting around you can try building a spectrum analyzer that uses a character display. But we’d suggest hitting up your friends for their old cellphones.  The screens are used in all kinds of fun projects.

via hackaday http://hackaday.com/2010/02/12/spectrum-analyzer-wedged-into-a-cellphone/

http://ea4eoz.ure.es/hsa.html

This is a simple bash script that uses nikto, nmap, nslookup, the Harvester, subdomainer and metagoofil for penetration testing and enumeration. This code is very straight-forward and you can do whatever you wish with it, but for god’s sake read the readme file. This is a rough first run so some things might break and the report files are all over the damn place and you might need to edit some stuff.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/reecon/

Suggestions, ideas, bugs?

Foil, not just for hats anymore!

Tinfoil is apparently not just good for keeping the lizard people from reading your thoughts from afar, with a little wit and the silver stuff you can also wreak havoc on those high security and dimple locks that are just a little too hard to pick sometimes. Now available in kit form, compliments of China(tm)

Article and video on Blackbag.nl

With the new year come the new worries about taxes - what kind of taxes will you need to file before April 15th, how much money will you have to pay, what bracket did you place in, etc. Unfortunately, you also need to worry about protecting your identity. As Privacyrights.org notes, your IRS information returns might constitute an identity thief's "dream."

None of us want to become a "dream" target for any kind of thief, let alone an identity thief. So while you're figuring out the right returns to send to the IRS, this is also a great time to take steps to ensure the protection of your identity.

Five Recommendatations for Keeping Tax Info Safe

1. Guard your mail. Once your mail leaves your hands, it's at the mercy of the people who handle it - so make sure you get it in the hands of the right people. Take your sensitive mail directly to the post office and make sure that when you check your mail, you don't leave it in your mailbox - you retrieve it as soon as possible after it's delivered or consider a locking mailbox.

   You should also look at a mail service like EarthClassMail.com - especially if you're away on travel or vacation.

2. Don't keep tax information loose around the house or car. Let's face it: there aren't many places you'll keep your tax information except a few places, like the house, car, or office. So make sure you don't get cavalier about these locations. Make sure you can lock important documents away at home and that you protect them in your car and office.
3. Only deal with legitimate government organizations. Whether you like it or not, you have to pay your taxes and you have to report your information to the government. But you don't have to report it to just about everybody else, so protect your information by dealing directly with the IRS and worrying less about third parties.
4. Protect your SSN. Your social security number is a big target for identity thieves, and since taxes contain your SSN, you're going to want to be careful about making sure they're secure. Do a search on your computer for your SSN and archive any documents onto a CD and delete the files from your computer.
5. Keep your accounts and papers tidy. It's harder to guard yourself if you're a hoarder with mounds of papers on his desk, so make sure that you keep things simple - this will help you find your important documents, which helps you protect them.

Matthew Delorey of New Bedford, Mass., is charged with one count of conspiracy and one count of wire fraud. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison for each charge, and a $250,000 fine.

Delorey allegedly ran a now-defunct Web site called Massmodz.com, where hacked modems were sold. The modems had been modified in order to spoof the device’s MAC (Media Access Control) address. It is possible then to either obtain free Internet access or make it appear that a different modem is obtaining access.

Authorities alleged that Delorey sold two of the modified modems to an undercover FBI agent.

Delorey also allegedly posted to YouTube showing how to get free Internet access through modified cable modems.

He allegedly posted instructional videos with titles such as “Massmodz.com How to Get Free Internet Free Cable Internet Comcast or any Cable ISP – 100% works” and “Massmodz.com How to bypass Comcast registration page with premod cable modem SB5100, SB 5101.”

Federal authorities have recently moved against other people regarding cable modems. In October Ryan Harris, 26, was arrested for allegedly running a San Diego company called TCNISO that sold customizable cable modems and software that could be used to get free Internet service or a speed boost for paying subscribers. Harris is charged with conspiracy, computer intrusion and wire fraud.

If you're a Facebook addict - and chances that if you have a parietal lobe and a mouse, you are - then you'll be interested to see this eye-opening article about how easy it is to hack through the privacy settings in your profile.

According to ZDNet.com, an Israeli security research firm recently demonstrated just how easy it is to hack Facebook and bypass the privacy settings that so many of us hold dear.

Claims the man:

I could write malicious application that steals users personal info or even simple application that build for me a bot net users for malicious purposes like hacking systems for SQL Injections and DDOS attacks. Using ClickJacking i also could fool users to click whatever I want: adding me as their friend, delete their account, and even open their camera and microphone using flash (Older versions then 10.x), or install Facebook applications that posting their web camera and microphone every time they connected to Facebook - Just use your imagination on what you want others to click on...Transfer to you poker chips???

In other words, be afraid. Be very afraid.

In all seriousness, this does give cause for concern. Many users simply believe that using the proper security settings on their Facebook profile is enough to keep unwanted users out, but a skilled hacker should have no trouble doing damage.

It's important to note that if you want to protect your privacy, it's still a good idea to keep your privacy settings strict so that unwanted users can't view your information or photographs. But the ease with which Facebook can be hacked, at least in the example above, does give rise to this question: is this proof that the most secure Facebook profile is no Facebook profile at all?

Demo Video

The researcher has released a video showing the clickjacking hack, though it doesn't have any audio - bummer. 

What Should You Do?

There's no reason to cut and run simply because you're afraid of hackers. But if you closely guard your security online and keep a Facebook profile active, then this question is one you'll really want to ponder.

Remember also that just because a hacker could get to your profile doesn't mean that any necessarily will or would want to. Just be sure that you respect your own privacy and respect the power of hackers to go after your identity through something as simple as social media.

In a few days, it will be a month since Christmas has come and past, and that usually means a month since you've opened up those new computers and laptops. While you're enjoying the free trial offers of expensive anti-spyware and virus protection programs, you're probably also aware (or even repeatedly reminded) that they're about to expire. If you don't want to pull out the credit card but don't want to lose the spam and virus protection, it's time to look at a third alternative - free programs.

Yeah, yeah, I know. You get what you pay for, right? Some people may even be so dead-set against free anti-spyware that they simply pay for the more expensive suites just to feel comfortable. Don't be that person. Let's check out a few free programs that actually deliver the goods:

Microsoft Security Essentials

Microsoft often gets a bad rap these days, especially when it comes to software bugs. But what people don't take into account is that most viruses are written for Microsoft or Windows software; of course they're going to get slammed. MS isn't oblivious to this, hence the free Security Essentials program that you can download right now. We love this as a security program because it's simple, gets the job done, and won't expire on you because it's absolutely free. Just one quick tip: make sure that you uninstall the previous spyware program you've been running if you decide to stick with Security Essentials. Keeping your computer free and clear of unwanted programs will help it run smoothly.

• Download MS Security Essentials

Avast - with an Exclamation Point

avast! is another great alternative - they provide both hardcore, more costly Internet security systems but also offer Antivirus 5.0, a free program. You'll get the usual suspects - anti-spam firewalls, message scanning, and compatibility with your latest Windows system - as well as a few avast!-unique frills like avast! Community IQ. Which is the better choice? It depends on your needs. Give one of them a try or, if you're feeling ambitious, give them both a try and look for the best results. Ideally, a solid security program will run in the background, talk to you as little as possible, and keep your computer clean and fresh. If that's what one of these programs does for you, then it's doing its job. Leave it alone! You don't necessarily need the more expensive security programs unless you're really looking for some serious protection.

• Download avast! 5.0

Want to Learn More?

Still not sure which program to use? Lifehacker.com has a review and additional resources for both programs:

• Avast Free Antivirus 5.0 Adds Behavior Monitor, Heuristics Engine, and Improved Performance
• Microsoft Security Essentials Ranks as Best-Performing Free Antivirus

Do You Have a Favorite Free Virus Program? Tell Us About It.

Let us know in the comments if you have a favorite free option. There are some good ones available and these aren't the only two out there.

Microsoft Security Essentials System Requirements

Operating System: Windows XP (Service Pack 2 or Service Pack 3); Windows Vista (Gold, Service Pack 1, or Service Pack 2); Windows 7

• For Windows XP, a PC with a CPU clock speed of 500 MHz or higher, and 256 MB RAM or higher.
• For Windows Vista and Windows 7, a PC with a CPU clock speed of 1.0 GHz or higher, and 1 GB RAM or higher.
• VGA display of 800 × 600 or higher.
• 140 MB of available hard disk space.
• An Internet connection is required for installation and to download the latest virus and spyware definitions for Microsoft Security Essentials.
• Internet Browser:
  • Windows Internet Explorer 6.0 or later.
  • Mozilla Firefox 2.0 or later.
• Microsoft Security Essentials also supports Windows XP Mode in Windows 7.

Avast! System Requirements

• Processor Pentium 3, 128 MB RAM
• 100 MB of free hard disk space
• Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/7 (32/64 bit)

The Justice Department, where President Barack Obama has tapped five former RIAA lawyers to serve, said copyright infringement “creates a public harm that Congress determined must be deterred.”

The administration’s court filing Tuesday is the latest in the case of Joel Tenenbaum, a Boston University graduate student who was the nation’s second defendant to go to trial against the RIAA on file sharing charges. Most of the 30,000 civil cases the music industry has brought have settled out of court.

After the July verdict in a Boston federal court, Tenenbaum’s defense team mounted a legal challenge, saying the damages were unconstitutional because they were disproportionate to the harm the industry suffered. The Copyright Act allows fines ranging from $750 to $150,000 per infringement, all at a judge or jury’s discretion.

“The current damages range provides compensation for copyright owners because, inter alia, there exist situations in which actual damages are hard to quantify,” the Justice Department wrote. “Furthermore, in establishing the range, Congress took into account the need to deter the millions of users of new media from infringing copyrights in an environment where many violators believe they will go unnoticed.”

Among other things, Tenenbaum’s legal team wants the damages reduced to $750 per song.

The Obama administration and the Bush administration have supported file sharing damages of up to $150,000 per track. The Justice Department often weighs into cases when the constitutionality of laws are at issue, as copyright attorney Ben Sheffner notes.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Gertner did not indicate when she would rule in Tenenbaum’s case.

The only other file sharer to go to trial against the RIAA was Jammie Thomas-Rasset. The RIAA won a whopping $1.92 million verdict against the Minnesota woman this summer for sharing 24 songs on Kazaa.

A similar motion to set aside that verdict is pending.