159 lines
10 KiB
Plaintext
159 lines
10 KiB
Plaintext
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* Samurai Cat *
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* Presents *
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* *
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* "SCANNING" *
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* *
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* The art of non-selective intervention. *
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*******************************************
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I would first like to make it clear that I am not talking about war-
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dialing when I use the term "scanning." Several years ago a fairly good
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science fiction film called "Scanners" was shown around the country. It dealt
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with people who could "scan," i.e., telepathically read the thoughts of other
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people in the area. The concept provided a unique look into some very private
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worlds.
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Unfortunately, I cannot show you how to read minds, but I can report on
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the next best thing. Please bear in mind this is for informational purposes
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only, many of the ideas detailed here are illegal, but people are carrying
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them out...
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This particular form of scanning is simply electronic surveillance of no
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particulalr target. Why would anyone scan? Well, some people are just
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naturally curious, while others have a more direct reason...
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For instance, a couple of years ago a man staying in a cheap hotel in San
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Francisco's "rough" district, the Tenderloin, was arrested after arguing with
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a counterman in the hotel's sleazy diner. The argument was only over a $3.00
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breakfast. Even so, the man became so infuriated he went back to his room,
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got a pistol and proceeded to threaten the waiter.
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Needless to say, the waiter suddenly changed his viewpoint about the
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relative principles involved in the argument. He also called the cops
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approximately two seconds after the pistol waving tennant retired from the
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diner.
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The cops kicked in the hotel door and arrested the man. Under his bed
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they found $175,000 in cash along with two ounces of heroin. The man had been
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staying there for a week pushing smack...
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Now just suppose you had been scanning the hotel and picked up on this
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activity. Exactly how long would it have bothered you conscience to have gone
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in during the ill-fated breakfast and borrowed the money?
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A day? Two days? 27 minutes?
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Scanning is done in concentric circles; one begins with the largest
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possible "data base" and proceeds to narrow it down to any points of interest.
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A typical scanner operates in a high density area; an apartment complex,
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a high rise building with windows that open or balconies, a large hotel/motel.
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Many scanners start with a long distance probe. This is usually
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accomplished with the artificial aid of a shotgun or parabolic mic, and a good
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amplifier/tape recorder.
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To put the probe into operation, the operator darkens his room as much as
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possible, opens the window, and if necessary, puts a view-killing, but
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transparent audio curtain over the opening. He then positions his long
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distance "ear" so it aims into an area of interest. Normally, the scanner
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will monitor the unit, recording everything for later analysis. This allows
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him to slowly check out a full 180 degree area for interesting pockets of
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information.
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If there is one area of particular interest, say a meeting room, or a
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certain apartment, automatic scanning can be emloyed by simply aligning the
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mic for best reception and then setting up a voice activated recorder so
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recording will commence only when audio is available. This procedure, while
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limiting the scope of the probe, automatically condenses days down into mere
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minutes...
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Remember, a good shotgun mic can sometimes, under optimum conditions,
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actually pick up conversations from behind a CLOSED window.
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Once an interesting conversation is recorded the scanner narrows his
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procedures down to more efficient methods of data collection. It should be
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noted that scanners usually make a written log, as well as an audio (or video)
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recording of all probes so any conversation can later be traced back to its
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source.
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Another very illegal method utilized by scanners is to take a small
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cassette recorder and equip it with an auto-phone start that turns the
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recorder on when a target phone is lifted off the hook. The entire unit is
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then loaded with fresh batteries and sealed inside a metal box. Often the
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scanner will paint the box an innocuous shade of black or grey and stencil
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something to the effect of "Southwestern Bell" (or whatever telco organization
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is within his sphere of operation) on the side. Then he locks the entire unit
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with a padlock, leaving only two small wires visible on the outside.
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The box is then mounted on a wall near a phone terminal box in the
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basement of an apartment complex. Or it can be attached to a telephone pole
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near a terminal board or "B" box (secondary terminal unit located some
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distance from the target's phone). Most telco employees, even if they happen
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to spot the unit, will not disturb it if it looks offical enough... A lack of
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communication in the phone company?
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The scanner then attaches his two wires to a pair of terminals, or
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telephone wires (the green and red pair) and goes about his business. At the
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end of a day or two, he returns to the scene of the crime, removes his
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cassette tape, and moves the wire leads to another set of contacts.
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Many scanners will even go to the trouble of obtaining a telco lineman's
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handset and/or climbing harness, leather tool belt, and so on, to avoid
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detection if they are spotted fooling around with telephone company equipment.
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When was the last time you questioned a lineman?
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In this fashion, the scanner can get an inside glimpse of a number of
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telephone conversations. If he stumbles across something of interest, he then
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consults his log for the wire number, checks with CNA, or the telco computer
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(an auto readback system operated by the phone company can be gotten from a
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friendly employee) to get numbers, names and addresses.
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Outgoing calls can be deciphered by simply slowing down the recorder and
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counting the numbers of pulses or comparing the tones to a recording of a
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touchtone phone.
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A more direct method is to employ one of the through-the-wall type
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devices to check out the neighbors. Many scanners carry such a device with
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them in case they check into a motel, or visit a friend's apartment.
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OPPORTUNITY IS POWER
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In room-to-room scanning a log is, again kept. If the scanner feels
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anything is/will be of interest he will often run down the identity of the
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targets by tracing their license numbers or whatever means available and
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enters the finding in the log for later perusal.
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Another favorite scanner trick is to place a bug, either one with long
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lasting batteries, or an AC current operated model, in a room where something
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of interest might conceivably happen in the future. Targets of this type of
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scanning would be conference rooms, a "hot" switchboard, or even in an
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expensive motel room.
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Scanners have been known to unscrew the front plate of an electric socket
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in any hotel room they have the opportunity to stay in, install a
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not-too-expesive current drive bug and then "check in" whenever the mood
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strikes them...
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Short time scanning is another approach; for instance, a scanner drapes
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his coat over a chair in a public place (restaurant, library, etc.) and leaves
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his briefcase (which is of course equipped with a recorder) on the table.
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Upon his return, he retires to the restroom or other private place to peruse
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the conversations of his neighbors.
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A live angle is to constuct a mini-shotgun mic, or purchase something
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like the Viking Shotgun. Place it in a briefcase, wrapped package or nylon
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bag, run the earphone up your sleeve, under your shirt and into the nearest
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ear. In this manner the conversations of people at nearby tables (restaurant
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or bar), passersby (airport, hotel lobby, swimming pool) or even people
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accomplishing a specific functon (say at a bank teller's window) can be
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actively monitored in real time, from a safe distance.
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It is also possible to secrete a small transmitter inside of a number of
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common objects (books, wrapped packages, articles of clothing, etc.) which can
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be "left behind" on counters, under desks and tables, or in plain sight. In
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this instance the scanner simply sits within range and monitors the
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transmission.
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It is also possible to hard-wire a mic in any area to be placed under
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surveillance and simply listen in, except the risk is visibly increased as
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wires can be traced. Several motel owners have been arrested for this very
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thing.
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Of course it also possible to visual scan with the aid of telescopes,
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binoculars, video recorders, and night vision devices, but the information
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gained in this manner is often very limited unless matched with its audio
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counterpart.
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Scanners are often creative, I know one person who built a large white
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parabolic mic. He then mounted it on the roof of his building, pointing
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upward. To all outside appearances it appeared to be a satellite dish. Then
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day by day he gradually aimed his "dish" a few degrees earthward, until it was
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pointing in the direction of the apartment complex next door. By this time
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the neighbors were used to seeing the device and accepted it totally. My
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friend equipped his "dish" with a voice activated recorder.
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What do scanners learn? Frankly I don't know, anything is possible. One
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way to look at the entire phenomenon is that they are simply extending the
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range of their five senses. After all, they aren't hearing anything that
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isn't said of someone's own free will. Another view of the same situation is
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that they are nosy vultures, who are leeching private data illegally.
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Regardless of your loyalties, realize the procedures do exist. If you
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want to keep from from being scanned; KEEP YOUR BIG MOUTH SHUT!
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Downloaded From P-80 Systems 304-744-2253
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