The Linkielist

Linking ideas with the world

Data mining cell phone location data and more

Posted on October 16, 2008 by Robin

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Several companies have commercial, off the shelf technologies for mining your GSM calls. The NSA and other government agencies can tap into this kind of information because companies which run the GSM towers, for example, are exempt from laws protecting the customers of the carriers.

Military Eavesdropping

Posted on October 16, 2008 by Robin

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So what do you do when you can eavesdrop without a warrant? In the military you listen to your superiors having phone sex 🙂

Second Solar spaceship

Posted on October 16, 2008 by Robin

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The Second Solar spaceship, designed by Different Futures and constructed for the Sensapolis fun park earlier this year, is a three-level, 850 sq m interactive replica of a real shuttle, albeit one better suited to exploration of the cognitive rather than the galactic variety.

The interior of the installation, which includes a 3-D cinema, a laboratory, a warp-core, a medical centre and an alien breeding ground, was designed by Clostermann Design in conjunction with Kohlbecker Architekten.

Total awesomeness.

Jaqui Smith wants all your base

Posted on October 16, 2008 by Robin

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The UK Home Secretary has turned into a full on foaming at the mouth lunatic. After Lords shot down her attempt to be able to keep prisoners in custody for unreal periods of time without any reason or cause, here comes her 2008 data communications act, in which she wants to be able to keep all records of all communications (telephone, email, browsing, mobile phone, text messaging – EVERYTHING) in a centralised government database. Where we know, from the UK government’s past efforts at keeping databases, the data will be kept safe. If by kept safe you mean lost on an unencrypted USB storage device. And where, of course, the data won’t be used for unlawfull purposes. Such as following around ‘political dissidents’. Or sold to third parties, like BT / Phorm.

Android has a kill switch too

Posted on October 16, 2008 by Robin

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It’s not only Apple who wants to control the content on your phone – it’s Google too! Android contains software that allows Google to delete any app they feel like on your phone. And they’re being up front about it as well.

PIN machines compromised at factory

Posted on October 16, 2008 by Robin

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It turns out that PIN machines usually process your transaction properly, but every so often they send some packets containing PIN transaction detailas to an unknown destination. The random and slow skimming of details makes it very difficult to track down what’s happening.