Month: July 2019

Thermal imagers have many uses in hunting, surveillance, and equipment maintenance
Surveillance

Thermal Imaging for Surveillance

August 3, 2019 covertadmin Comments Off on Thermal Imaging for Surveillance

In this article, we’re going to take a look at using thermal imaging (or “thermal vision”) for surveillance purposes. First of all, what do we mean by thermal imaging? All natural and manmade objects emit infrared energy as heat. With the right equipment we can detect the very subtle temperature differences of everything in view – and present it as a video image. Thermal imaging technology reveals what otherwise would be invisible to the naked eye. This sounds like exotic technology (and it sort of is) but you’ll also be surprised at just how capable and affordable these thermal vision devices have become. Having said that – “affordable” is relative in this case. This IR gear is more expensive than night vision devices that use Image Intensification methods that amplify ambient light. There are also a lot of interesting uses of IR that aren’t just for surveillance – we’ll talk about those too. Advantages of Thermal Imaging for Surveillance Thermal Imaging has some substantial benefits over class night vision using Image Intensification. Thermal imaging works in daylight or darkness – [Read More…]

View through a high quality night vision device.
Surveillance

Night Vision Devices for Surveillance

August 24, 2019 covertadmin Comments Off on Night Vision Devices for Surveillance

Let’s look at Night Vision Devices (NVD) for long range surveillance. We’re going to review how night vision works, and how you can practically apply it for medium to long range surveillance. We’ll be talking about Image Intensification (I2 or I2) technology. How Night Vision Through Image Intensification Works Let’s talk about Image Intensification. This is a light intensification method. In a nutshell, the electronics take the available ambient light (such as moonlight, starlight, etc.) and amplify it to a level that can be seen. It’s important to note that there is not much ability to determine colors with night vision. Depth perception can be a problem as well. What does this night vision view look like? Here’s an example. The image is shades of green – a familiar look you’ve probably seen in the movies (or maybe in real life!) Why is it green? Because green phosphorous is used as part of the light intensification electronics. Let’s take a look at that. Light (consisting of “photons”) comes into the device’s lenses. The device contains one or more “Image Intensification [Read More…]

Passwords are a pain - but a good password that you don't reuse across services is a security essential.
Cyber Security

Ten Tips for Keeping Your Laptop Secure

August 11, 2019 covertadmin Comments Off on Ten Tips for Keeping Your Laptop Secure

Let’s talk about keeping your laptop (or notebook computer) secure. Why is this important? There are a couple of reasons – but in a nutshell laptops are more prone to theft, loss, and damage. Why? Because they are portable, unlike a desktop computer. That means they are much, much more likely to be stolen (like at the airport, cafe, or from your vehicle. They are more prone to be dropped and damaged – because you move them around a lot. Lastly, I can’t say I’ve never lost a computer before – but it’s at least theoretically possible with some of the very small notebook computers available now. Tip #1: You Must Use A Strong Login Password Some computers operating systems, such as MacOS, allow you to have an “automatic login”. And in some cases people pick really weak, easy to guess passwords. Anyone out there using “password”? Yes, people really do that – you know who you are. The problem with this is that your laptop when unattended can easily be accessed by someone else. And from there, they can [Read More…]

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is an important tool to use to protect your privacy and to enhance your security.
Privacy

Why use a VPN?

September 27, 2019 covertadmin Comments Off on Why use a VPN?

Why use a VPN or Virtual Private Network? That’s what we’ll discuss in this article. You may have heard about some of the things people do with VPNs – some people use them for work, some use them to access streaming services they otherwise couldn’t, and some people use them to stop others from snooping on their privacy. We’ll talk about all those things here, and give you an understanding of why you might want to use a VPN for security and privacy. What is a VPN or Virtual Private Network? A VPN is a Virtual Private Network. It’s a way to create a secure, encrypted tunnel between your laptop, computer, or smartphone and the VPN provider. It allows you to surf the web, and access other Internet services, with better security and privacy. (But, it’s not fool proof, as we’ll discuss soon.) How does a VPN provide this improved security? By way of encryption. Computer encryption is a mathematical concept that lets two computer devices communicate without letting any “middle men” in on the message. The process uses the [Read More…]

Cyber Security for your Home PC
Cyber Security

Cyber Security for your Home PC

August 11, 2019 covertadmin Comments Off on Cyber Security for your Home PC

In this article we’re going to talk about cyber security essentials for your home PC (or Mac). Unfortunately, there are more threats than ever to your home computer. And this goes double if it’s a shared PC used by multiple family members. We’re going to give you the info on essential best practices and security tips. Tip #1: Use Common Sense The most important security tool is located between your ears – use your brain. You have to think twice before you click a link in a suspicious email – or open a shady website. Everyone with an email inbox is bombarded with phishing emails and other security threats every day – and some of them are very convincing. But, if in doubt – delete it – don’t read it. Here’s an example. The IRS will not contact you via email for any reason – so ignore any sort of emails like that. Tip #2: Use a Malware Scanner Nearly everyone is familiar with anti-virus programs. And quite frankly, Windows 10 has a pretty good anti-virus program built right in [Read More…]

Security cameras are a popular option for home owners, renters, and Airbnb hosts.
Hidden Cameras

How to Find Hidden Cameras in your Airbnb

July 31, 2019 covertadmin Comments Off on How to Find Hidden Cameras in your Airbnb

Traveling for business or pleasure? An Airbnb can be a great alternative to a hotel. Airbnbs often offer more space, for comparatively less – and come nicely furnished, often including a full kitchen. But, just about anyone can be an Airbnb host. And – you might have privacy concerns because the fact of the matter is that Airbnb allows hosts to have security and recording devices (hidden cameras) in their rentals. According to the rules, Airbnb hosts are required to disclose these recording devices to renters. Additionally they aren’t allowed to have them in private spaces – like bedrooms and bathrooms – regardless of whether they are disclosed or not. But, there have been many recent news stories of this very thing happening. What’s the best approach to ensure your privacy in an Airbnb? How can you protect yourself from these spy gadgets? First, you should definitely ask the host – Are there any security or recording devices in use? But secondly, you should trust but verify. We’ll talk here about how you can find hidden cameras in your airbnb. [Read More…]

Extramarital affairs and other infidelity can be caught with hidden cameras
Hidden Cameras

Common Uses For Hidden Cameras

July 18, 2019 covertadmin Comments Off on Common Uses For Hidden Cameras

What are some common uses for hidden cameras (also called spy cameras?) You might be surprised. Having a hidden camera can be used to monitor events and individuals when you are not around. It lets you have a true picture of what is going on. Is spying on someone with a hidden camera legal? Aren’t these things considered spy gadgets? It depends on the circumstances and local laws. There are many instances where you are well within your rights to employ hidden camera technology. We’ll talk about those surveillance uses. Hidden Cameras for Home Security Having a video camera is a basic necessity for home security. It provides a record of what occurred, and when. Many of these cameras have special features as well, such as audio recording and motion detection activation. Motion detection is effective to maximize battery life and to ensure you don’t have hours of video of nothing happening. But specifically, a hidden camera let’s you observe events without altering the behavior of those whom you are recording. A visible camera can be a theft and crime [Read More…]