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Spying has been a fascinating fixture of popular culture for over fifty years. The spy; intelligent, extravagant, handsome-women want to be with them, men want to be them. they have a smooth-talking charm, combat prowess, a government expense account and gadgets for every occasion. Of course we know that gathering intelligence isn’t always high stakes gambling, womanizing and dispatching enemies, more often it’s about using everything at your disposal to gather reliable information. But gadgets are pretty cool anyway; here are some of the most affordable, realistic ones out there.
Gathering dependable information is paramount when spying. a spy needs to have the most complete set of facts possible before they take action, this involves a great deal of surveillance. Knowing what targets say and what they’re doing at any given time requires eavesdropping equipment, some of it more sophisticated than others.
Video Surveillance
When you have to see what’s going on you need a camera. The most commonly used type of camera for covert operations is a pinhole camera. these have no lens and a very small aperture, or pinhole; they are a fundamental camera with reasonable resolution and very limited zoom capabilities. they are incredibly small. Most commercially available pinhole cameras are around the size of a large sugar cube, or a few dice. because they are so small, they can easily be placed inconspicuously. a pinhole camera that stores data in its housing can be bought for around $80. sometimes retrieving images from the camera’s location is too hazardous, in this case a pinhole camera with a wireless transmitter is a better option for approximately $150. there are pinhole cameras available for a much lower price ($15-20) but they usually have a lower resolution, less sensitivity to light and can easily be intercepted.
Audio Surveillance
In addition to seeing what your target is doing, being able to listen to and record sounds is equally important. Even if you don’t have the ingenuity and bankroll of a government organization behind your listening activities, you still have a lot of options when it comes to selecting a listening device. Most ‘bugs’ that transmit wirelessly can be found for around $25. However, the best transmit in UHF, which is more difficult to detect and outside of typical broadcast range. they are considerably more expensive, around $200, but have a greater transmission quality and range. there is an increasing demand for these devices as corporate espionage is on the rise. For this reason, the average consumer can find professional grade listening devices for bargain prices. Many online vendors offer devices that are already concealed within phones, power adaptors, pens, and other office mainstays.
Cellular Interception
These days, landlines are used for office-talk and faxes, not confidential conversations. a secure landline is expensive to maintain, and very difficult to successfully bug without professional training. If someone can afford to have an intelligence detail to maintain their phone lines, they do it for a reason, and they do it well. Wire-tapping is still very effective but cell phone interception is becoming increasingly wide-spread. Units designed to tap cell phone transmissions are very expensive, and usually government agencies are the only bodies legally able to use them. The GSM passive cellular interceptor is the industry standard, but they go for around $15,000. The units are capable of intercepting and recording cell signals at 900MHz and 1800/1900MHz bands, which are the most common for North American cell phones. they are also able to track and triangulate positions based on a cell signal; these devices are straight out of fiction.
Tracking
When tracking a subject is important, and so is cost-effectiveness, a GPS tracking device is the best option. there are two main types of GPS devices, those that update a receiver actively and those that are passive. a passive GPS tracking device stores positions onboard for later retrieval, the obvious downside being you must retrieve the device to find where the subject has been. an active device updates a receiver in real time so a subject can be followed. a good passive GPS device costs around $100. they are readily available and have many commercial applications: hiking, touring and flagging travel spots. an active GPS unit can cost between $500 and $1000. these are the superior choice for surveillance, because you can track a subject’s movement from a remote location without the need to retrieve the transmitter.
Keylogging
Being computer-savvy is one of the most important and efficient ways of sleuthing today. one of the most reliable and simple ways to gather information from a computer is to log keystrokes. this is less intrusive and quicker than breaching that computer system’s security and hacking can lead to a dangerous counter-intelligence trace. a key log can be gathered by either a physical attachment to the computer, or an invasive program that reports back to the operator. Both have their advantages, and both are priced around $100. a physical key logger is usually placed between the keyboard and computer tower where they contact, this device records every key stroke, and stores them inside its casing. these are totally undetectable digitally, as they do not interact with the computer’s software. However, they can be easily seen on a close physical inspection of the computer casing. a key logging program addresses this weakness by being totally hardware-free but can be detected digitally since it uses the computers memory and must access the internet to report to the surveillance team.
