Slideshow

1982

With the recent glut of high profile Mac-based malware like MacDefender and Flashback, it’s easy to forget that Macintosh computers (and Mac malware) have been kicking around for more than thirty years – longer, even, than Windows malware. In fact, the first documented Mac virus actually predated some of the first PC viruses by a good four years.

If you’re worried that your conversations are being monitored, old fashioned “coded talk” also works to disguise the meaning of your conversations. Asking “how are the kids?” rather than “how’s the progress on our new chip design?” may be enough to throw attackers off the scent.

(Images via perspective‘s Flickr photostream)

Don’t ignore physical security. Morehouse said he knows of many executives and foreign travelers who have returned to their hotel room to find it trashed and mobile devices missing. Once criminals have physical control of your device, protecting its contents is a much bigger challenge. 

(Images via blmurch‘s and chokingsun‘s Flickr photostream)

The pace of change in mobile spying applications is rapid. However, when it comes to intercepting phone calls in the field, phones that use the older 2G mobile communications standard are easier to crack. Often, organizations that want to carry out an attack will force a mobile device from 3G into 2G only mode. Researchers have already demonstrated, publicly, that the A5/1 algorithm that protects 2G communications can be broken and communications decrypted in real time. Of course, depending on your destination, 3G wireless may not be an option to begin with.

Google Voice is a free VOIP service that can be used to create “throw away” voice accounts for travelers. Having your conversations handled on Google’s infrastructure also provides a measure of security over foreign telecommunications networks, which – depending on the country – could cooperating with the state to conduct surveillance on visiting executives. Once your trip is over, discontinue the number. Even better: kick it old school style with analog communications. “A lot of the focus of the surveillance industry is on digital communications. Analog is considered a thing of the past.

If you have to have Internet access, Morehouse said that executives should avoid using public Wifi connections at all costs. Hotel and public wifi networks are notoriously dodgy and can expose traveling business executives to man-in-the middle and redirection attacks. At the same time, travelers are drawn to them for fear of racking up expensive data fees on foreign 3G networks. Business conferences and other gatherings are a great resource for those looking to steal confidential information and monitor communications, so beware.