See No Evil: Discovering Covert Surveillance Devices Using Thermal Imaging (original) (raw)
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Power, Privacy and Thermal Imaging
Minnesota Law Review, 2002
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Advanced Techniques for Preventing Thermal Imaging Attacks
27th International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces, 2022
Thermal cameras can be used to detect user input on interfaces, such as touchscreens, keyboards, and PIN pads, by recording the heat traces left by the users' fingers after interaction (e.g., typing a message or entering a PIN) and using them to reconstruct the input. While previous work mitigated the thermal attacks by complicating input or distorting heat traces, our research is the first to propose preventing thermal attack using deep learning (DL) techniques to prevent malicious use of thermal cameras. Our DL models detect interfaces in the thermal camera feed and then obfuscate heat traces on them. Our preliminary findings show that the proposed framework can detect interfaces and eliminate authentication information from thermal images. At the same time, our methods still reveal if an interface has been interacted with. Thus, our approach improves security without impacting the utility of the thermal camera. CCS CONCEPTS • Computer systems organization → Human Computer Interaction; IoT ; Security and Privacy; side channel attack.
Thermal Pattern and Thermal Tracking: fingerprints of an environmental illicit
Proceedings of the 2012 International Conference on Quantitative InfraRed Thermography, 2012
Being able to identify crime/guilty relationship is central to police investigation and new technologies enable authorities to do this faster and more accurately than ever before. In recent years, our research team has introduced the use of a range of aerial platforms and an innovative application of thermography to detect several illegal activities; for example illegal sanitary sewer and storm-drain connections, illicit discharges and other "anomalies" on the surface waters can be easily identified using their thermal infrared signatures. This paper introduces first results of a Thermal Pattern and Thermal Tracking approach, that can be used to identify different phenomena and several pollutants.
Spying on the Spy: Security Analysis of Hidden Cameras
arXiv (Cornell University), 2023
Hidden cameras, also called spy cameras, are surveillance tools commonly used to spy on people without their knowledge. Whilst previous studies largely focused on investigating the detection of such a camera and the privacy implications, the security of the camera itself has received limited attention. Compared with ordinary IP cameras, spy cameras are normally sold in bulk at cheap prices and are ubiquitously deployed in hidden places within homes and workplaces. A security compromise of these cameras can have severe consequences. In this paper, we analyse a generic IP camera module, which has been packaged and re-branded for sale by several spy camera vendors. The module is controlled by mobile phone apps available on iOS and Android. By analysing the Android app and the traffic data, we reverse-engineered the security design of the whole system, including the module's Linux OS environment, the file structure, the authentication mechanism, the session management, and the communication with a remote server. Serious vulnerabilities have been identified in every component. Combined together, these vulnerabilities allow an adversary to take complete control of a spy camera from anywhere over the Internet, enabling arbitrary code execution. This is possible even if the camera is behind a firewall. All that an adversary needs to launch an attack is the camera's serial number, which users sometimes unknowingly share in online reviews. We responsibly disclosed our findings to the manufacturer. Whilst the manufacturer acknowledged our work, they showed no intention to fix the problems. Patching or recalling the affected cameras is infeasible due to complexities in the supply chain. However, it is prudent to assume that bad actors have already been exploiting these flaws. We provide details of the identified vulnerabilities in order to raise public awareness, especially on the grave danger of disclosing a spy camera's serial number.
Hot Shoes in the Room: Authentication of Thermal Imaging for Quantitative Forensic Analysis
Journal of Imaging, 2018
Thermal imaging has been a mainstay of military applications and diagnostic engineering. However, there is currently no formalised procedure for the use of thermal imaging capable of standing up to judicial scrutiny. Using a scientifically sound characterisation method, we describe the cooling function of three common shoe types at an ambient room temperature of 22 • C (295 K) based on the digital output of a consumer-grade FLIR i50 thermal imager. Our method allows the reliable estimation of cooling time from pixel intensity values within a time interval of 3 to 25 min after shoes have been removed. We found a significant linear relationship between pixel intensity level and temperature. The calibration method allows the replicable determination of independent thermal cooling profiles for objects without the need for emissivity values associated with non-ideal black-body thermal radiation or system noise functions. The method has potential applications for law enforcement and forensic research, such as cross-validating statements about time spent by a person in a room. The use of thermal images can thus provide forensic scientists, law enforcement officials, and legislative bodies with an efficient and cost-effective tool for obtaining and interpreting time-based evidence.
Environmental monitoring and assessment, 2014
Being able to identify the environmental crimes and the guilty parties is central to police investigations, and new technologies enable the authorities to do this faster and more accurately than ever before. In recent years, our research team has introduced the use of a range of aerial platforms and an innovative application of thermography to detect several illegal activities; for example, illegal sanitary sewer and storm-drain connections, illicit wastewater discharges, and other "anomalies" on surface waters can be easily identified using their thermal infrared signatures. It can also be used to detect illegal solid/liquid waste dumps or illicit air discharges. This paper introduces first results of a Thermal Pattern and Thermal Tracking approach that can be used to identify different phenomena and several pollutants. The aims of this paper were to introduce a fingerprint paradigm for environmental police investigations, defining several specific signatures (patterns) t...
An Effective Surveillance System Using Thermal Camera
Thermography, or thermal visualization is a type of infrared visualization. Thermographic cameras are used in many heavy factories like metal recycling factories, wafer production factories and etc for monitoring the temperature conditions of the machines. Besides, thermographic camera can be used to detect trespassers in environment with poor lighting condition, whereby, the conventional digital cameras are less applicable in. In this paper, we proposed two simple and fast detection algorithms into a cost effective thermal imaging surveillance system. This surveillance system not only used in monitoring the functioning of different machinery and electrical equipments in a factory site, it can also used for detecting the trespassers in poor lighting condition. Experimental results show that the proposed surveillance system achieves high accuracy in monitoring machines conditions and detecting trespassers.
2003
This paper describes using wearable computing devices to perform "sousveillance " (inverse surveillance) as a counter to organizational surveillance. A variety of wearable computing devices generated different kinds of responses, and allowed for the collection of data in different situations. Visible sousveillance often evoked counter-performances by front-line surveillance workers. The juxtaposition of sousveillance with surveillance generates new kinds of information in a social surveillance situation. Being Surveilled These days, if you feel like somebody's watching you, you might be right. One year after the Sept 11 attacks, security experts and privacy advocates say there has been a surge in the number of video cameras installed around the country [U.S.]. The electronic eyes keep an unwavering gaze on everything from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Washington Monument…. [For example,] a group of anti-surveillance activists [say] … they have seen a 40 % increase in ...