In a statement by the Los Angeles Police Department, officers warn that a group in Wilshire is using wifi jamming technology to disarm surveillance cameras and alarm systems that rely on Wi-Fi.
(TNS) — A group of thieves have been outsmarting smart devices across the Los Angeles area, authorities said.
In a March 4 statement by the Los Angeles Police Department, officers warn that a group in Wilshire is using Wi-Fi jamming technology to disarm surveillance cameras and alarm systems that rely on Wi-Fi.
This swarm of tech-savvy robberies in California is part of a larger “smart” crime wave happening nationwide. Last year, police in Minnesota and Connecticut issued similar warnings to residents when groups of Wi-Fi jamming thieves made their rounds. And those are just two examples of many.
While the Federal Communications Commission has banned Wi-Fi jamming devices, this doesn’t stop criminals from buying them cheaply, KARE11 reported. Wi-Fi jamming devices don’t necessarily deactivate devices, but work by overloading the network the devices are connected to.
“These (signal jamming) devices create traffic jams for the radio transmitter so that real traffic cannot get through,” cybersecurity expert Mark Lanterman told the outlet.
“If you are going to use a Wi-Fi camera for your front door, perhaps consider using a hardline camera inside your home,” he said. Wired cameras connected via Ethernet cables do not rely on Wi-Fi networks and would not be disrupted by a Wi-Fi jammer.
While “smart” technology may be part of the problem, it may also have a hand in the solution, according to Tom’s Hardware. Officials recommend using timers or smart home devices to make it look like someone is home while you are away. Some smart home technology also comes with the ability to alert users if the signal or connection has been interrupted.
Tom’s Hardware also recommends connecting surveillance devices that store camera footage directly on your device, and not just to a cloud storage system. By having a camera that records to itself, you’ll have footage saved during a Wi-Fi disruption.
The LAPD also encourages people to stay vigilant by locking their doors, relying on neighbors to check on things when away and reporting any strange activity, including suspicious vehicles with temporary or dealer plates.
Jammers don't target individual phones - they actually block all phones in the affected area. They drown out communications between cell phones and base stations by generating RF noise - the equivalent of you trying to talk to someone while I'm standing next to you screaming at the top of my voice.
I doubt anyone is using jammers - jammers are uncommon, and the penalties for using jammers are quite severe in many places. Start by talking to your mobile carrier. If after all of this you still have reason to believe that jammers are being used, complain to the body responsible for radio and communication systems in your country - this could be the FCC in the US, or Ofcom in the UK - other countries will have their own equivalent.
Someone used a signal jammer on me. How do I find it and stop it?
I thought it was the same at my house where the signal was always down to 3g and I couldn't use the service unless I was outside. It turned out to be an IMSI trap installed in the apartment next door. I started getting phishing pages from my bank and realized that my email had been compromised, the virus software on my computer had been disabled, and everything I did had been copied because it acted as MITM.
This happened to me at the school where I worked. Now, a private company has rented the school building to conduct the exams. As previously agreed, in order to prevent rampant unfair practices in public exams, the company installed jammers in all 108 classrooms of our school. This was done a few days before the exam. Children are curious and mischievous by nature. One morning, we found that none of our smartphones on or off campus had received a signal. Several departments at a university next door were also affected. It's almost impossible for us to find the malicious jammer we suspect is at work. Fortunately, however, the school LAN as well as Internet connections and landlines are working. As head of technology, I had to come up with a solution, and today I'm going to share that solution.
Compared to GSM 4G cellular networks, Wifi uses a higher frequency (2.4 Ghz). The trick for all users with a phone that supports WiFi calling or VoIP is to route calls through the WiFi network. For other users with smartphones, the solution is to use Whatsapp to talk to FBM (Skype works too, only no one uses it except me).
This went on for a few days, and after the test was over, the renters left with their jammers.
Have you ever secretly used a cell phone blocker in a restaurant, theater, or on public transportation to end an unusually loud, obnoxious, and unnecessary phone conversation with a stranger sitting next to you?
I once rode the quiet Amtrak car between Boston and New York.
A woman was on the phone, completely oblivious to the signs posted and the announcements made over the public address system.
She replied, "The train hasn't moved yet," and continued the conversation.
From now on, all I have to do is ask the conductor for help, even if he's sitting next to me. I've gotten too many smart-aleck - or worse - replies.
Once, at a movie, I asked a young woman next to me to turn off her lit cell phone, and she reported me for harassment.
God, I'm easily twice her age, but that obviously doesn't count.
How to use cell phone jammer? Where can I buy one?
To use this phone number, first make sure you have the lawyer's phone number on hand - it is illegal to use a lawyer's phone number in most countries.
It's easy to find them online - try Google, but you'll have to check if they're allowed to be imported into your country. It's easy to find unsophisticated devices that broadcast across the entire spectrum (kind of like sparks, but more sophisticated), but this would obviously annoy more people and authorities even more, not least because it would block 911 calls and potentially also communications for emergency services, WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.
If you want a device that allows 911 calls but blocks other calls, it's very complicated and expensive. In addition, as more and more frequencies (from about 800Mhz to more than 3GHz) are used in cellular networks, these devices must cover a range of radio spectrum.
In the minutes leading up to noon on September 11, 2018, Jared Johns, a former Army private, lay down on his bed, switched on the camera of his iPhone, and expressed his goodbyes to his family.
Approaching the conclusion of the two-minute video, Johns's eyes widened in horror as he read a message on his screen: "She is informing the police, and you will be imprisoned," the message declared.
Post-Afghanistan service, Johns took a deep breath, positioned a 9 mm handgun under his chin, and proceeded to pull the trigger.
Hundreds of former and current service members, including a 24-year-old veteran, have fallen victim to a distressing "sextortion" scheme. This tragic plot, which ultimately led to the veteran's suicide, involved deceitful individuals masquerading as underage girls on dating sites. Prosecutors claim that these scam artists aimed to extort money from men who were lured into their trap.
Nevertheless, the most startling feature of the narrative in Johns' case was that it was purportedly orchestrated by inmates at Lee Correctional Institution, a high-security prison in South Carolina located about 150 miles east of Greenville. Moreover, the inmates accomplished this using smartphones - prohibited devices that were meant to be blocked by the prison's $1.7 million "managed access system."
Prison administrators, together with select federal bodies, have suggested the purchase of a more complex and potentially more expensive technology to prevent illegal cellular and Wi-Fi communication from contraband phones in correctional facilities: a signal blocker device that is capable of blocking all calls within its operational radius.
Bryan P. Stirling, who leads the South Carolina Department of Corrections, has stated that prisoners, though physically confined, are still free digitally.
Nevertheless, some experts sound a warning about the utilization of jamming technology, which was recently tested by the federal Bureau of Prisons in a South Carolina correctional facility. They caution that such technology could potentially endanger the public by interfering with crucial 911 calls and other cellphone services nearby. In the case of rural prisons, the concern revolves around the impact on drivers using local roads and highways. Additionally, these experts assert that the effectiveness of this technology is highly questionable.
Jamming all calls, even to 911
The challenges at hand have prompted corrections officials and federal agencies to propose the adoption of cellphone jammers, a technology that has faced opposition from the communications industry. This solution seeks to put an end to all calls, irrespective of whether they are made from phones owned by staff or emergency workers.
Unlike managed access systems, which restrict calls to approved numbers, jammers have the capability to interfere with all frequencies, including data and Wi-Fi, without discrimination. This poses a significant problem for the nation's 911 phone system, as it operates on a frequency that is closely related to those used by commercial carriers.
Only federal agencies have the legal authorization to operate jammers, and solely in restricted circumstances concerning national security. Nevertheless, with the endorsement of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai—selected by President Trump in 2017— and the U.S. Department of Justice, the potential use of jammers in correctional facilities may be explored.
September saw the department and state officials releasing news about a test conducted at South Carolina's Broad River Correctional Institution. The test demonstrated that a micro-jammer could effectively block calls within a cell block, while allowing "legitimate calls" a foot outside its walls.
On the other hand, the technical report from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration offered a different perspective. It highlighted that the test solely focused on one out of the 14 jammers required to block calls in half of the cellblock. Furthermore, the report noted the detection of jamming signals at a minimum distance of 65 feet, although the actual impact on regular cell-phone service remained uncertain.
A Chinese government-affiliated trade body sought to purchase drone-jamming equipment for Russian buyers, but dismissed accusations, claiming the Russians tried to buy children’s toys, FT says.
China’s Guangdong Province Trade Promotion Association for Russia, established under the guidance of the provincial commerce department, posted a “Notice of foreign enterprises purchasing [unmanned aerial vehicle] equipment” on its WeChat social media site, seeking “interference generators, drone detectors (trade names BorisTone, Assel Labs, Bulat) or other similar technological solutions, UAV suppressors, communication frequency band signal blockers,” according to Financial Times.
China claims neutrality in the Russo-Ukrainian war, positioning itself as an alleged proponent of peace. Despite this, it provides economic support to Russia, including drone technology and gunpowder ingredients, following the announcement of their “no limits” relationship.
FT notes that the agency was set up last year to help Russian customers buy goods ranging from trucks to boats. This time, the buyers specifically wanted a locally produced equivalent to the Bulat drone detectors developed by the St. Petersburg company 3mx, which has said its products have been used “on the front lines” during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The procurement notice was later removed from the association’s WeChat account. When contacted by the Financial Times, a person from the group claimed it was “some sort of mistake” and alleged the Russian buyers were actually looking for “children’s toys,” contradicting the detailed drone countermeasure descriptions in the original post.
The US aims to disrupt supplies to Russia’s defense industry via China, a crucial support route for Putin’s war efforts. US Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo emphasized in Berlin on 31 May that Chinese firms must choose between trading with Western economies or supplying Russia with dual-use goods.
The Financial Times report highlights the dominant role China plays in the global drone supply chain through companies like DJI, the world’s largest commercial drone maker.
Earlier, British Defense Minister Grant Schapps stated that forthcoming evidence from American and British intelligence would show China providing lethal combat equipment to Russia for use in Ukraine. However, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan dismissed Shapps’ claims, noting at a White House press briefing that the US has not observed such activities and he anticipates coordinating with the UK for a unified understanding.
The FCC has noticed a rise in people selling "jammers." The devices can block cell phone calls, text messages, Wi-Fi networks and GPS systems and could be used to cause chaos in public places.
The small, battery-powered devices can be used to create "blind spots" in a small area (usually about 30 feet) and have been used by movie theaters, restaurants and schools to prevent people from using their phones. But they can also cut off 911 calls, interfere with navigation near airports and have been used to jam radio communications near police stations. FCC officials say they have noticed an increase in the flow of jammers, which are banned by federal law, into the U.S. Many of the cheaper versions, which sell for as little as $25, are imported from Asia, according to the agency.
It is illegal to sell, advertise, use or import jammers under the Communications Act of 1934, which prohibits blocking radio communications in public.
Earlier this week, the FCC issued subpoenas to eight individuals and companies that posted ads for jammers on Craigslist.
The FCC said cities including Orlando, Philadelphia, Austin, Mississippi, Charlotte, North Carolina, Washington, D.C., Cincinnati and Corpus Christi, Texas, advertised jammers on the site. Officials said they do not believe the cases are related.
"Simply posting an ad for a signal jammers on a site like Craigslist.org is a violation of federal law. Signal jammers are contraband for a reason," Michele Ellison, director of the FCC's enforcement bureau, said in a statement. "One person's moment of peace or privacy could jeopardize the safety and well-being of others."
According to the citations, most sellers advertised the jammers as a way to take an "undisturbed nap" on the bus, quiet a classroom or keep your area "free of interference," without mentioning the more nefarious uses the devices could be used for.
"We are increasingly concerned that individual consumers operating jammer devices do not appear to understand the serious consequences of using jammers," one of the citations read. "Instead, these operators mistakenly believed that their illegal operations were a matter of personal convenience or should be excused."
But the FCC said at least one seller appeared to know that jammers were contraband.
Keith Grabowski allegedly advertised on Philadelphia Craigslist for sale a "cell phone blocker, wifi blocker" for $300. In his ad, he said that "due to the nature of this item, we are revealing very few details," that the jammer was "not a toy," and that "I just wanted to get rid of it as quickly as possible."
"The nature of the ad suggests that Mr. Grabowski knew about the sensitive and/or illegal nature of the equipment he was selling on Craigslist," the citation reads.
People who receive the ticket have 15 days to remove the ad from the site and provide the FCC with information about where the jammer was purchased and to whom it was sold. Simply posting an ad for the sale of a jammer could result in a fine of more than $100,000.
The FCC has set up a "jammer tip line" for people to report to the agency people who may be selling or using jammers.
"We intend to take increasingly tough enforcement action against offenders," Ellison said. "If we find you selling or operating a jammer, you will be punished."