Illustrated, step-by-step instructions and detailed schematics • Lists of materials and parts required, and recommendations for suppliers • Complete Spy Gadget Kit available from www.atomiczombie.com BRRD GRRHRfTl FIND KRTHY mcGOLUFIN ■IrM f 101 Spy Gadgets for the Evil Genius ■■i mm wm oa mm wmm warn mm mm BRAD GRAHAM KATHY MCGOWAN McGraw-Hill New York Chicago San Francisco Lisbon London Madrid Mexico City Milan New Delhi San Juan Seoul Singapore Sydney Toronto Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file with the Library of Congress Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no pail of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a data base or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. 1234567890 QPD/QPD 0 10 9 8 7 6 ISBN 0-07-146894-3 The sponsoring editor for this hook was Judy Bass, the editing supervisor was David E. Fogarty, and the production supervisor was Pamela A. Pel ton. It was set in Tones New Roman by Keyword Group Ltd. The art director for the cover weu Anthony Landi. Printed and bound by Quebecor/Dubuque. This book was printed on acid-free paper. McGraw-Hill books are available at special quantity discounts to use as premiums and sales promotions, or for use in corporate training programs. For more information, please write to the Director of Special Sales, McGraw-Hill Professional, Two Penn Plaza. New York, NY 10121-2298. Or contact your local bookstore. 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Contents Preface ix Acknowledgments xi Section One Introduction 1 Section Two Audio Eavesdropping and Recording 5 Project I—Microrecorder Hacking 5 Project 2—Ultrahigh-Gain Microphone Preamp 7 Project 3—Bionic Stereo Spy Ears 10 Project 4—Parabolic Dish Microphone 12 Project 5—Working with Audio on Your Computer 14 Project 6—Filtering Out Background Noises 16 Project 7—Wiring Your Body to Record Audio 18 Section Three Hard-wired Telephone Dev ices 21 Project 8—Telephone Audio Interface 21 Project 9—Automatic Call Recorder 24 Project 10—Sound Activated Computer Call Logger 25 Project 11—Super Stealth Line Tap 26 Project 12—Telephone Input/Output Box 28 Project 13—Using Computer Effects to Disguise Your Voice 30 Project 14—Simple Digital Voice Disguiser Circuit 32 Project 15—Ultimate Telephone Voice Changer 33 Project 16—Let Your Computer Do the Talking 34 Project 17—World Wide Telephone Tap 36 Section Four Digital Camera Hacking 39 Project 18—Enhancing Digital Photos 39 Project 19—Hacking the Digital Camera’s Trigger 41 Project 20—Covert Handbag Digital Camera 44 Project 21—Time-Lapse Camera Trigger 45 Project 22—Motion Sensing Camera Trigger 46 Project 23—Digital Camera Gun Sight 48 Project 24—Long-Range Digital Photography 50 Section Five Video Cameras and Recording 53 Project 25—Video Signal and Camera Basics 53 Project 26—Recording Video Signals 54 Project 27—Hack a VCR for Time-Lapse Recording 55 Project 28—Motion Controlled Auto Record 59 Project 29—Multiple Camera Auto Switcher 62 Project 30—Working with Video on a Computer 64 Project 31—Web Cameras as Security Cameras 66 Section Six Covert and Hidden Spy Cameras 69 Project 32—Working with Microvideo Cameras , 69 Project 33—Classic Nanny Cam 72 Project 34—Night Vision Fire Detector Cam 75 Project 35—Covert Marker Cam 76 Project 36—WYSIWYG Sunglasses 78 v Contents Contents 131 Project 37—Long-Range Video Cameras 79 Project 38—Microscope Video Camera 80 Section Seven Video Camera Pan and Tilt Control 83 Project 39—RC Servo Pan and Tilt Camera Base 83 Project 40—Remote Controlled Servo Base 84 Project 41—Manual Controlled Servo Base 85 Project 42—Microcontroller Controlled Servo Base 87 Project 43—Motion Tracking Camera 90 Section Eight Night Vision Devices 93 Project 44—Using Low Lux Cameras 93 Project 45—Infrared, the Invisible Light 94 Project 46—LED Night Vision Illuminator 96 Project 47—Pulsed LEDS for Higher Output 97 Project 48—Outdoor Night Vision Illuminator 99 Project 49—Infrared Laser Illuminator 102 Project 50—Long-Range Laser Illuminator 104 Project 51—Night Vision Headgear 107 Section Nine Audio Bugs and Transmitters 111 Project 52—Hacked Baby Monitor Bug 111 Project 53—FRS Radio Long-Range Bug 113 Project 54—Simple FM Room Bug 115 Project 55—Ultrasensitive Room Bug 118 Project 56—Micro Stealth Transmitter 120 Project 57—Telephone Line Transmitter 122 Project 58—Invisible Light Transmitter 123 Section Ten Video Transmitters 127 Project 59—Hacking a Video Sender 127 Project 60—Micro Spy Transmitters 129 Project 61—Simple TV Transmitter Project 62—TV Transmitter with Audio 133 Project 63—The Movie That Watches You 135 Project 64—Wall Wart Video Bug 137 Project 65—Covert Hat Cam 138 Project 66—Wall Clock Camera 139 Project 67—Kamikaze Video Transmitter 140 Section Eleven Computer Monitoring 143 Project 68—Where Have You Been Today? 143 Project 69—Resurrecting Deleted Data 147 Project 70—Installing a Software Key Logger 149 Project 71—Build a High-Tech Hardware Key Logger 150 Project 72—Computer Screen Transmitter 162 Section Twelve RF Scanners 165 Project 73—Scanning the Neighborhood 165 Project 74—Scanner Auto Recording Switch 169 Project 75—Scanner-to-Computer Interface 171 Project 76—Better Reception 175 Project 77—Bug Detection 176 Section Thirteen Protection and Countermeasures 179 Project 78—Intruder Sentinel 179 Project 79—White Noise Generator 181 Project 80—Infrared Device Jammer 184 Project 81—Spy Camera Killer 186 Project 82—Shocking Device 189 Project 83—Ultra Small Shocking Device 191 Project 84—Motion Activated Shocker 193 Section Fourteen Laser Spy Gadgets 197 Project 85—Lasemoculars 197 Project 86—Laser Beam Transminer 200 Project 87—Laser Beam Receiver 202 Project 88—Laser Microphone Experiment 204 Project 89—Laser Perimeter Alarm 210 Project 90—Remote Control Sniper 214 Section Fifteen Build a Mini Video Controlled Spy Robot 219 Project 91—Hacking a Remote Control Toy Base 219 Project 92—Creating the Weatherproof Shell 221 Project 93—Adding a Panning Camera Head 223 Project 94—Video Camera and Night Vision System 226 Project 95—RC Receiver to Servo Bridge Circuit 228 Project 96—Adding an Ultrasensitive Audio Preamp 232 Project 97—Payload Delivery Function 235 Project 98—Payload Delivery Hardware 237 Project 99—Creating a Portable Base Station 239 Project 100—Base Station Wiring and Installation 241 Project 101—Spy Robot Mission Testing 243 Index 245 About the Authors 259 Contents Preface LLIhat? Remember the character “Q” from those James Bond movies? He was the eccentric inventor who always invented unbelievably small spy cameras, super sensitive bug pens, even glasses that let you see everything behind you! What if I told you that not only can you acquire this type of technology, but you can build it yourself! Not only can you build these devices and many more, but you can do it inexpensively and without having a degree in covert spy electronics! In 101 Spy Gadgets for the Evil Genius, you will learn to put a sensitive miniature color video camera and transmitter into a box only slightly larger than a box of matches—yes a fully functional spy TV station in a 2-inch box, complete with batteries! Sounds high tech?—It is! How about a super stealthy microphone that you can point at a target hundreds of feet away and hear every whisper? A sce-in-the-dark telescope that can record images onto your VCR, a teddy bear that watches the babysitter? Yes. not only are these devices going to be in your hands, but they can be put together in only a few hours using off-the-shelf parts. Thanks to the abundant availability of small inexpensive security electronics, making your own spy arsenal is a snap. Did you know a small black and white video camera with almost see-in-the- dark capabilities can be purchased for under $20 from many online sources? Build your own two-mile range video transmitter for a few dollars in parts and connect that to your camera, and you now have a stealthy night vision transmitter that easily compares to professional units costing thousands of dollars only a few years ago. Not only will 101 Spy Gadgets for the Evil Genius show the reader how to hack together some very amazing covert spy gadgets, but it will also contain easy-to-follow instructions, even for most beginners into the realm of “information gathering” and “covert sleuthing." For the young spy still living under the shadow of “big brother” (I mean that literally), we have the bedroom door snoop—a device that triggers an inexpensive digital camera when unwanted visitors enter a room. How about the dresser drawer alarm, or the telephone eavesdropping alert light? So many great gadgets to keep the older brother at bay! In 101 Spy Gadgets for the Evil Genius no leaf is left unturned—if it has wires, this book will show you how to hack it, turning seemingly ordinary' household appliances into devices that even 007 himself would appreciate. Just check out the manifesto! UUhy? I think agent Mulder from the show “The X-Files” said it best; “trust no one.” and “the truth is out there.” If the truth is really out there, then the devices presented in this book will help you dig it out, and soon you will know who you can trust—with a little help from our stealthy spy gadgets! Security is one of the largest industries in the world today—with every thing from theft prevention to high stakes corporate espionage in the hit list, and knowing how to get at the truth is a valuable asset indeed. Having worked in the security field myself, I know how valuable these spy gadgets can be, and having the ability to produce them yourself upgrades you from Cadet to Colonel pretty fast! IX Pr ef ace Preface Until now, most of the high-tech “know hows” of the spy industry have been kept as secret as the information that they attempt to dig out. Of course, why would the companies producing these gadgets want you to build your own? A quick search on the Internet for “hidden cameras” will bring up a great list of companies, each with their very own version of a stealth video camera. A fire detector, a clock radio, a hat, even a pair of sunglasses with a camera behind the lens—all with a hefty price tag to boot, but I will soon show you how to make a device comparable to the very best unit available for a tenth the price! This book will fill a gap that has been open for far too long. How? Using easy-to-find parts that will not crash your budget, 101 Spy Gadgets for the Evil Genius will show readers step by step how to build their very own spy gadget arsenal. Even the young Evil Genius will be able to build most of the devices presented in this book, and the hardened techno nerd will appreciate the novel ideas and cutting edge quality of the higher end projects. No age group or skill level will be left out as the book progresses through heavily image-laden instructions written in down-to-earth, clear terms. No project will leave the reader wondering “what next?” as each idea and experiment will end in a fully functional device, not one based on theory or guesswork. This book will not only be fun for the urban hacker, but it will also be a valuable guide to those that may pursue security and investigation as a career, or need a new way to “catch the bad guy” in their immediate future. Brad Graham Kathy McGowan x Acknowledgments This book was a huge undertaking, hut once again Judy Bass at McGraw-Hill believed in it from the very beginning, and encouraged us every step of the way. Many thanks to Judy and everyone at McGraw-Hill for helping to make this project a reality. Our Evil Genius minds are already concocting more ideas! You will find many other projects, photo galleries and a support forum at ATOMICZOMBlE.COM. We always look forward to seeing what other Evil Geniuses create and sharing ideas. Hope to see you there! Cool stuff, cool people, cool sites! ATOMICZOMBIE.COM CHOPZONE.COM XTREMECLOTHES.COM xx Acknowledgments Section One Introduction About this Book This book contains complete plans for a wide variety of spy gadgets, ranging from very basic projects to advanced projects that use the cutting edge of technology. Although each plan results in a working project, all of the plans in this book can be modified, mixed or matched to create many additional useful tools that can be used in the covert acquisition of “secret” information. The technology is presented in a way that allows the reader to build the projects using whatever parts are available, and although the plans may call for an exact part number, most of the technology used can be substituted for similar easy-to-find parts. Because I do not want the technological components and processes presented in this book to become dated as soon as parts become obsolete or change, I try to explain the complete process involved in “hacking” some of the electronic devices so that the knowledge can easily be transferred to similar or future versions of the device. For example, the information presented in hacking the infrared motion sensor (see Section 8) is presented in such a way that you will not need to search for the identical unit that I used in my project. If an exact part number is called for. it will most likely be a very common and well-known part, such as a generic NPN transistor or relay, and I have done my best to offer alternative ideas and suggestions along the way. It is a good idea to work through the entire book at least once, even if you are just interested in a single project because many of the ideas and technologies presented here can be mixed and matched to create more advanced projects or radically new devices. If you mix the motion controlled digital camera with the LED infrared illuminator, for example, you now have an automated high resolution see-in-the-dark image capture system that only takes pictures when the scene is changing. The ability to adapt my projects to your own needs is essential, as your target information may be much different from mine, and many of the covert devices such as the hidden spy cants must be adapted to blend into their environments. With the information presented in the mini spy cam sections, you will be able to place a covert video camera anywhere you desire. The complexity of die projects presented here ranges from basic electrical using basic wires and switches, to complete custom programmed microcontrollers and laser technology. If you have never twisted a wire together in your life, then take your time, read die endre book and search the Internet for other working examples. Anyone can learn to understand electronics with the right motivation. A simple device such as a basic motion- triggered alarm should not be dismissed due to its simplicity, as it may be all that your covert operation calls lor at the time. Although it may certainly be more entertaining to use a video guided, night vision equipped robot to search your yard for your missing watch, sometimes the most advanced tools are just not needed to perform basic operauons, and they may actually reduce your effectiveness. As for tools, you will certainly need a soldering iron, basic voll/ohm meter, and the usual electronics workbench tools for general electronic work. Depending on how far you want to go with your modifications, and or new designs, you may 1 Truth is Ou t also want an oscilloscope, as this will make the debugging process much easier, especially when attempting to design your own original circuits. The source code presented for the key logger project in Section 11 is written in PicBasic Pro for the PicMicro 16F628 microprocessor: however, it is presented in a simple format that can easily be ported to any language for just about any microprocessor. For the few projects that may require a microprocessor to be programmed, or require a part that is not easily available in single quantities, partial or complete kits are available at Atomic Zombie Extreme Machines (www.atomiczombie.com). The website also contains a forum w'here you can share your designs, modifications, or ideas with other avid spy device enthusiasts and general technology hackers like myself. I always enjoy seeing what other inventors have done with the information presented in our books. The Truth is Out There 0 ) 1-1 That nagging feeling deep in your “gut” that ( 1 ) someone is up to no good, or that crimes have «£< been committed, should never be ignored. What £“* good is that suspicion without any physical proof that wrong-doing has occurred? As we know from watching many criminal investigation shows, there is no perfect crime, and the only thing that separates your instincts from the actual facts are a few high-tech tools of the trade. Of course, a high-tech “spy” needs a briefcase full of information gathering goodies. If you plan to dig for the truth, or covertly intercept the data before it’s too late, then you need the proper tools for the trade—ultrasensitive long-range listening devices for those distant conversations, see-in-the- dark night vision binoculars, even a small robot to 0 enter a hostile environment much too dangerous to ^ you or your team. With the proper tools, you will 0-1 find the information you desire. “The Truth is Out There” is a phrase that takes on two meanings for me. First, it means that the answers to your questions are alw'ays present, as long as you know how or where to look. Second, it indicates that the actual truth might be truly “out there,” as in totally unexpected or radically different than what you might have expected. Digging for one fact may uncover a treasure trove of other facts or answers you never even expected. You may install a hidden camera to find out who has been vandalizing a car, and uncover a totally new crime, or you may be reading the key logger file (see Section 11) of an employee and discover that your company’s sensitive research and development information has been transmitted to competitors without your company’s consent or knowledge. If you dig deep enough, you are bound to find a few skeletons, so be prepared. As well as being “Out There,” the truth is most certainly also “In There,” especially concerning computers, answering machines, recorded video, or any other device that requires some creative “hacking” in order to extract the required information. Almost every electronic device that stores information can leave behind unwanted traces of past data, or emit some spurious electrical signal that can be used to eavesdrop on the contents. Even the most secure electronic device is only as good as its weakest link, usually the operator. Most consumer grade devices are so easy to hack that it almost feels un-sportsman like when you win, especially home computer systems. If. in the extremely rare event that the user has taken precautions to protect his or her secret plans from you, a simple device such as a key logger, or password cracking utility might be all that you need to “massage” that information out of the machine. The fact is, given enough motive, time, or money, any technology can be compromised, but most of the time motive and a little bit of uncommon knowledge are all that you need to uncover the truth. Before using any of your gadgets to “spy" on anyone with or without their consent, it is your 2 responsibility to understand and follow your local, state, provincial, and federal laws on various surveillance practices. If you are unsure regarding the legality of your “spy” activities, consult an attorney. Of course, only use your gadgets in a lawful manner, and respect others’ privacy. I hope that 101 Spy Gadgets for the Evil Genius will help you expand your knowledge about many different types of technology, and how you can modify these technological principles for your own amusement and enjoyment. Brad Graham &