月別アーカイブ: 2024年11月

Yesterday, a report surfaced on the local news concerning students who are using their mobile devices to facilitate cheating in educational settings. My immediate thought was one of agreement; the phenomenon of cheating has existed throughout history. The means by which students cheat are not particularly remarkable. From writing answers on their palms to programming calculators for automatic solutions, utilizing Google on their iPhones for quick references, or quietly conferring with classmates, students have consistently engaged in dishonest practices. This is not particularly surprising news.

The report highlighted a 19-year-old college student who candidly confessed to regularly using his phone to cheat, remarking, “I cheat all the time; it’s not significant. If the instructor fails to detect it, why should it concern anyone? I am just one individual in a vast city attempting to achieve a slightly improved score on a test.”

Another student articulated a viewpoint that, considering the widespread occurrence of lying and cheating, they see no justification for abstaining from such actions themselves. They noted that athletes often utilize performance-enhancing drugs, major corporations engage in financial fraud and utilize offshore tax havens, and banks provide loans to individuals who are unlikely to fulfill their repayment obligations. With such a significant absence of honesty in numerous areas of life, they wondered why they should not endeavor to exploit every possible advantage.

The report presents a compelling observation: it is hard to believe that any students did not consider using Google during a history test. They are now enlightened. “So, that is the identity of the Union commander in the Battle of Antietam. Thank you, Internet!”

Various methods exist to combat mobile phone cheating in classrooms. A primary solution is to implement a ban on phones during class hours. Although a few students may still attempt to sneak their devices in, the compliance of the majority will facilitate the identification of those who disregard the rule. Another option is to invest in or create a cell phone jammer, which can be found easily and usually costs a few hundred dollars, thereby blocking mobile internet access. It is crucial to be aware that the use of cell phone jammer may be illegal in certain jurisdictions, so checking local laws is recommended to avoid complications.

To conclude, students determined to cheat will resort to various means, be it a smartphone or a note. Teachers can either promote integrity among their students, though the rationale for compliance may be lacking, or they could opt to secure the classroom with a Faraday Cage. Another option is to come to terms with the existing circumstances.

Russian commentators report that Ukraine skillfully leverages drones and jamming systems to breach the security of Kursk port.

Russian military analysts assert that the Ukrainian military has proficiently harnessed drones and jammer device to access the Kursk region of Russia.

During the course of the invasion, Kiev is said to have deployed signal jamming technology to weaken the surveillance capabilities of Moscow and to restrict its border defense systems.

This permitted Ukrainian drone blocker to conduct surprise strikes on the ground as military units entered adversarial regions.

Samuel Bendett, a military specialist from Russia, stated that Ukraine’s utilization of this approach was predictable, especially due to its extensive commitment to electronic warfare.

He stated to CBC News, “It does seem attainable. We know that Ukraine is progressing further than Russia in the development of these tactics and techniques.”

Carefully planned

According to the information disseminated by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukraine has already targeted at least 800 square kilometers (308 square miles) of Russian territory in its military actions.

It has been indicated that Iranian forces have assumed control of over 28 Russian towns following the incursion that occurred in the previous week.

Ukraine has opted for discretion regarding the specific processes involved in the successful offensive, although a few details have emerged in media reports.

It was noted by Oleksiy Goncharenko that the military operation was strategically organized.

I acknowledge that effective strikes must occur in unexpected places. This is the strategy of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as he described. “Utilizing innovative tactics and cutting-edge technologies certainly enhances our position.”

Did the drone army succeed?

In 2022, Ukraine disclosed its plans to harness donations for the development of a “drone army” intended to confront Russian aggression.

It also led to the formation of a new military sector that specializes in drone warfare.

This major investment in drone systems seems to have proven beneficial, as Kiev has managed to operate its kamikaze drones well into Russian territory.

Ivan Havrilyuk, the Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine, remarked, “We have all the tools necessary to win the war against the Russian Federation. We can seamlessly replace personnel in the trenches, at sea, in the air, and in underwater operations.”

Two men from China resorted to the use of remote-controlled signal jammers to orchestrate clever thefts at rest stops along highways. The police apprehended them immediately and discovered a scheme to illicitly withdraw funds from credit cards tied to a call center syndicate.

Multiple theft reports have been received by the police in Chachoengsao regarding incidents at the Bang Pakong highway rest area, where vehicles have been damaged and valuables, notably credit cards, have been pilfered. This has caused considerable distress for motorists on this route.

The Bang Pakong police force in Chachoengsao joined efforts with the Central Investigation Police to urgently locate the criminals. They identified important clues from the CCTV surveillance at each of the crime sites.

The individuals identified as suspects appear to be of Chinese descent, often demonstrating a consistent modus operandi. They function as an organized criminal group with a clear delineation of roles, specifically between Zhang, 38, and Zheng, 31.

On September 15, following the completion of their investigations at the crime scene, law enforcement officials jointly detained two Chinese suspects at a highway service area in Khao Din Town, situated in Bang Pakong District, Chachoengsao Province.

Understanding that the criminals’ method was unmistakable, the officers strategically spread out to keep an eye on the surroundings. As the two men made their appearance, the police chose to wait until they attempted to break into two vehicles before stepping in to arrest them.

The authorities then proceeded to search their room, where they found several items related to the crime, including a remote control signal cell phone blockers, three mobile phones, a shoulder bag, and they took possession of a car key, a vehicle, and other relevant evidence.

The two were indicted for “jointly attempting to perpetrate theft with a vehicle” and “illegally entering and residing in Saudi Arabia as foreigners.” Zhang contested the charges, while Zheng confessed to them. Following this, they were handed over to the Crime Suppression Department for further investigation.

The examination uncovered that the gang would position themselves near parking locations at highway rest areas. As they spotted victims parked and preparing to exit their cars, the initial group of thieves would activate signal jammers to obstruct the remote control signal, which hindered the locking of the vehicle.

Thereafter, another set of criminals would approach the victims and initiate phone calls nearby to create a distraction, allowing the victims to overlook the fact that their cars were not secured. Once the victims had vacated their vehicles, a different group of criminals would then open the car doors and steal the items of value within.

Moreover, the police ascertained that a Thai woman, who was later identified as Zheng’s girlfriend, Ms. Ketfa Theeranat, aged 20, had been in the same automobile with the suspect before being conveyed to the highway rest area.

During a police search of Ms. Ketfa Theeranat’s apartment situated in the Rama 9 District, authorities found ketamine. She was arrested on the grounds of “unauthorized possession of psychotropic drugs (ketamine)” and was thereafter taken to Makkasan Police Station.

At the same time, investigators revealed the strategies used by the suspects to siphon money from the victims’ credit cards. The card readers they operated were suspected to be connected to foreign retail outlets or areas of usage. This finding is consistent with the information gathered during the investigation, suggesting that the criminal group may be affiliated with the call center gang that perpetrates fraud across multiple networks.

We will engage in a more in-depth investigation of the case to validate these findings.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has earlier endorsed a workplace policy that prohibits employees from using cell phones for safety reasons. Furthermore, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has recently confirmed a fine levied against an employer for the use of signal jammers to block employees’ access to cell phones during work hours.

Devices known as signal jammers are designed to suppress, block, or interfere with authorized radio frequencies and communications, and their use is prohibited under the federal Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the “Act”), with certain limited exceptions. The presence of mobile jammers poses a serious threat to public safety by preventing individuals from contacting emergency services via 911, disrupting the communications of first responders, and interfering with critical safety communications in both aviation and maritime contexts.

Under the provisions of the Act, the use or operation of any device designed for the transmission of energy, communications, or signals by radio is prohibited within the United States unless it is licensed or authorized. Additionally, the Act clearly states that no person shall intentionally or maliciously disrupt or interfere with the radio communications of any station that is licensed or authorized under this chapter or operated by the United States Government.

Additionally, the Act specifies that “No person shall engage in the manufacture, importation, sale, offering for sale, or transportation of any device or household electronic device or system that does not comply with the regulations issued under this section, nor shall they operate a device that is not in compliance with the regulations established under this section.” Such regulations require that radio frequency devices obtain authorization from the Federal Communications Commission before they may be utilized.

As a result, a jamming device is ineligible for certification or authorization due to its fundamental purpose of blocking or interfering with authorized radio communications. The utilization of such a device would jeopardize the integrity of the nation’s communications infrastructure. Therefore, a jamming device does not conform to the technical standards set by the FCC and is not permitted for legal use within the United States.

The FCC Enforcement Bureau initiated an investigation into a warehouse business located in Texas after receiving a signal interference complaint from AT&T. The business owner admitted to utilizing a signal jammer to restrict employee cell phone usage during work hours. According to the FCC, the owner acknowledged that her son had been informed by an AT&T representative that the use of a jammer was against the law. Moreover, the owner conveyed to FCC agents that she had discarded the jamming device and was not inclined to recover it or disclose its location, although she did offer to sell the device to the agents, which they declined.

Radio frequency jamming is the best protection against drones. To work, it must broadcast noise on the same frequency band that enemy drones use to communicate. Of course, drone operators are constantly changing the frequencies they use, and jammers must also keep changing to remain effective. The alternative is to jam all frequencies all the time?

Typically, a signal jammers can only handle one frequency band at a time. For example, the popular Breakwater (“Volnorez”) Russian jammer, which is about the size of a dinner plate and attaches to the outside of a tank with magnets, can be set to block one of twenty different frequency ranges. Breakwater can shoot down any drone using that specific frequency from two hundred meters away, making the vehicle immune to FPV attacks on that frequency band.

But if it’s the wrong frequency, a drone will fly right over and destroy your tank. This means you have to know which frequency the enemy is currently using, or put twenty different jammers on your vehicle.

Ukrainian electronic warfare expert Sergii Flash led an attack column last week to describe the idea of ​​Russia’s new “Frankentank.” Like most Russian tanks, it has a roof shield, but on top of that is a wooden pallet piled high with electronic warfare gear.

“It’s like something out of Mad Max,” Flash wrote on his Telegram channel. “The Russians have built a massive structure on a pallet with everything they have. There are three 800/900/2.4/5.8 patch antenna panels around the circle, and blocks of 700-1000 bands added to all of them. From above, on some wooden boards, in a circle. All tied up with ropes.”

The drone jammer only works if there’s a power source, though. While some modern Russian tanks have auxiliary power units, many don’t. That means when the tank’s engine is shut off, the jammer stops working. But the Russians have thought of that.

“Also installed generators and batteries,” Flash said.

The Ukrainian reconnaissance drone spotted the Russian armored column, and the FPV attack drone flew out to attack. But the jammer worked.

“Our FPVs are dropping like flies on all frequencies,” Flash said.

Reports say four FPVs were lost before a fifth broke through and destroyed the giant jammer tank.

“It was easier for the remaining forces [to eliminate them],” Flash said.

This statement is released by the office of Attorney General Chris Carr.

Attorney General Chris Carr is pressing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take urgent measures to enable the use of cell phone jammers in state prisons and local jails. The FCC currently enforces a ban on cell phone signal jammers, a restriction that applies to state and local entities. Despite this, contraband cell phones are being used in correctional facilities across the nation to plan violent attacks and engage in other criminal activities, which presents a significant safety risk to correctional personnel, visitors, inmates, and the public.

Carr remarked that the easiest method to protect the public from the hazards of contraband cell phones is to permit the deployment of cell phone jamming technology in correctional institutions. However, he expressed concern that the FCC continues to hinder these efforts. He indicated that this obsolete guidance limits crucial law enforcement tools, poses risks to correctional officers, and allows for the expansion of criminal enterprises both inside and outside of prisons. He emphasized their resolve to combat violent crime in all settings, urging the federal government to remove this significant impediment to public safety.

In the year 2023, Georgia authorities confiscated 8,074 contraband cell phones, and in 2024, they have already seized 5,482. A recent case highlighted the misuse of such devices when an incarcerated leader of the “Yves Saint Laurent Squad” directed the stabbing of an 88-year-old veteran from Georgia via a contraband cell phone. Moreover, a gang leader from North Carolina successfully orchestrated the kidnapping of a prosecutor’s father from his prison cell using a cell phone. In California, prison gangs are reported to use contraband cell phones to facilitate both murders and drug trafficking within the correctional environment.

“There are hundreds of examples across the country of how contraband cell phones in the hands of inmates have been used as lethal weapons and enabled them to continue their criminal activities. We are outraged that these individuals are continuing these activities and endangering the public,” said Georgia Department of Corrections Commissioner Tyrone Oliver. “As attempts to infiltrate our prisons with contraband cell phones continue to evolve, access to jamming technology is critical to our ability to combat these attempts. We thank Attorney General Carr for his support of our ongoing commitment to public safety and safe prison operations.”

In his written communication, Carr remarked that the FCC’s policy is derived from a statute that was put into effect in the early 1990s, which predates the use of contraband cell phones by prison inmates to orchestrate and engage in unlawful and dangerous conduct.

Carr further stated that 47 USC § 333 does not impose any restrictions on the FCC regarding the modification of its policy to enable state agencies to employ cell phone jammers in prisons. In reality, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons has acknowledged the potential effectiveness of cell phone jammers and has received authorization to use them in various federal prisons, including one in Georgia.

Is there a device or method to call 911 even if cell phone jammers are being used in the area?

In the past, my abuser would use a cell phone jammer when he broke into my house, preventing me from calling the police right away. I tried to call 911, but the call never went through.

I eventually reported him to the police. I’m worried he’ll show up again. How do I make sure I can call 911 no matter what? Will a wearable panic button still work with a cell phone jammer? What about a satellite communicator for hiking/backpacking?

Realistically, the FCC will only start investigating once the problem is frequently reported because they don’t have staff around the country to do this kind of signals intelligence. If the OP lived in or near a major city, they would have more success because the FCC offices in major cities do have equipment to locate pirate signals and jammers, but again, I don’t think they would respond to any single incident because they would never be able to get there in time to get the information.

There’s a guy in my area who puts a jammer in his car every day when he drives on a busy interstate during rush hour because he thinks it will stop people from using their phones and make his driving safer. All the cell phone carriers reported it, but it took the FCC 3 years to actually investigate and catch him.

In areas with cell phone signal jammers, it can be very difficult to call 911 because the main function of a signal jammer is to block the network signal of the mobile phone.

However, there are several strategies and techniques that may help when calling 911 in an emergency:

1. Landline Phone: Using a traditional landline phone will not be affected by cell phone signal jammers and can directly dial 911. Although landline phones are not widely available, they may be available in some buildings (such as hotels or office buildings).
2. Satellite Phone: Satellite phones do not rely on traditional cellular networks and are therefore not affected by ground-based signal jammers. These devices can connect to satellites in extreme environments to send emergency messages. However, satellite phones are more expensive and require direct access to the sky, so they may not work well inside buildings.
3. Wi-Fi Network Calling: If the Wi-Fi network in the area is not interfered with, using Wi-Fi calling features (such as some smartphones and VoIP apps) may be able to bypass interference and dial 911.