Z311: Spy Tech for Non-technical Spies

Learning Outcomes

  • Describe six different types of technical intelligence collection
  • Compare and contrast the difficulties of five different types of technical intelligence collection
  • Name two laws that govern the collection of technical intelligence
  • Recognize ethical behavior in real world intelligence activities

Required Books

Susan Landau. Surveillance or Security: The Risks Posed by New Wiretapping Technologies. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2013 ISBN: 978-0-262-51874-1 We will use the library’s electronic resource.

 

Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan. The Red Web: The Struggle Between Russia’s Digital Dictators and the New Online Revolutionaries. New York: Public Affairs, 2015 ISBN: 978-1-61039-573-1 Available as a Kindle Book.

 

Robert Wallace and H. Keith Melton. Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA’s Spytechs, from Communism to Al-Qaeda. London: Plume, 2009 ISBN: 978-0-452-29547-6 Available as a Kindle Book.

Assignments

Date

Points

Assignments

No More Than

Feb 1

10

Select a surveillance gadget:

1)     On what platforms can the gadget be mounted?

2)     Describe how the device is used.

3)     Briefly describe the science behind the gadget in everyday terms, including information about E-M spectrum (if appropriate), etc.

4)     What problems do you see in the use of the gadget?

1000 Word

Paper

Due by Feb 17

10

Select another surveillance gadget—this one must be approved by the instructor so there are no duplicate gadgets:

1)     On what platforms can the gadget be mounted?

2)     Describe how the device is used.

3)     Briefly describe the science behind the gadget in everyday terms, including information about E-M spectrum (if appropriate), etc.

4)     What problems do you see in the use of the gadget?

5 to 10 Minute

Presentation

Mar 2

10

Select a spy gadget that is not used for surveillance:

1)     On what platforms can the gadget be mounted?

2)     Describe how the device is used.

3)     Briefly describe the science behind the gadget in everyday terms, including information about E-M spectrum (if appropriate), etc.

4)     What problems do you see in the use of the gadget?

1000 Word

Paper

Due by Mar 28

10

Select a spy gadget that is not used for surveillance—this one must be approved by the instructor so there are no duplicate gadgets:

1)     On what platforms can the gadget be mounted?

2)     Describe how the device is used.

3)     Briefly describe the science behind the gadget in everyday terms, including information about E-M spectrum (if appropriate), etc.

4)     What problems do you see in the use of the gadget?

5 to 10 Minute

Presentation

Apr 13

15

a)     What is the trade-off the U.S. government makes when surveilling its citizens?

b)     What is the trade-off U.S. citizens make when they approve surveillance by their own government?

c)     You must cite at least three laws. The laws can be state or federal. You can make comparisons among jurisdictions.

1000 Word Paper

May 2

15

Select one of the INTS we studied: MASINT, ELINT, SIGINT, TechINT, IMINT, GEOINT.

1)     Describe the INT using your own words.

2)     Describe how the INT is used for surveillance (how it helps us extend our ability to observe).

3)     Provide some science background.

4)     What are some technical limitations?

5)     What are some legal limitations?

 

 

15

Attendance: be there or have a doctor’s excuse

 

 

15

Participation: contribute to class discussion or obtain a waiver from IU Disability Services for Students.

Participation requires not only involvement in class discussion, but also doing the readings.

 

 

100

Total points

 

Schedule of Readings

Date

Subject

Required Readings

Jan 11

Introduction

Introduction to the class

Jan 13

Platforms & Networks

Chip Downing. “The Internet of Things for the Intelligence Community.” Military Embedded Systems, 23 July 2015

Jan 18

Martin Luther King Holiday

No Readings

Jan 20

RADAR, SONAR, LIDAR & ELINT

David Walsh. “Laser-based mapping tech a boost for troops in Afghanistan.” Government Computer News. 27 July 2011

Videos:

Scientists "See" Ocean Floor via Sonar.” National Geographic 26 April 2011 5 minutes

How does RADAR work?” James May Q&A, Head Squeeze. 29 November 2013 5 minutes

Jan 25

Infrared, Polarized Light & IMINT

Raytec White-Paper. “Lighting Theory

Bernard Gwertzman. “U.S. Says 'Spy Dust' Used by The Russians Is No Health Hazard.” New York Times. 15 February 1986

David Salisbury. “First circularly polarized light detector on a silicon chip.” Research News@Vanderbilt. 22 September 2015

Jan 27

GEOINT

How Does Sat Nav Work” James May's Q&A, Headsqueeze. 27 September 2013 5 minutes

Feb 1

TechINT

Robert M. Clark. “Scientific and Technical Intelligence Analysis.” Center for the Study of Intelligence, Studies Archive Indexes 19, No. 1 (2 July 1996)

Feb 3

At the Beginning

Wallace and Melton, Section 1

Feb 8

Playing Catch-up

Wallace and Melton, “The Penkovsky Era” and “Beyond Penkovsky”

Feb 10

Playing Catch-up

Wallace and Melton, “Bring in the Engineers” and “Building Better Gadgets”

Feb 15

In the Passing Lane

Wallace and Melton, “Moving Through the Gap,” “The Pen Is Mightier Than the Sword (and Shield)” and “Fire in the Arctic”

Feb 17

In the Passing Lane

Wallace and Melton, “A Dissident at Heart” and “An Operation called CKTAW”

Feb 22

Let the Walls Have Ears

Wallace and Melton, “Cold Beer, Cheap Hotels, and a Voltmeter” and “Progress in a New Era”

Feb 24

Let the Walls Have Ears

Wallace and Melton, “The Age of Bond Arrives” and Genius is Where you Find It”

Feb 29

Prison, Bullet, Passport, Bomb

Wallace and Melton, “Conspicuous Fortitude, Exemplary Courage in a Cuban Jail” and “War by Any Other Name”

Mar 2

Prison, Bullet, Passport, Bomb

Wallace and Melton, “Con Men, Fabricators, and Forgers” and “Tracking Terrorist Snakes”

Mar 7

Communication Networks

Landau, Chapters 1 & 2

Mar 9

Securing the Internet Is Difficult

Landau, Chapter 3

Mar 14

Spring Break

No assignments or readings

Mar 16

Spring Break

No assignments or readings

Mar 21

Wiretaps and the Law

Landau, Chapter 4

Mar 23

The Effectiveness of Wiretapping

Landau, Chapter 5

Mar 28

Evolving Communications Technologies

Landau, Chapter 6

Mar 30

Who are the Intruders?

Landau, Chapter 7

Apr 4

Security Risks Arising from Wiretapping Technology

Landau, Chapter 8

Apr 6

Policy Risks Arising from Wiretapping

Landau, Chapter 9

Apr 11

Russia Listens to Its Citizens

Soldatov and Borogan, Chapters 1 through 3

Apr 13

Russia Listens to Its Citizens

Soldatov and Borogan, Chapters 4 through 6

Apr 18

Russia Listens to Its Citizens

Soldatov and Borogan, Chapters 7 through 9

Apr 20

Russia Listens to Its Citizens

Soldatov and Borogan, Chapters 10 through 12

Apr 25

Russia Listens to Its Citizens

Soldatov and Borogan, Chapters 13 through Epilogue

Apr 27

Animal Spies

J. K. Petersen. “Chapter 14 – Animals,” Understanding Surveillance Technologies: Spy Devices, Privacy, History, & Applications, Second Edition. Boca Raton: Auerbach Publications, 2007 Library has electronic version of book

May 2-6

FINALS WEEK

No final exam