Resources

Searchable database of zines, texts and other media dealing with surveillance and operational security. The goal is to help anarchists and other rebels acquire a practical understanding of the surveillance threats they may face in their struggles and in their lives. Resources that are easy to understand and written by friends are preferred.
Topic - IMSI catchers (12)
Highlighted resource for topic Physical surveillance.
by Luchs / Michael Schmidt and Andrea Müller
"Surveillance and surveillance countermeasures: this text deals with options, risks and countermeasures. It is based on research, personal accounts and inside information, as well as a few publications on this subject."
PDF: read | A4 booklet part 1, part 2 | letter booklet part 1, part 2TEXT
Other languages
(de) Maßnahmen gegen Observation
"Observation und Gegenobservation: Dieser Text behandelt ihre Möglichkeiten, Risiken und Gegenmaßnahmen; er basiert auf Recherchen, Erfahrungsberichten und Insiderinformationen sowie einigen wenigen Veröffentlichungen zu diesem Thema."
Origin
Friends & other activists
Topics
Automated license plate readers, Hidden devices, IMSI catchers, Mobile phones, Physical surveillance, Video surveillance
Type
Text
Last updated
December 20, 2023
by lesmoyens@systemli.org
"In this case, the Marseille Gendarmerie's Research Section was reinforced by the SDAT (Anti-Terrorist Subdivision) […] under the vague notion of “extreme violence”. The means at their disposal are considerable — telephony, wiretapping, physical surveillance, spyware, facial recognition, GPS tracking, etc."
Other languages
(fr) Affaire "Lafarge" : Les moyens d'enquête utilisés et quelques attentions à en tirer
"Dans cette affaire, menée sur place par la section de recherche de la gendarmerie de Marseille, la SDAT (sous-direction antiterroriste) a été saisie en renfort [...] sur la base de la [...] notion de "violences extrêmes". Les moyens à leur disposition sont considérables – téléphonie, écoute, filature, logiciel espion, reconnaissance faciale, balise GPS, etc."
Origin
Friends & other activists
Topics
DNA, Hidden devices, IMSI catchers, Mobile phones, Targeted malware, Video surveillance
Type
Text
Last updated
November 10, 2023
Highlighted resource for topics Direct action, Fingerprints, Other physical traces.
by lunatics for system change
"Für eine Welt ohne Schlösser und Schranken und ein besseres Leben für alle!"
Kapitel "Unsere eigene Sicherheit" in Prisma: ntpfiles.noblogs.org
Origin
Friends & other activists
Topics
DNA, Direct action, Fingerprints, Hidden devices, IMSI catchers, Mobile phones, Other physical traces, Video surveillance
Type
Text
Last updated
July 9, 2021
by Electronic Frontier Foundation (eff.org)
"Law enforcement surveillance isn't always secret. These technologies can be discovered in news articles and government meeting agendas, in company press releases and social media posts. It just hasn't been aggregated before. Through a combination of crowdsourcing and data journalism, we are creating the largest-ever repository of information on which law enforcement agencies are using what surveillance technologies."
Origin
Independent researchers
Topics
Aerial surveillance, Automated license plate readers, Facial recognition, IMSI catchers, Mobile phones, Video surveillance
Type
Other
Last updated
May 7, 2021
by Elle Armageddon
"A burner phone is a single-use phone, unattached to your identity, which can theoretically be used to communicate anonymously in situations where communications may be monitored. Whether or not using a burner phone is itself a “best practice” is up for debate, but if you've made the choice to use one, there are several things you should keep in mind."
Other languages
(el) Οι καλύτερες πρακτικές για την χρήση καρτοκινητών
"Ένα καρτοκινητό είναι ένα κινητό μίας χρήσης όπου θεωρητικά χρησιμοποιείται ανώνυμα σε περιπτώσεις που οι επικοινωνίες μπορεί να παρακολουθούνται. Παρόλο που υπάρχουν αρκετές αμφιβολίες για το εάν η χρήση τους είναι σωστή ή όχι, εάν πήρες την απόφαση να χρησιμοποιήσεις ένα υπάρχουν κάποια πράγματα τα οποία ίσως χρειαστεί να σκεφτείς."
(fr) Les bonnes pratiques pour utiliser un téléphone jetable
"Un téléphone jetable (en anglais burner phone) est un téléphone à usage unique qui n'est pas relié à ton identité et peut théoriquement être utilisé pour communiquer de manière anonyme dans les situations où tes communications sont susceptibles d'être surveillées et interceptées. Leur utilisation même fait débat et n'est pas nécessairement une "bonne pratique", mais si tu fais le choix d'en utiliser un, il faut prêter attention à quelques points précis."
Origin
Friends & other activists
Topics
IMSI catchers, Mobile phones
Type
Text
Last updated
May 7, 2021
by South Lighthouse (southlighthouse.org)
"We are a project involved in detecting and understanding cell phone surveillance in risk contexts within Latin America."
Origin
Independent researchers
Topics
IMSI catchers, Mobile phones
Type
Other
Last updated
May 7, 2021
"Un bouquin pour “informer les avocats, les professionnels du droit sur les techniques d'investigation déployées par les enquêteurs et les services de renseignements”. C'est écrit par un ex-flic mais c'est intéressant."
Contact: notrace@autistici.org (PGP)
Origin
Independent researchers
Topics
Digital surveillance, IMSI catchers, Mobile phones, Police files, Targeted malware
Type
Text
Last updated
May 7, 2021
This resource is partly outdated, but can still be useful. Please read it with caution.
"Parece que se ha olvidado que hace 10 años no teníamos móviles y que si no nos gustan podemos vivir sin ellos. Si no quieres dejarte asustar por el miedo, quieres seguir movilizándote contra la injusticia, si quieres desarrollar un pensamiento crítico, te invitamos a leer lo que viene a continuación. Bueno, la verdad es que nos encantaría que quemes tu móvil y te vamos a dar buenas razones por hacerlo o por lo menos para pensártelo…"
Other languages
(eu) Erre zure mugikorra!
"Badirudi ahaztu dugula orain hamar urte mugikorrik ez geneukala, eta gustoko ez baditugu eurak gabe bizi gaitezkeela. Bai, bai. Egi-egia esan: Ikaragarri gustatuko litzaiguke zure mugikorra erreko bazenu, eta oso arrazoi onak emango dizkizugu hala egin dezazun edo, behintzat, zalantza egin dezazun."
(it) Brucia il telefono
"L'idea di studiare le tematiche di questo opuscolo è nata in un momento femminista tra donne, lesbiche, froci e trans+ di scambio e condivisione sulla lotta contro le frontiere ed i dispositivi repressivi costruiti attorno ed a partire da esse. Nel cercare approfondimenti su cellulari e telefonia ci siamo imbattutx in questo lavoro che per i suoi anni era fatto molto bene. Qualche tempo dopo abbiamo deciso di tradurlo ed aggiornarlo, già che ci stavamo lavorando sopra abbiamo tolto le parti che non ci convincevano del testo. Quindi quanto leggerete non è la traduzione del testo, ma quello che ci sembrava interessante estrapolare con varie parti ampliate o eliminate."
Origin
Friends & other activists
Topics
IMSI catchers, Mobile phones
Type
Text
Last updated
May 7, 2021
This resource is partly outdated, but can still be useful. Please read it with caution.
"Introduction to electronic security for activists and dissidents. […] This text is geared towards activists and dissidents who are already self-motivated and want to be fully prepared for serious repression from authoritarian regimes. Specifically it intends to address common usecases and threats radical activists and dissidents face and answer every question commonly asked at trainings for radical activists and dissidents."
Origin
Friends & other activists
Topics
Digital surveillance, IMSI catchers, Mobile phones, Security culture, Video surveillance
Type
Text
Last updated
May 7, 2021
by Right2Know Campaign
"The R2K seeks to create a country and a world where we all have the right to know – that is to be free to access and to share information. This right is fundamental to any democracy that is open, accountable, participatory and responsive; able to deliver the social, economic, gender and environmental justice we need."
Big Brother exposed (2015): PDF
Stop the surveillance! State surveillance in South Africa (2017): PDF
Spooked: surveillance of journalists in South Africa (2018): PDF
Origin
Friends & other activists
Topics
Digital surveillance, IMSI catchers, Mobile phones, Physical surveillance
Type
Text
Last updated
May 7, 2021
by Electronic Frontier Foundation (eff.org)
"EFF's “Street-Level Surveillance” project shines light on the advanced surveillance technologies that law enforcement agencies routinely deploy in our communities. These resources are designed for members of the public, advocacy organizations, journalists, defense attorneys, and policymakers who often are not getting the straight story from police representatives or the vendors marketing this equipment."
Origin
Independent researchers
Topics
Aerial surveillance, Automated license plate readers, Facial recognition, IMSI catchers, Mobile phones, Video surveillance
Type
Text
Last updated
May 7, 2021
by Privacy International (privacyinternational.org)
"This report is about electronic surveillance technologies used to identify, track, and monitor individuals and their communications for intelligence gathering and law enforcement purposes."
Origin
Independent researchers
Topics
Digital surveillance, Facial recognition, IMSI catchers, Mobile phones, Video surveillance
Type
Text
Last updated
May 7, 2021