4 ms·

EDIT: Kindly respond to the point I raise below, if you disagree. How would a bluetooth transmitter from inside a metal enclosure that is not designed to pass

EDIT: Kindly respond to the point I raise below, if you disagree. How would a bluetooth transmitter from inside a metal enclosure that is not designed to pass wireless signals, be easily read from across a lobby? It's way out of range! In the video, do you really expect him to be able to read the ATM from across the lobby (given your experience with bluetooth, and as you can see, earlier in the video he shows the chip snuggled under a PCB, deep inside a metal enclosure?) I mean signal drops with square of distance. Bluetooth has a basic range of "typically less than 10m" (32 feet) or quite a bit less than those machines seem to be, even though those machines were not designed to be good transmission enclosures. Take a look: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pi6y2soOp8Y&t=4m45s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pi6y2soOp8Y&t=4m45s What's more likely: 1. That: - That that phone is picking up a commodity bluetooth signal from that distance that we see, and - The iPhone doesn't pick up said signal even if the iphone is next to it. Or: 2: That - He has two bluetooth transmitters near the phone he is using - He mentioned that an iPhone doesn't work so that people aren't surprised when they can't reproduce anywhere. Also, notice that the original text includes NO reference to what is in Part 2, which makes me think he is writing it in such a way that he leaves part 2 open to addressing any concerns incredulous people might raise. Most of the video is just still shots from sources you can see online. There's no recording of a meeting taking place. It just looks like some guy, with an over-the-top story and zero concern, whatsoever, for his safety. If others here think my analysis is unwarranted, could you address the specific issues I raise? EDIT: Please stop downvoting me without a response. If you address my specific concerns I'm happy to delete this comment.

robin_reala 11y ago
You’re getting downvoted because Brian has a long and storied history as a security researcher and consultant. He has very little to gain from making a story like this up, and quite a lot to lost. Also, if you really believed your arguments then why make them from a throwaway account? Regarding your issue with metal enclosures, there’s plenty of non-metal or thin-metal windows: the screen for one.
- throwaway583467 11y ago
  I wish you had replied earlier (at least 9 people thought to downnvote the comments before a reply.) Why does he feel immune from Mexican violence? (i.e. please give me a plausible answer.) It seems absolutely rampant there, people are literally - no exaggeration - murdered there. (Obviously the reason for a throwaway account is because I don't want to associate even two steps removed with violence in Mexico as well as, for example, the knee-jerk downvoting.) Secondly, did you click the video? (I link a specific spot.) It's hard to judge due to the distance and the fisheye distortion, but how far do you think those two ATM's are? Why do you think an iPhone won't connect with them? (Even from much closer)? If the signal is weak, as opposed to being in the gadgetry next to him, then why do both bluetooth connections show up instantly, as opposed to one after the other, given the huge distance? I now realize he has a large established reputation - though I don't have time to review all of his past writing. It's too much to review it all. I would like to know why he can pick up a weak bluetooth transmitter from deep inside an ATM and under a massively attenuating circuit board, from far outside the nominal bluetooth range - which are figures for a purpose-built transmission enclosure, not being hidden under a circuit board, and then put inside an ATM. It simply does not seem plausible to me, and I would like an answer. I've worked a little bit with wireless equipment (not much) and the video does not seem realistic to me. Further: bBlatantly exposing a well-funded mexican crime syndicate also does not seem in-character for anyone. What makes this guy so immune? Why are there no steps whatsoever to protect his identity, even while in Mexico? He reports a meeting with 6 employee (no photos included, including after blurring their faces) any one of whom could have reported his meddling to an associated syndicate, before his stay was even over. Wasn't he scared? These are specific objections I have, and I'm sorry I don't have time to review his entire reputation and history; Lance Armstrong had never once tested positive for PED's while winning 7 Tour De France titles and having a good claim to being possibly the most-tested athlete on Earth; Bernie Madoff had been the Chairman - literally the Chairman - of the NASDAQ. Yes, the whole stock exchange. He also had an operation going back 30 years, was a preeminent community member and managed the endowments of several charities. So please don't appeal to authority, and instead answer my two specific questions. Also, since his exposure, anyone found such a transmitter themselves? I find the technical facts he proposes to be entirely plausible.

robin_reala 11y ago

You’re getting downvoted because Brian has a long and storied history as a security researcher and consultant. He has very little to gain from making a story like this up, and quite a lot to lost. Also, if you really believed your arguments then why make them from a throwaway account? Regarding your issue with metal enclosures, there’s plenty of non-metal or thin-metal windows: the screen for one.

throwaway583467 11y ago
I wish you had replied earlier (at least 9 people thought to downnvote the comments before a reply.) Why does he feel immune from Mexican violence? (i.e. please give me a plausible answer.) It seems absolutely rampant there, people are literally - no exaggeration - murdered there. (Obviously the reason for a throwaway account is because I don't want to associate even two steps removed with violence in Mexico as well as, for example, the knee-jerk downvoting.) Secondly, did you click the video? (I link a specific spot.) It's hard to judge due to the distance and the fisheye distortion, but how far do you think those two ATM's are? Why do you think an iPhone won't connect with them? (Even from much closer)? If the signal is weak, as opposed to being in the gadgetry next to him, then why do both bluetooth connections show up instantly, as opposed to one after the other, given the huge distance? I now realize he has a large established reputation - though I don't have time to review all of his past writing. It's too much to review it all. I would like to know why he can pick up a weak bluetooth transmitter from deep inside an ATM and under a massively attenuating circuit board, from far outside the nominal bluetooth range - which are figures for a purpose-built transmission enclosure, not being hidden under a circuit board, and then put inside an ATM. It simply does not seem plausible to me, and I would like an answer. I've worked a little bit with wireless equipment (not much) and the video does not seem realistic to me. Further: bBlatantly exposing a well-funded mexican crime syndicate also does not seem in-character for anyone. What makes this guy so immune? Why are there no steps whatsoever to protect his identity, even while in Mexico? He reports a meeting with 6 employee (no photos included, including after blurring their faces) any one of whom could have reported his meddling to an associated syndicate, before his stay was even over. Wasn't he scared? These are specific objections I have, and I'm sorry I don't have time to review his entire reputation and history; Lance Armstrong had never once tested positive for PED's while winning 7 Tour De France titles and having a good claim to being possibly the most-tested athlete on Earth; Bernie Madoff had been the Chairman - literally the Chairman - of the NASDAQ. Yes, the whole stock exchange. He also had an operation going back 30 years, was a preeminent community member and managed the endowments of several charities. So please don't appeal to authority, and instead answer my two specific questions. Also, since his exposure, anyone found such a transmitter themselves? I find the technical facts he proposes to be entirely plausible.