[Dailydave] Zagaria's COMSEC

[Alfonso De Gregorio]

Organized crime is usually aware of the importance of cover,
concealment and compartmentalization for an effective COMSEC. And
Camorra don't seem to have encountered a block of creativity or
pragmatism when it comes to tooling in this area.

Take Michele Zagaria, a boss of Casalesi clan: Hidden in a secretly
built bunker, for years he communicated with his affiliates and
avoided being wiretapped or eavesdropped upon by hidden microphones.
Lately, Italian state attorneys managed to figure out how he did so
[1].

Mr Zagaria built a town-wide intercom network connecting his hovel
with a number of buildings. Two of the most notable aspects that
emerged from investigations are: 1. cables were mostly buried under
the road surface --- one wonders about the degree of complicity by the
local authorities; and 2. the intercom network was equipped with
autonomous power supply, signal amplifiers, and anti-wiretapping
devices.

The investigators became aware of the existence of the hidden network
when, during a tapped phone call, somebody said: "She is talking on
the intercom with uncle Michele." One is reminded of James Clapper's
remark that "People must communicate. They will make mistakes, and we
will exploit them."

[1] (I'm sorry, Italian only because this don't seem to have been
covered by the anglophone press)
http://corrieredelmezzogiorno.corriere.it/napoli/cronaca/15_gennaio_26/zagaria-aveva-creato-rete-illegale-citofoni-parlare-gregari-89eb6a4a-a531-11e4-ba90-c267c7382a44.shtml


-- alfonso    @secYOUre