Shortwave Numbers Stations | Episode 118
Covert Contact
Scot Terban joined me to discuss the use of shortwave numbers stations, recently declassified KGB investigative techniques for identifying recipients of those broadcasts, how shortwave has changed with the introduction of the internet, and technologies such as software defined radio (SDR) that make capturing mysterious signals affordable (sometimes free) and easier than ever.
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Chinese Spies in US Law Enforcement - And Everywhere Else | Episode 117
Covert Contact
The regular counterintelligence chat with William Tucker is a day late but full of new Chinese espionage activity in the NYPD, the EU, and beyond. We also touch on intelligence history and why literature from the Middle Ages or beyond is not only fascinating but still relevant.
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The Threat of Fake Spies | Episode 116
Covert Contact
William Tucker returns to discuss the incredible case of Garrison Courtney and Alpha-214. Posing as a CIA NOC Courtney was able to engineer a scheme that duped numerous beltway contractors, intelligence officials, former military officers and others.
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Election Threats and Disrupting Chinese Espionage | Episode 115
Covert Contact
William Tucker joins me for our weekly counterintelligence chat. In this episode we discuss the recent report for Microsoft that details Russian, Chinese, and Iranian attacks on individuals and organizations tied to our presidential campaigns and the recent move to revoke the visas of more than 1,000 Chinese grad students and researchers who have been deemed security risks.
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French Officer Busted Spying on NATO for GRU & Other Espionage Cases | 114
Covert Contact
William Tucker joins me to discuss two high profile cases this week, sloppy Chinese tradecraft, and why it always pays to visit the FBI before the FBI visits you.
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Russians Targeted Tesla Gigafactory in Ransomware Plot | Episode 113
Covert Contact
Scot Terban is back to discuss the plot, common points of vulnerability, and what you can do it, like a Tesla employee, you find yourself in the middle of a Russian criminal plot.
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Understanding the Israel-UAE Deal | Episode 107
Covert Contact
Alon Pinkas, who served as foreign policy advisor to Ehud Barak, political advisor to Shimon Peres, Chief of Staff to four Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and Consul General of Israel in New York City returns to Covert Contact for a quick dive on the drivers behind the deal and what it means for the region.
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Cutting Through the Hybrid Warfare Hype | Episode 46
Covert Contact
The conflict in Ukraine sparked a huge surge in interest in hybrid warfare. joins me in this episode to look at the less helpful aspects of that surge, discuss why the concept still maters, and to propose actions that could put us on better footing to deal with what promises to be an era of persistent but very murky conflict. Phil has served in the military, the intelligence community, and the inter-agency. His written works are catalogued on and archived at . I highly recommend them if you are at all interested in national security issues. You can follow him on Twitter and he is a member...
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LZ Grace: A Place for Warriors to Heal | Episode 37
Covert Contact
This week joins me to discuss . Lynnette, and many volunteers, have transformed a 38 acre farm in Virginia Beach into a place for members of the special operations community and first responders to . Lynnette shares the story of her husband, a Navy SEAL, and we discuss some of the unique challenges the she faces in supporting who are accustomed to serving, and often suffering, in silence. The episode closes out with another update on Russia, and their involvement with Hezbollah, from .
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Intelligence Failures, Agent Storm, and eDiplomacy Trolling | Episode 1
Covert Contact
Welcome to the launch of Covert Contact: The Blogs of War Podcast. In episode 1 I am looking at the notion of intelligence failures and why they’re often more complicated than they seem – or not failures at all. I’m also taking a look at the new biography of Murad Storm, the towering red-haired Danish agent who infiltrated al Qaeda. Agent Storm: My Life Inside al Qaeda and the CIA is a fascinating read that raises many questions about our ability to infiltrate radical Islamic groups. And then a discussion about the darker side of eDiplomacy. Do we really want world...
info_outlineIn his 3+ years as Chief of the Analysis Bureau at New Jersey’s Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness Dean Baratta led a very capable team of intelligence analysts. Dean was a critical part of a small team that was widely recognized for its innovative approaches. Now, as he moves on to another project, he reflects on leadership, lessons learned, team building, and the challenge of public service.
This episode also includes another short recollection from Fred Burton. Fred is the former deputy chief of counterterrorism at the Diplomatic Security Service and the author of the best-selling memoir GHOST: Confessions of a Counterterrorism Agent. His other works include Chasing Shadows: A Special Agent's Lifelong Hunt to Bring a Cold War Assassin to Justice and Under Fire: The Untold Story of the Attack in Benghazi.
You can follow NJOHSP on Twitter @NJOHSP and access their unclassified intelligence products at njhomelandsecurity.gov. Their podcast, Intelligence, Unclassified is available on iTunes and other platforms.