SPYSCAPE is scoping out territory this week with James Stejskal, a former Green Beret and one of the elite Special Forces Berlin team sent to spy on Cold War enemies. We also dig into Cuba’s murky ties to foreign agents and ask how the tiny island consistently excels in the field of espionage, and we look at why the US is so divided over the renewal of warrantless surveillance and FISA Section 702.
James Stejskal was part of Special Forces Berlin during the Cold War, an elite group of 100 Green Berets whose job was to spy behind enemy lines and stall Day X, the code name for World War III. When he wasn’t kicking in doors, James was surveilling Soviets and East Germans. It was his dream job but, as the saying goes, be careful what you wish for.
When US ambassador Victor Manuel Rocha admitted he’d been a Cuban spy for decades, officials described the betrayal as possibly the longest-lasting infiltration in US history - worse, even, than Cuba’s Pentagon spy Ana Montes. Cuba isn’t just stealing intel though, it’s sharing US secrets with America’s enemies. So how does a tiny island continuously punch above its weight in espionage? Three letters: KGB.
Students at Canada’s Waterloo University are in meltdown after an M&M-branded vending machine flashed a cryptic post about 'facial recognition' software. The school newspaper dubbed it the ‘Big Brother Massive M&M is Watching’ scandal. Students jammed sensors with gum while the university demanded the 29 vending machines be removed. So what type of data does the candy man gather?
Russian eavesdroppers sneakily recorded a German defense call about Ukraine on Cisco's WebEx last week and leaked it to state-controlled RT News, raising concern about the vulnerability of supposedly secure platforms. Germany now fears the Kremlin might unleash even juicier bits of the conversation, adding a layer of suspense to the unfolding diplomatic drama. So who’s to blame?
In the annals of Cold War-era intrigue, some stories remain buried until they are unearthed by individuals with an eye for intrigue. Such is the case with artist Simon Menner whose exploration of the German Democratic Republic's Stasi archives has brought to light a tale that hinges on an ostensibly ordinary, everyday object: a coffee pot.
The Biden administration hopes to bypass Congress and get a court to extend America’s warrantless surveillance powers for another year without political debate, a move seen as either business as usual or a shrewd maneuver to bypass spying reforms. FISA 702 is set to expire in April unless Congress reauthorizes it. Here’s what you need to know about the controversial law and America’s privacy debate.
At SPY HQ you’ll explore hidden worlds, break codes and run surveillance - while a system developed with MI6 experts reveals your personal spy profile. At SPYGAMES you and your team will try immersive challenges developed by CIA and Special Ops experts to stretch your physical and mental agility
