Maxwell Smart's shoe phone and James Bond's attaché case, rocket-powered cigarette dart, and Aston Martin equipped with more artillery than a Patton Tank have been surpassed by the latest generation of high tech intelligence and security devices.  Today's technology, much of which takes advantage of the incredible computing power that can be built into a microchip, has capabilities of which these fictional spies could barely dream. 

A TV camera (spy cam) built into the eye of a stuffed teddy bear, wrist watch digital cameras that link to your PC, high resolution images of your neighbor's back yard from a commercial spy satellite, devices that connect to a fax machine and allow you to pick up audio from the room in which the fax is located by calling the machine, spy glasses with interior surface reflectors that work like a rearview mirror, Chinese throwing stars -- these are just a few of the devices available to the average paranoid consumer.  And if you can buy such gadgets online or in your local spy store, imagine what kind of technologies the CIA or the NSA must have.

This week's Tidbit presents a very brief but entertaining survey of high tech spy equipment, the firms that sell it, the governmental intelligence and security agencies that use it, and other associated miscellany.

Links:
= highly recommended

The International Spy Museum in downtown Washington, DC (800 F Street, NW).  In addition to exhibits on espionage and "the secret history of history," the museum will feature public lectures and other educational programs on the world of intelligence.  There are also a cafe, an upscale restaurant (opening in August), and, of course, a gift shop.

Profile of the International Spy Museum, including a photo gallery, from The Washington Post's entertainment guide.

"For New Museum, A Covert Crowd," by Manny Fernandez, The Washington Post (July 20, 2002).  An account of the spy museum's grand opening, complete with cannons blasting confetti (not sure what cannons with confetti have to do with espionage, but they sound like fun, anyway).

Cold War Spies and Espionage.  An interesting timeline of key events involving espionage during the early years of the Cold War (1943-54).  From the History Department at the University of San Diego.  Includes some links.
James Bond.com.  A must-see for any self-respecting fan of Ian Fleming's legendary spy.  A great site, though rather heavy on Flash, multi-megabyte film clips, and other bandwidth hogs.

The Secret Files of Maxwell Smart.  Includes transcripts of several classic episodes.

"Eye Spy, Advanced Chip Designs Driving Miniaturization, Sophistication in Spy Devices," by Joe Lowell, Electronics Journal (July/August 2001).  Good nontechnical article about commercially available spy technology (requires registration).

Eyetek Surveillance. "Manufacturers & suppliers to UK & US law enforcement agencies and individuals." Includes a variety of bugging and anti-bugging products and services as well as a page on counter-surveillance ("Are you being bugged?").

CCS International.  Featuring "Spyzone" surveillance devices, counter-surveillance, scramblers, and  retail stores in New York, Washington, Beverly Hills, Miami, and London.  One hopes their products work better than their web site.

The Spy Store.  Spy gear, detection equipment, books on locksmithing, personal defense, as well as surveillance.  (They even offer lay-away and gift certificates, although I'm not sure whether these apply to surveillance.)

Spy Tech Agency (Probe, Inc.)  ". . . the world's premier source for all spy equipment with more than 6500
products and publications.  Over 26 years of  sales, rentals, design, manufacturing and consulting to government, military,  law enforcement, corporate, media, entertainment and private clientele.  Superior technology for surveillance, tracking and countermeasures."  Includes Spy magazine and even a page of spy trivia.

007 Technology.com.  A gadget shop, "bringing space age technology down to earth."  Their "top secret" department has a number of video devices including a wrist watch camera.

World Intelligence and Security Agencies.  A mother lode of information on intelligence agencies of many countries, from Australia to Ukraine.  Site includes links, as well as independent analyses and comments.  Assembled by the Federation of American Scientists, a Washington-based public interest group, as part of its Intelligence Resource Program.

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.  Openness in government at work.  A virtual tour, the CIA Museum, a CIA page for kids (!), an FAQ, and lots more.  No secrets, however.

The U.S. National Security Agency -- known from James Bamford's book as "The Puzzle Palace."  Specializing in electronic intelligence and cryptology, NSA also provides a free download of a security enhanced version of Linux, a history of cryptology, and a kids page with puzzles for budding cryptologists.

MI5--the United Kingdom's security service -- James Bond's sometime employer.  Includes pages devoted to threats, "myths and misunderstandings," facts and figures, and employment opportunities.

Russia's Federal Security Service.  Official site of the Federal'naya Sluzhba Bezopasnosti (FSB), one of the successors to the Soviet KGB.  In Russian.  If you can't read Russian, you can find a great deal of information on the FSB in English on this page, part of the worldwide survey of intelligence agencies put up by the Federation of American Scientists.

France's DGSE (Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure).  An unofficial site with lots of official-looking information (in French).

"Spy Technology: Too Little, Too Late?" by Joris Evers, PCWorld.com (September 12, 2001). "Echelon, other high-tech surveillance tools may not have been effective when needed."