got geoint?

Welcome to the Friday’s Food for Thought post from got geoint? We hope everyone is excited for the long weekend, which marks the birth of our great nation. Each year, we typically do a July 4th-only post on the Friday before this holiday weekend, but with the sensational Russian spy story happening, we decided to make the theme all about “old school” spying techniques. So, before you head out to enjoy a weekend of BBQs and fireworks, please read and enjoy.

Russian Spies: Top 5 Old-School Espionage Technologies That Still Work
While the alleged Russian spies arrested by the FBI earlier this week employed some technologically advanced spying techniques, much of their tradecraft had a distinctively old school feel to it. However, that’s the norm in the world of international spying, experts say, where any successful trick will stay in use until it stops working. In particular, five technologies that date back decades remain common in the world of cloak and dagger. Used by CIA, the suspected Russian infiltrators and every spook in between, these technologies have stood the tests of time and counterintelligence. Read the full Christian Science Monitor article here.

The Evolution Of Spy Tools
Real spies may tell you that their lives are nothing like what you’d see in a Hollywood movie, but don’t be fooled: They’ve still got some pretty cool gadgets. And aside from the relatively recent tools that monitor electronic correspondence, most of those gizmos have been around for a pretty long time. Spies claim that theirs is the second-oldest profession, and basic espionage needs haven’t changed: looking and listening, getting the information they need, and smuggling it back home. What has changed is the way those spy gadgets work. As technology advances and enemies get smarter, spies have had to constantly re-invent the tools of their trade. Read the full Forbes article here.

Learn How to Spy on eHow.com
If you long for a little more excitement in your daily routine, you may wonder what it’s like to be a spy. You think that you have what it takes to rub noses with the rich and famous and bust bad guys during lunch hour, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. If you want to be a spy, you have to know the rules of the game. Yes, eHow actually has a page about how to be a spy. Perhaps the Russian spies were consulting this valuable source of information? Read more here.

“Old School” Movie Trailer
As our readers know, we always like to find something funny and entertaining to wrap up this weekly post. What better video to show than the trailer from the 2003 classic comedy “Old School”? We hope you enjoy:

Happy Independence Day!!

Tags: Friday's Food for Thought, GEOINT, got geoint?, Old School Spy Techniques, Russian Spies, Spies Like Us, USGIF