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Symantec Will Not Detect Magic Lantern

Posted by timothy on from the et-tu-eric dept.

An anonymous reader contributes: "In this article on Declan McCullagh's Politech, Symantec chief researcher Eric Chien stated that provided a hypothetical keystroke logging tool was used only by the FBI, Symantec would avoid updating its antivirus tools to detect such a Trojan, echoing a similar stance Network Associates allegedly took with its McAfee anti-virus software earlier this week. 'If it was under the control of the FBI, with appropriate technical safeguards in place to prevent possible misuse, and nobody else used it -- we wouldn't detect it,' said Chien. 'However we would detect modified versions that might be used by hackers.'"

5 of 582 comments (clear)

  1. Are you sure? by Sc00ter · · Score: 3, Flamebait
    there seems to be news of the contrary:


    McAfee Ignoring Magic Lantern Is Bogus?

    --
    Free Mac Mini
  2. Some need to clue in by Reality+Master+101 · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    I'm seeing some posts like, "If I pay a company to provide me computer security, then I expect total security". This is simply wrong-headed. You are paying them for security against private cracks, not government cracks.

    Put it this way. If you hired private security guards for your house, and the FBI showed up with a warrant to search the place, would you expect them to turn away the FBI? Get into a pitched gun battle to "protect" your house? Uh, no. Your private security guard will step out of the way, and show the government official the door, as they should.

    --
    Sometimes it's best to just let stupid people be stupid.
  3. Nothing new here. by zulux · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    Symantec Will Not Detect Magic Lantern

    From where I sit, Stmantec's Norton Utilities won't detect much anyways - not without making the poor Windows computer slow to a crawl. Who needs a virus to make a compuer crash and hang when thers Notont's 'Antivirus' to do it for you?

    --

    Moneyed corporations, non-working 'poor' and criminal prisoners are turning productive citizens into tax-slaves.

  4. Thanks to Ashcroft by NineNine · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    I think that we should all give a standing ovation to Ashcroft and his influences for creating a government that's as close to George Orwell's 1984 as we've ever seen. Thanks, you Mr. Ashcroft for illegally arresting and "trying" people. Thank you, Mr. Ashcroft for trampling all over our rights just so that idiots can feel "safe". Thank you, Mr. Ashcroft. I'm sure Adolf Hitler would be proud.

  5. Re:Hmm... by blair1q · · Score: 1, Flamebait


    There is, it's called

    DON'T CLICK ON EXECUTABLE ATTACHMENTS, EINSTEIN!

    --Blair