Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

FBI Carnivore Screwup Destroys E-Mail Evidence

Posted by timothy on from the now-how-much-will-you-pay dept.

An Anonymous Coward writes: "The FBI apparently used Carivore in an attempt to collect information on Osama bin Laden't network. Unfortunately they screwed up and collected information on "non-covered targets" (*ahem*, isn't this the sort of thing we weren't supposed to worry about...). Then the FBI tech was "so upset" that he destroyed ALL of the collected email, not only the information that was not covered by the warrant. Here is the SF Gate Story and EPIC's press release."

7 of 296 comments (clear)

  1. Damn them! by reynolds_john · · Score: 3, Funny

    What is a geek to do when he can't rely on his own government to keep secret, accurate, and complete backups of his email!?

  2. Not Destroyed? by Myriad · · Score: 5, Funny
    A Justice Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Tuesday night that the e-mails were not destroyed.

    FBI Agent 1: We have a problem... Carnivore was doing its thing, but we got caught grabbing stuff we shouldn't!

    FBI Agent 2: Hmmm. I know! We claim that some lowly tech in a spat of moral outrage deletes ALL the material as he is so offended that it captured the, uhh, "non-target" mail, but we actually keep all the files and use them as we see fit.

    FBI Agent 1: Perfect!

    FBI Agent 2: (Takes long drag off cigarette)

    --
    "They do not preach that their god will rouse them, a little before the Nuts work loose." Kipling, 'The Sons of Martha'
    1. Re:Not Destroyed? by discogravy · · Score: 3, Funny

      is that post-coital cigarette? from screwing everyone all the time?

      --
      FreeBSD for the impatient.
  3. Maybe they should rename it by Virtex · · Score: 5, Funny

    So Carnivore ate its own data? Maybe they should give it a new name. I think Cannibal would work pretty well.

    --
    For every post, there is an equal and opposite re-post.
  4. Re:Yeah... by Ieshan · · Score: 5, Funny

    Unfortunately, he must of have forgot the Laden:

    rm -rf /bin/laden

    We all know he just typed:

    rm -rf /bin.

  5. hmmm by drDugan · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'll bet I know how they figured out there was a problem:

    [modal window]
    Drive C:/ is Full.
    [/modal window]

    followed quickly with a blue screen of death.

  6. Another Computing First?? by Catiline · · Score: 3, Funny

    Hmm... I read this story and thought...
    Is this the first time that a piece of software was defended when it did its' job-- but not what they told people-- by claiming "That's a bug, not a feature"?

    Then I noticed my tinfoil hat was maladjusted. So I guess they really did goof, Carnivore is just a powerful (if maladjusted) tool for law enforcement, and my fears to the contrary are just their attempts to discredit my typical insights into their foul ways with an insidiously sublte use of their orbital mind control rays.

    --
    Do you like Japanese imports?