FBI Conducts Raids Over Half-Life 2 Source Theft

TheXerox writes "According to a recent weblog post, a San Francisco native had his house raided by the FBI last week, and 'lost upwards of 9 machines, and lots of misc equipment besides' in a seizure related to the theft of the Half-Life 2 source code from Valve Software." The scanned-in search warrant posted on the site indicates the FBI were looking for "...any IP addresses related to any of the Valve internal or external networks... Valve passwords and/or usernames... any and all items... related to Valve Software, Half-Life, Half-Life 2", and the Hungry Programmers page mentions that "...several Hungries were raided on January 14th by the FBI and Secret Service, and their computers seized."

Comments

Re:Secret Service

[Sivaram_Velauthapill]

I don't know the laws but the Secret Service, from what I understand, is supposed to protect politicians (The President, Vice President, and a few others). That's what they are supposed to be doing. These days they are into a lot more.

One might ask why. My theory is that the Secret Service, just like the CIA and DEA, have become BUREACRATIC entities. That is to say, they care more about self-preservation than doing anything else. Breaking into crackers' houses, monitoring encrypted communications, etc are not what the Secret Service is supposed to do. Yet they do it. I have no numbers (these are all secrete I think) but I would guess that more than 50% of the Secret Service budget goes towards activities which have nothing to do with protecting politicians.

At the rate it is going, it wouldn't surprise me if the Secret Service's "jurisdiction" is increased to other activities. Already they are heavily involved in monitoring anti-war protestors and activists (supposedly these non-violent people are a threat to the US president :( ). I think one of the first new "responsibilities" they will gain in the near future is the ability to shut down websites hostile to the US president. Of course, they would have to circumvent freedom of speech but that hasn't stopped others in the past. I mean, remembering that this is Martin Luther King day, one just has to remember how Martin King was minitored and tracked by the FBI and CIA even though it is illegal to do so--at that time and even now. Remember, a bureaucracy can break any law--they just need to cook up something bogus (like Martin Luther King is going to overthrow the US government).

Sivaram Velauthapillai

Re:Secret Service

[xigxag]

Why is the secret service involved? Arent they only concerned with protecvting the president and fake currency?


I think you mean, they're only concerned with protecting the fake president, and currency.