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Commodore 64 Confuses Austrian Police
toomanyairmiles writes, "It seems that Wolfgang Priklopil, the communications technician who kidnapped Austrian pre-teen Natascha Kampusch, relied on a Commodore 64 as his primary machine. Interestingly this is presenting some problems to the Austrian computer forensics people. Major General Gerhard Lang of the Federal Criminal Investigations Bureau told reporters it would 'complicate investigators' efforts' and would be difficult to transfer the files to modern computers 'without loss.' Could this be the latest in the criminal world's security strategy? Can we expect to see Spectrums, Archimedes, and Atari STs turning up in police investigations soon?"
Any box that doesn't run Windows confuses most investigators. Yep, all their tools are Windows-specific.
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
The article, and most of these comments, are missing the point. The point isn't that you can't get the data off the hard drive - the investigators aren't that stupid - it's that they can't get previoiusly deleted or overwritten files off the hard drive using their standard techniques, because there is no way to image both a drive and the magnetic clues that these folks use.
It also points out one of the problems with purchasing DRM'd media files. Since you are locked into a certain format, what do you do when technology changes and you can't convert your media into the new format or the company behind the DRM folds and there's no way to port the authentication system to a new system? My parents dubbed their records onto tapes. And recently I've helped my mom convert records and her old tapes into MP3 format. Something that couldn't be done if DRM existed then.
The guy kidnapped a little girl and kept her for 8 years. He's obviously a nut case. I don't think you can back his choice to use a Commodore 64 with reason.
The computer crimes unit in the department that I work for (as an IT flunky) seized a C64 about 2 years ago in a kiddie porn case, along with a good number of 5 1/4" disks, but no working drive. They send a global email looking for anyone with old C64 hardware, and I donated my 1541 drive to the cause.
I'm not sure what the outcome was, but I know they still have the C64 up and running in their office.
It does present some interesting complications, from what (little) I know about the forensic examinations they do, they go to great pains not to alter the contents of the original media, using apps like EnCase to snapshot drives they're working with.
homer_ca How reliable are those 20 year old floppy disks?
I'm not sure, but I have an unopened (still shrinkwrapped) box of 10 5 1/4's in my office that I've been considering tossing on eBay just for fun. Buy 'em and find out!
What you do then is quite simple; you'll have to re-buy your media files, and I presume that's a reason why the companies seem to like it so much .
Yes, but if that schmuck had a BSEE he/she wouldn't, except in the rarest of circumstances, be a cop. The investigators would have to use their brains and find someone who can do the work.
Non sequitur: Your facts are uncoordinated.
I know the common thing to do is berate corporations for having no long-term vision - but the RIAA/MPAA/??AA do. They've perfected the technique of hovering around that fine line between "too fast, and people will notice" and "too slow, and we'll be obsoleted before we achieve our objectives".
What part of "a well regulated militia" do you not understand?
Or you could just, you know, do what the rest of us do and dupe netflix discs with DVD Shrink. Considerably simpler, quicker, and produces much better results. Oh, and there's no DRM on a VHS tape - it would have to be called ARM.
---- Den ene knappen er powerknapp, den andre er Bender voice knapp "Bite My Shiny Metal Ass"
Priklopil threw himself under a train minutes after the girl escaped; there's not going to be any court case.
Except that those same media companies may in the future with high probability consider providing say Britney Spears' "tracks" (sorry, if I spelled her name wrong) for re-purchase as a "not interesting from operating profit point of view" thus consumers will be unable to repurchase thus they lose their beloved tracks. Or become criminals.
Feel free to replace "Britney Spears" with any other name from current "popular music" (or even past "popular music").
hany
...the police suspect that he may have had an accomplice. Apparently the normal M.O. for this type of criminal relies on having another person in the mix (lookout during original kidnap, looking after victim if other needs to go anywhere for an extended period etc.).
Marc Dutroux (the Belgian Paedophile) had several accomplices - one of whom was directly responsible for Julie and Melissa's death by not feeding them whilst Dutroux was in prison on another charge.
I am NaN
Its one of those "without a trace" scenarios. Maybe the dead kidnapper has girls buried in basements all over Austria. You have to crack the C64 file system before they starve to death.
http://michaelsmith.id.au
Am I the only one sitting here and wondering if anyone on this forum ever used a C64? They need a 5 1/4 floppy drive and a C64 emulator. The C64 stores all the data and programs on floppies, if the system has even been powered off they aren't going to get anything from the machine itself.
Personally I suspect the investigators just have a bunch of MCSE's who run prepackaged forensic tools and have never seen a C64 and don't know how one works.
Could this be the latest in the criminal world's security strategy? Can we expect to see Spectrums, Archimedes, and Atari STs turning up in police investigations soon?"
No, what this means is that soon, anyone who owns or purchases an old piece of computing will either have to submit to a background check or be put on a DHS watchlist. Because there is no reason for a normal person to own an old piece of technology other than for nefarious purposes.
Terrorists can attack freedom, but only Congress can destroy it.