Slashdot Mirror
UK Police Want Plug-In Computer Crime Detectors
An anonymous reader writes "UK police are talking to private companies about using plug-in USB devices that can scour the hard drive of any device they are attached to, searching for evidence of illegal activity. The UK's Association of Chief Police Officers is considering using commercial devices that can perform targeted searches of text, pictures and computer code on hard drives, allowing untrained cops to detect anything from correspondence on stolen goods to child pornography. Police in the UK are desperate for a way of slashing the backlog of machines seized by the police in raids, with many forces having a backlog that will take a year to process." Maybe they shouldn't seize so many computers.
this is probably something everybody should have, just to make sure they're in compliance.
If I understand the British government, they wouldn't have any problems with this approach either:
Let's build a live USB Linux load that knows how to read and write all known file systems including encrypted systems. Then we will write a few handy scripts that will scan for a fairly long list of known files using MD5sum or some such. Then, if it doesn't turn anything up, copy some child porn from the USB drive over to the target system and print out the arrest warrant.
Officer: I pushed the button, and the computer told me to arrest him.
Pffft! You think too small, and will never take over the world.
Corrected version follows.
Attorney: How do you know he had illegal material on his computer?
Officer: The computer called us and informed on its owner.
Attorney: It called you?
Officer: Yeah. And so did yours. You still want to question me, Mr. 500Gig Chubby Porn Collection?
We will wake up one day and find that keys to our doors only work from the outside.
I dunno about you, but my locks already only take keys on the outside. See, on the inside, I have this nice little knob I can use to lock the door without the key.
Canada: The US's more awesome sibling.
We will wake up one day and find that keys to our doors only work from the outside.
I dunno about you, but my locks already only take keys on the outside. See, on the inside, I have this nice little knob I can use to lock the door without the key.
mine has the knob on the outside, and the keyhole on the inside. it's like a hardware version of DRM.
how many pairs of boxer shorts should you own?
Well, that's what they'll sentence you to. You won't do nearly that much time. Once they tell the other inmates you're a pedo, they'll kill you after a week, tops, with the guards looking on approvingly. You'll be out in no time!
Proud neuron in the Slashdot hivemind since 2002.
The real problem is writing the OOXML parser.
No sig today...
No. Must be an inside joke, and I am outside trying to open the door with my damn key, but it isn't working.
"But this one goes to 11!"
Warning people that you will go on a killing spree is not exactly silent...