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FBI Failed To Break Encryption of Hard Drives

Posted by kdawson on from the deploy-the-quantum-computer dept.

benoliver writes to let us know that the FBI has failed to decrypt files of a Brazilian banker accused of financial crimes by Brazilian law enforcement, after a year of attempts. Five hard drives were seized by federal police at the apartment of banker Daniel Dantas, in Rio de Janeiro, during Operation Satyagraha in July 2008. (The link is to a Google translation of the original article in Portuguese.) The article in English mentions two encryption programs, one Truecrypt and the other unnamed. 256-bit AES was used, and apparently both the Brazilian police and the FBI tried dictionary attacks against it. No Brazilian law exists to force Dantas to produce the password(s).

9 of 486 comments (clear)

  1. Wrong dictionary. by AnonymousClown · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...both the Brazilian police and the FBI tried dictionary attacks against it

    They should have used a Portuguese dictionary not an English one! Geeze! Folks are soooooo US centric!

    --
    RIP America

    July 4, 1776 - September 11, 2001

    1. Re:Wrong dictionary. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Fifty bucks says the password is GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!

    2. Re:Wrong dictionary. by drinkypoo · · Score: 4, Funny

      ...both the Brazilian police and the FBI tried dictionary attacks against it

      They should have used a Portuguese dictionary not an English one! Geeze! Folks are soooooo US centric!

      I suggest using the OED. Place the subject's testicles on top of volume one*...
      * If using a single-volume edition, open to the end of letter 'M'. Fair results can be had with the use of electronic editions, but the technique is not recommended.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    3. Re:Wrong dictionary. by icebraining · · Score: 4, Funny

      That would be GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLO, in Portuguese.

      --
      Dilbert RSS feed
  2. They should publish it as a DVD by kawabago · · Score: 5, Funny

    They should publish it as a DVD and within hours they'll be able to download the unencrypted file from a torrent! :o)

    1. Re:They should publish it as a DVD by UnknowingFool · · Score: 4, Funny

      And if they name it "Secret Megan Fox, Natalie Portman threesome with grits" it should a matter of minutes before someone cracks it.

      --
      Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
  3. Reality Check by baeyogin · · Score: 4, Funny

    http://xkcd.com/538/

  4. Re:US Laws? by Vinegar+Joe · · Score: 5, Funny

    The law of gravity. The feds hang you by your feet out a 5th floor window till you talk......

    --
    "The average reporter we talk to is 27 years old......They literally know nothing." - Ben Rhodes
  5. Re:is waterboarding next to get the info? by laron · · Score: 5, Funny

    I take issue with your first statement. Luckily, there is an easy test to see what is and what isn't torture:
    A claims that method X isn't torture, B says it is. Just have B apply Method X to A, until A confesses that he was wrong.

    --
    "Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master."