Slashdot Mirror
Insight On FBI Hacking Ops
New submitter krakman writes "The Washington Post has an interesting story about how the FBI can investigate and collect details from computers over the net, without knowing anything about the computer location. Here's an example of the FBI's network investigative techniques: 'The man who called himself "Mo" had dark hair, a foreign accent and — if the pictures he e-mailed to federal investigators could be believed — an Iranian military uniform. When he made a series of threats to detonate bombs at universities and airports across a wide swath of the United States last year, police had to scramble every time. Mo remained elusive for months, communicating via e-mail, video chat and an Internet-based phone service without revealing his true identity or location, court documents show. ... The FBI’s elite hacker team designed a piece of malicious software that was to be delivered secretly when Mo signed on to his Yahoo e-mail account, from any computer anywhere in the world, according to the documents. The goal of the software was to gather a range of information — Web sites he had visited and indicators of the location of the computer — that would allow investigators to find Mo and tie him to the bomb threats. ... Even though investigators suspected that Mo was in Iran, the uncertainty around his identity and location complicated the case. Had he turned out to be a U.S. citizen or a foreigner living within the country, a search conducted without a warrant could have jeopardized his prosecution. ...But, [a court document] said, Mo’s computer did send a request for information to the FBI computer, revealing two new IP addresses in the process. Both suggested that, as of last December, Mo was still in Tehran.'"
that might have been all he wanted.
There is a thing as a paragraph tag. Did not read.
Sounds like all "Mo" needed to do was pull his antics via VirtualBox with some firewall rules in place to block any outbound but to Yahoo or whatever his preferred launching pad was for his juvenile noise. Sheesh.
Also can't shake the image of Moe Sizlack, the Simpson's bartender, muttering to himself as he sends off the next faux threat.
Unless this Iranian troll was naive enough to open one of those "e-cards" that required a little "browser helper", this strongly suggests that Yahoo complied with the government's request to push spyware onto a specific member's computer. They could do this through the ad mechanism, or perhaps the all-new Yahoo! Email! has an embedded Patriot! Patch! facility built-in?
The FBI has been able to covertly activate a computer’s camera — without triggering the light that lets users know it is recording — for several years, and has used that technique mainly in terrorism cases or the most serious criminal investigations
... and in LoveINT cases too. If noone watches the watchers they will become stalkers too.
If Iran is the kind of arch nemesis the Free World gets nowadays, why is everyone so worried?
The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
Well, either they emailed him a trojan and are trying to make it sound fancy, or Yahoo was letting them run exploits on the mail site targeted at specific users. Probably the former, but the latter is technically possible and wouldn't surprise me considering all the companies that have bent over for the government surveillance machine so far.
jesusandmo.net (just click "ok" when it prompts you to accept the browser helper to improve your experience)
Right, like what has Iran ever done to the US and the West, anyway?
I mean, besides supplying training, logistical and intelligence support, safe refuge, and munitions to jihadists that kill US troops in Iraq & Afghanistan, and launch terror attacks and suicide bombings there and elsewhere against civilians including women and children, as well as military.
Oh, and grab Western tourists and hold them hostage.
Oh, and that little US embassy kerfluffle back in Jimmy Carter's administration that he handled so deftly.
But really, that's all ancient history. Has no bearing whatsoever. Why wouldn't we trust any diplomatic agreements or treaties made with them? Never mind there are Iranian officials openly mocking the idea of Iran actually obeying any meaningful restrictions to their nuclear ambitions in the recent "agreement" touted in the news and mocking the West for our stupidity to believe they would honor any such agreements.
That at the very least will cause Saudi Arabia and any others that possibly can to acquire nukes, and if the 13-Imam nut-cases in leadership positions in Iran like Ahmadinejad attempt or actually do nuke Israel, the entire world will explode in conflict, as I'm sure Israel will launch at least one wave of nukes in retaliation before the Iranian nukes clear their launch-towers.
Strat
Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.
Hmm, that's odd. Seems fine to me. On second evaluation, it seems my ocular preprocessor automatically inserts paragraph breaks when encountering an ellipse...
"The Washington Post has an interesting story about how the FBI can investigate and collect details from computers over the net, without knowing anything about the computer location. Here's an example of the FBI's network investigative techniques: 'The man who called himself "Mo" had dark hair, a foreign accent and — if the pictures he e-mailed to federal investigators could be believed — an Iranian military uniform. When he made a series of threats to detonate bombs at universities and airports across a wide swath of the United States last year, police had to scramble every time. Mo remained elusive for months, communicating via e-mail, video chat and an Internet-based phone service without revealing his true identity or location, court documents show.
The FBI’s elite hacker team designed a piece of malicious software that was to be delivered secretly when Mo signed on to his Yahoo e-mail account, from any computer anywhere in the world, according to the documents. The goal of the software was to gather a range of information — Web sites he had visited and indicators of the location of the computer — that would allow investigators to find Mo and tie him to the bomb threats.
Even though investigators suspected that Mo was in Iran, the uncertainty around his identity and location complicated the case. Had he turned out to be a U.S. citizen or a foreigner living within the country, a search conducted without a warrant could have jeopardized his prosecution.
But, [a court document] said, Mo’s computer did send a request for information to the FBI computer, revealing two new IP addresses in the process. Both suggested that, as of last December, Mo was still in Tehran."
Say what you will about the build quality, gotta love the extra features they pack into cheap Chinese hardware. Now if I can just figure out how private pics of my GF keep ending up online...
For those who don't know, the 13-Imam nut-cases believe in sort of a second coming of Christ type event when the world is embroiled in conflict and chaos that will destroy all infidels and bring the world back in line with Islam to create a paradise on earth situation. The scary part we should note is that some of these people think if they help the world go into chaos, it will hasten the return or appearance sort of like forcing the second coming of Jesus.
An no, you do not have to believe in any God or religion to be concerned about this. If they are wrong but have their way, the results will be the same, war and conflicts all around.
The US could turn virtually every major urban area of Iran into radioactive craters, could wipe out most of its navy and air force in 48 hours and likely most of its anti aircraft capacity in pretty short order as well.
When I think of major threats I think of Japan in WWII or the USSR during the Cold War.
The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
You don't need a warrant for people in other countries. US law only covers US persons and foreign persons on US soil/territory. FISA is generally what covers foreigners and to that extent, only when US persons are involved needs a warrant.
I mean, besides supplying training, logistical and intelligence support, safe refuge, and munitions to jihadists that kill US troops in Iraq & Afghanistan, and launch terror attacks and suicide bombings there and elsewhere against civilians including women and children, as well as military.
Citation needed for _all_ these things, seriously.
Oh, and grab Western tourists and hold them hostage.
Oh, and that little US embassy kerfluffle back in Jimmy Carter's administration that he handled so deftly.
But really, that's all ancient history.
It is fucking ancient history, comparatively. These events are as close to world war 2 as they are to the present day, and precisely as relevant to both.
Now... for anyone who actually remembers them... does that make you feel old?
The US could turn virtually every major urban area of Iran into radioactive craters, could wipe out most of its navy and air force in 48 hours and likely most of its anti aircraft capacity in pretty short order as well.
Which won't stop or deter them at all.
When I think of major threats I think of Japan in WWII or the USSR during the Cold War.
Which tells me you haven't learned enough history or enough about the people we're talking about that control Iran, and their history & beliefs.
We're talking religious zealot nut cases that think dying for their deity is glorious and expected.
They don't have to strike the US. Just Israel.
Israel will launch a retaliatory nuke strike. The Persian Gulf will likely become blocked/blockaded or simply too dangerous along with the Suez Canal. Then, the whole region falls into chaos and anarchy, followed by the major powers going to war for power, ideology, and resources while the world economy and the US Dollar/US economy collapses.
Strat
Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.
Could be that the reason some Iranians dislike the US is because we along with Britan kind of overthrew their democratcially elected prime minister Mossadegh back in 1953 and imposed the Shah.
I mean, besides supplying training, logistical and intelligence support, safe refuge, and munitions to jihadists
Remember Iran-Contra? Oh those evil Iranians, arming rebels and fomenting insurrection abroad.
But really, that's all ancient history.
Love picking at that scab, don't you? How were we getting along with Germany 32 years after our little kerfuffle with the Nazis? Did we stay this pissed off with them? Or is it a racial/religious thing?
That at the very least will cause Saudi Arabia and any others that possibly can to acquire nukes,
Muslim forces already have nukes. In fact, the same people who gave shelter to bin Laden. And I haven't heard a peep out of them. So perhaps the 'nutcase Imams' are a bit more level headed than you give them credit.
Have gnu, will travel.
I'm not sure I have ever seen Americans trying to force the second coming of Christ. Could you provide some examples? I do know there are some who think the chaos in the world is signs of the tribulations and will end with the second coming and they welcome that but none that I know of who take the position that they can make it happen.
You see, one would be ancillary to the other as in if it happens, I will be happy. The other seems to think they can make it happen and they will be happy. A big difference just like the difference between wishing someone was dead or harmed so you will be happy and then being happy when they drive drunk and wrap themselves around a telephone pole and you actually killing them or harming them so you will be happy.
But yes, it is a strange concept of Jesus coming to aid a Muslim if you take the Christian religion into account.
We're talking religious zealot nut cases that think dying for their deity is glorious and expected.
ooohh... Sounds scary, until you realize it is basically the same thing as patriotic nutcases that think dying for their country is glorious and expected.
Don't quote me on this.
It is not exactly the same. The difference is between something like that happening and being able to make it happen or encourage it to happen. I don't know of any christian groups that think they can do anything to make it happen where the 13th Imam groups believe if there is enough chaos in the world, it will force it to happen and by creating the chaos they can aid in it.
Outside that, yes, it is very close.. But this shouldn't surprise anyone. Islam is more or less a contrived version of Judaism or the correct version depending on the beliefs of who you talk to. Christianity is more or less an extension to Judaism revolving around a new covenant that was prophesied by the Judaism portions of the bible (which is mainly why the old testament is included- Jesus was a Jew). So it shouldn't surprise many if the culmination of the three have similar but different concepts. Even if those differences and similarities are expounded by differing sects within each religion.
That all depends on what type of war they intend to fight in Iran. The one described is not the same that was fought in Afghanistan so your comparison is moot.
We have not fought a war of annihilation like WWII since then. Every war we have been involved with has always attempted to preserve resources for future use by factions within the waring country. That's a lot different then trying to conquer a nation. When you are willing to go Sherman on them and burn a trail to their capitol or bomb every single factory or annihilate entire cities, your efforts find a lot more victories then trying to distinguish between good and bad guys dressed similarly and in an area you are wanting to protect.
Even Germany who fought parts of the European war the same as we are fighting in Afghanistan, had troubles with resistance pockets except they didn't really care about killing innocents.
Sounds like the same argument people use to say black people cant be racist
Black people are a minority therefore they cant possibly be racist! only people with "white privilege" can be racist.
sadly being in the majority now seems to mean more restrictions
have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same