Ross

FBI confirms ‘Magic Lantern’ exists

Spokesman says program being developed but not yet in use

MSNBC STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Dec. 12 — An FBI spokesman confirmed Wednesday that the U.S. government was working on a controversial Internet spying technology that could be used to eavesdrop on suspected criminals’ computer communications. MSNBC.com first reported in November that the technology, code-named “Magic Lantern,” would allow the FBI to plant a Trojan horse keystroke logger on a target’s personal computer by sending a computer virus over the Internet, a prospect that outraged civil libertarians who said the program could be abused by overzealous law enforcement agencies.

UNTIL WEDNESDAY, the FBI had refused to publicly discuss the program, the existence of which MSNBC.com disclosed Nov. 20.
In the agency’s first public confirmation of MSNBC.com’s report, FBI spokesman Paul Bresson said Wednesday that Magic Lantern was “a workbench project” that had not yet been deployed, according to Reuters. “We can’t discuss it because it’s under development,” he said.
The FBI has already acknowledged that it uses software that records keystrokes typed into a computer to obtain passwords that can be used to read encrypted e-mail and other documents as part of criminal investigations.
A source familiar with the program told MSNBC.com that Magic Lantern would allow the agency to gain that information without having to gain physical access to the computer by implanting the logger through a Trojan horse downloaded as e-mail or inserted through common security vulnerabilities.
Malicious hackers have been known to use e-mail or other remote methods for installing spying technology, security experts said.
Asked whether the FBI would need a court order to use Magic Lantern, as it does with existing keystroke logger technology, Bresson said: “Like all technology projects or tools deployed by the FBI, it would be used pursuant to the appropriate legal process.”

VENDORS SPURN FBI COOPERATION
Major anti-virus vendors this week said they would not voluntarily cooperate with the FBI and said their products would continue to be updated to detect and prevent viruses, regardless of their origin, unless there was a legal order otherwise.
Leaving a hole for law-enforcement viruses would anger U.S. customers and alienate non-U.S. customers and governments, they said, adding that there had been no requests by the FBI to ignore any viruses.
The FBI set a precedent in a similar case by asking Internet service providers to install technology in their networks that would allow officials to secretly read criminal investigation targets’ e-mail.
While the FBI requires a court order to install its technology, formerly called Carnivore, some service providers reportedly comply voluntarily, while court orders are relatively easy to get, civil libertarians argue.

Given the hijacking attacks of Sept. 11, it is also conceivable that the U.S. government would enlist the aid of private companies to combat terrorism and help its war effort, said Michael Erbschloe, vice president of research at Computer Economics, which analyzes the impact of viruses.
“In previous wars, including World War II, the government had the power to call on companies to help, to commandeer the technology,” said Erbschloe, author of “Information Warfare: How to Survive Cyber Attacks.”
“If we were at war, the government would be able to require technology companies to cooperate, I believe, in a number of ways, including getting backdoor access to information and computer systems.”

Bongzilla

Echelon, Carnivore, TEMPEST, Calea... these are ones that we know about (and haven't even been officially acknowledged by the gov't) - think about the ones we don't.

Yes I know that some surveillance is necessary, but not things like Echelon which capture everybody's information and then filters it out. People and computers make mistake, and these will/have definitely be abused.

PsYcHoLoGiCaL

If they do ever start too use it, they shouldn at least be required to realease the source. Somthing they have refused to do with carnivore...

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"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." -- Thomas A. Edison

Ross

For those of you who aren't familiar with Echelon and its familiars, check out http://www.aclu.org/echelonwatch/networks.html. This is a great site for basic information about them.

KingChron

Yet another reason to be glad I live in Canada. Even if our government wanted to do something like that, they probably couldn't afford it.

Ross

You're not safe in Canada. First of all, every other country would still be monitoring you. Second of all, Canada has The Communications Security Establishment and the National Cryptologic Program...so you are still being watched

DoritosMan

Besides echelon filters everybody's stuff doesnt matter where you live. I read that the only thing cant scan is fiber optics.


Echelon scan this! *showing middle finger*

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another tasteless and odorless latin american

I pity the fool that dont use the search engine!

Herb Ninja

*Laughter of insanity fills the room* Everybody wants surveillance, now my job at a mom and pop pizza place, open for 12 years, never been robbed, has installed 4 video cameras and expect to install more. Trust is rare in this world. Privacy becoming more rare as well. We will not be driven by fear. Peace does not have flaws in my mind.

goldberry

You can protect your sensitive information from the government and others with encryption applications.

That way they'll be eavesdropping to something they don't understand.

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"Is our children learning?" George W. Bush

Logos

Encryption? Hell, they probably have programs or dolphins that can cut right through encryption at this point...

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The more I learn, the less I know. | Truth doesn't change, only our perception of it does.
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