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FBI wants easier process to hack suspects’ computers
Washington Post ^ | May 9, 2014 | Ellen Nakashima

Posted on 05/10/2014 6:35:30 AM PDT by Seizethecarp

The Justice Department is seeking a change in criminal rules that would make it easier for the FBI to obtain warrants to hack into suspects’ computers for evidence when the computer’s physical location is unknown — a problem that officials say is increasing as more and more crime is conducted online with tools to conceal identity.

But the proposal, which was posted for public comment on a U.S. court Web site Friday, is raising concerns among privacy advocates who see it as expanding the power of federal agents to insert malware on computers, which they say could weaken overall Internet security.

At issue is a question more fundamental than whether a judge has jurisdiction to issue a warrant, said Nathan Freed Wessler, a staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union. “The overarching concern is that it’s unclear whether it is ever allowable under the Fourth Amendment to conduct these kinds of searches, sending out zero-day vulnerabilities over the Internet and weakening Internet security for everybody,” he said, referring to a type of computer software flaw that can be exploited to gain access to someone’s computer.

Wessler said that if investigators do not know where a computer is, it would be difficult for them to assure a judge that they are targeting the right computer. In a 2012 Colorado case, agents made an error in the e-mail address they were targeting, which could have resulted in the hacking software being sent to an innocent person, he said. He added that remote searches can end up revealing highly private information, beyond what investigators describe.

Another reason why Smith rejected the warrant application was what he described as the “extremely intrusive” nature of the FBI’s proposed search, which included activating a computer’s built-in camera.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Government
KEYWORDS: doj; ericholder; fbi; obama

1 posted on 05/10/2014 6:35:30 AM PDT by Seizethecarp
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To: Seizethecarp

“It’s not Fascism when we do it” - the FBI.


2 posted on 05/10/2014 6:38:46 AM PDT by kiryandil (turning Americans into felons, one obnoxious drunk at a time (Zero Tolerance!!!))
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To: Seizethecarp

Cuidado America!!!


3 posted on 05/10/2014 6:52:47 AM PDT by Don Corleone ("Oil the gun..eat the cannoli. Take it to the Mattress.")
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To: Seizethecarp

The American people want easier access into all the emails between Lois Lerner and the White House.

The American people want easier access into all the emails related to Benghazi between Hillary Clinton and the White House.

The American people want easier access into all the emails of Eric Holder and the White House.

F U FBI!


4 posted on 05/10/2014 6:57:48 AM PDT by unixfox (Abolish Slavery, Repeal the 16th Amendment)
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To: Seizethecarp

Who is protecting us from these guys?


5 posted on 05/10/2014 7:44:29 AM PDT by Fido969 (What's sad is most)
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To: kiryandil
“It’s not Fascism when we do it” - the FBI.

If the FBI turns this country into a totalitarian hellhole, what exactly are they 'protecting' us from?

6 posted on 05/10/2014 8:11:26 AM PDT by GOPJ ( Are we finally going to get a smidgen of truth? - - Freeper Veto!)
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To: Seizethecarp; COUNTrecount; Nowhere Man; FightThePower!; C. Edmund Wright; jacob allen; ...

Nut-job Conspiracy Theory Ping!

To get onto The Nut-job Conspiracy Theory Ping List you must threaten to report me to the Mods if I don't add you to the list...

7 posted on 05/10/2014 8:21:34 AM PDT by null and void ( They don't think think they are above the law. They think they are the law.)
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To: null and void

and the pogroms just keep coming


8 posted on 05/10/2014 9:14:43 AM PDT by Nifster
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To: Seizethecarp

We’ll be making progress once we really understand that FedGov is the actual enemy. They have no respect for us and will destroy you or anyone you know with any means at their disposal if they get an itch to.


9 posted on 05/10/2014 9:40:11 AM PDT by zeugma (Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened - Dr. Seuss (I'll see you again someday Hope))
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To: Seizethecarp

I’m a conservative and I’m proud
I used to be alone in a crowd
But now you look around these days
There seems to be a conservative craze!
I’m a suspect, he’s a suspect, she’s a suspect
We’re a suspect, wouldn’t you like to be a suspect, too?


10 posted on 05/10/2014 11:40:49 AM PDT by bgill
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