Posted on 01/05/2002 11:15:47 AM PST by Gimlet
Perhaps thats the idea. FBI spread it as an element of a worldwide virus (complete with statements from the FBI and other government agencies). We would be none the wiser.
Im not saying they would do it this way, but its possible.
B61 Thermonuclear bomb
Pantex nuclear storage site
NSA, Fort Meade, Maryland
CIA, Langley, Virginia
NORAD
imminent attack
suitcase nuke
Waterford 3 nuclear power plant
South Texas Nuclear plant
Fortunately for some of us, we don't use the predominant operating system out there and thus have a bit more control over what comes in or out of our systems. This is not a fool-proof method of evading Fedgov's huge appetite for data though, it just makes it a little harder for them as it's harder to infect a properly configured BSD, Linux, or other OS that has user and system space separated properly.
I can tell you for certain that once the signatures of these probes are identified, I'll have them incorporated into my IDS and set up to make a =really= large racket when Fedgov probes are underway against someone on my network segment. The DOS (Denial Of Service) possibilities that will be opened up once the systems where keyboard logging info is sent will be funny to watch to say the least. There are a number of us nerds out there who going to do our best to throw monkey-wrenches into Fedgov attempts to monitor any unplusdoublebadthought that might be out here.
That's not even taking into account the incredibly poor way that most Fedgov (and stategov) networks are secured. Just wait until either citizens or hostile powers decide that what is good for the goose is also good for the gander.
I'm disappointed, but not suprised at all that Fedgov has come to the conclusion that their ability to ferret out information whenevewr they deem it necessary trumps any right to privacy that we, as citizens otherwise would have.
A couple weeks ago, I think my wife opened an e-mail attachment with a virus.
Now my ZoneAlarm never shuts down the net like it should, and every once in a while, I get a message...do you want to allow Windows Explorer to access the net?
Problem is, Wind Expl isn't even open.
Anyone have any ideas?
I don't really have a need for encryption and ultra privacy but, if I did, I'd do all of my composition and encryption on an off-line computer, copy the results to a disk and transmit it over the internet as an e-mail attachment. The only keystrokes detected would be those required to construct a bare-bones letter of transmittal, attach the file and transmit.
FD
Ever since my wife opened an e-mail attachment, something is holding my firewall open. Any ideas what it could be?
Im not saying they would do it this way, but its possible..."
I don't understand what you're saying here.
Honestly, no. It sounds as though something is wrong though.
I'm just a user of this technology, not an authority on it. We have some very competent people in our midst at FR who might be of much more help to you than I can be.
As a 'Zonealarm' user myself, I'd be interested to hear an authoritative reply to your question.
No worries. Essentially, I think it would be incredibly easy to get programs such as 'Magic Lantern' into computer operating systems.
Say... a new virus for example that spreads easily and quickly. Depends on how the program is written into the system, but we would never know its there.
If the operating system software were intentionally compromised with spyware, 'right out of the box' it might well be possible to get quite a base established before the inevitable happened, and it was discovered.
Of course, when such a thing were discovered, it would be a marketplace body-blow (if not death sentence) to the company that produced and distributed it.
And it's possible that remote tampering can be done to those users who use software like 'Outlook', with know vulnerabilities in this area... That's what I hear, anyway. I don't use it, or know anybody who does, but presumably there are some people who do.
My guess is that, if the computer operator observes proper security measures (no opening of e-mail attachments or file downloads, combined with the use of a firewall) while using the net and email, and the FBI doesn't 'black-bag' him, (obtain physical access to the machine and install spyware directly on it) that the technology doesn't (at least currently) exist to install spyware remotely onto that machine.
If there are those who differ in opinion, I'd be interested in their take on the specific methods and vulnerabilities that could be exploited to accomplish this.
Could you please ping me if someone comes up with the info? Id like to know the answers to your questions.
Could you please ping me if someone comes up with the info? Id like to know the answers to your questions.
Could you please ping me if someone comes up with the info? Id like to know the answers to your questions.
No problem.
Actually, I'm surprised this thread isn't 60 posts long at this point, with solid information.
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