FBI Scarfs up Scarfo's PGP passphrase, Federal Court Case

The article's somewhat long, and has quotes by David Sobel of EPIC and various Feds. The Feds didn't have a wiretap warrant, only a search warrant, and black-bagged Scarfo's computer. "Armed only with a search warrant, the FBI broke into Scarfo's business and put either a program on his computer or an electronic bug in his keyboard - officials will not say which - and recorded everything typed by the son of the jailed former boss of the Philadelphia mob."

Date: Sat, 28 Jul 2001 17:51:46 -0500 Reply-To: Law & Policy of Computer Communications From: Robert Helmer Subject: FBI Surveillance of Computer Use

"By bugging a keyboard or using special software, FBI agents can remotely capture a computer user's every keystroke.

"With a black box, they can intercept e-mail from miles away.

"In a van parked outside, they secretly can recreate the pictures on a computer screen from its electromagnetic energy.

"The legal limits for these new investigative tools will get a test Monday when a federal court in New Jersey examines an allegedly mob-related case in which agents, without a wiretap order, recorded a suspect's computer keystrokes.

"Privacy experts are watching the case of Nicodemo S. Scarfo Jr. with great interest because it could bring major changes to investigative tactics in the online age."

http://cbsnews.com/now/story/0,1597,303859-412,00.shtml

Bob Helmer Webmaster Daily Rotation http://www.dailyrotation.com Shell Extension City http://www.shellcity.net St. Louis, Missouri

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