CYBERWAR: Government Internet Snooping: Out of Control?

[Jei]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 14:53:03 -0600
From: mark hopkins <markhopkins at mindless.com>
Reply-To: osint at yahoogroups.com
To: OSINT <osint at yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [osint] CYBERWAR: Government Internet Snooping: Out of Control?


Rizzn's Wartime Factbook: http://factbook.diaryland.com/
The Best UAV: http://www.unmannedaircraft.com
> http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/15364.html
>
> Government Internet Snooping: Out of Control?
>
> By Jay Lyman
> www.NewsFactor.com,
> Part of the NewsFactor Network
> December 18, 2001
>
> Despite an unwillingness to criticize the government and its Magic Lantern
> plans, most antivirus experts assert that no computer worm is a good worm.
>
> While no one wants to stand in the way of the U.S. government and its use
of
> technology to tackle terrorism, privacy advocates and security experts
> continue to express the same low-tech concerns -- that oversight of
> government snooping is inadequate and that the United States has proven it
> cannot keep the information it collects safe.
>
> Law enforcement officials have received even broader powers thanks to
recent
> antiterrorism legislation, such as the PATRIOT Act and cyber-terrorism
laws,
> which allows wider application of electronic surveillance with less
> obtrusive warrant requirements.
>
> Civil libertarians have focused much of their attention on the Federal
> Bureau of Investigation's e-mail scanning DCS1000, better known as
> Carnivore, and its deployment on large Internet service provider (ISP)
> networks.
>
> In addition, the FBI admitted last week that it is developing a computer
> worm capable of recording and transmitting data to investigators -- the
> project called "Magic Lantern."
> http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/15301.html
>
> New Tech, Old Problems
>
> Despite an unwillingness to criticize the government and its Magic Lantern
> plans, most antivirus experts assert that no computer worm is a good worm.
>
> Concerns center on a lack of control over a virus on the Internet and the
> fear that Magic Lantern, which the government reportedly plans to ask
> antivirus vendors to allow through their security screens, would provide
an
> attack avenue for other viruses that emulate it.
>
> Electronic Privacy Information Center legislative counsel Chris Hoofnagle
> told NewsFactor Network that regardless of the technology -- Carnivore,
> Magic Lantern or anything else -- the same concerns apply.
>
> "The FBI has always underestimated the amount of process they need, which
is
> natural -- it's a zealous defense of law enforcement," he said. "What
review
> or court oversight will the FBI deem appropriate for the use of new
> technology? The challenge is keeping the FBI honest about the amount of
> court oversight."
>
> Beyond Government
>
> Hoofnagle also expressed concern that any technology used by the
government
> is likely to make its way into the hands of non-government individuals as
> well as foreign governments.
>
> "These surveillance techniques are not limited to the American
government,"
> he said. "That needs to be thought through."
>
> Hoofnagle argued for privacy protections, adding that government
> technologies -- such as Carnivore, which was discovered after its mention
> during an FBI trade show address -- are difficult to uncover.
>
> "There is not a general way to figure out what the government or National
> Security Agency might be developing on their own," Hoofnagle said. "So you
> never know what's going on out there."
>
> Insecure With Uncle Sam
>
> http://www.securityfocus.com/
> Security Focus incident analyst Ryan Russell told NewsFactor that in
> addition to privacy concerns, there is a mistrust of government and its
> handling of personal or sensitive information.
>
>
> "Nobody's real thrilled with the government's record of securing its own
> stuff," Russell said. "Even if you're not worried about abuse of
authority,
> what about the computer the stuff is actually stored on? Is it going to be
> stored on one of the computers the [General Accounting Office] keeps
> faulting?"
>
> Holding the Keys
>
> Russell said that while the security community is predominately opposed to
> giving government the keys to encryption, a better model is to have
private
> companies hold secure data and provide law enforcement with access to it.
>
> Both Russell and Hoofnagle said the biggest concern for computer users is
> probably the fact that recent legislation has established lighter warrant
> requirements for e-mail and Internet surveillance.
>
> "Once the U.S. Attorney certifies that the application of Carnivore is
> relevant to an ongoing investigation, the judge's discretion stops,"
> Hoofnagle said.
>
> "We're always skeptical, we're always questioning. 'Trust us' isn't
> sufficient."
>


------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Tiny Wireless Camera under $80!
Order Now! FREE VCR Commander!
Click Here - Only 1 Day Left!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/75YKVC/7.PDAA/ySSFAA/TySplB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->

--------------------------
Brooks Isoldi, editor
bisoldi at intellnet.org

http://www.intellnet.org

  Post message: osint at yahoogroups.com
  Subscribe:    osint-subscribe at yahoogroups.com
  Unsubscribe:  osint-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com 

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/