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MSNBC has a story on the FBI's latest surveillance tool, "Magic Lantern", which inserts key logging software on subject's computers remotely (FBI software cracks encryption wall). Key logging software records every key stroke of the target computer, allowing eavesdroppers to know everything written on the computer, including passwords for encrypted documents. In the past, such software was installed manually, by covertly entering the suspects home or office to install the key logger. "Magic Lantern", purportedly, would be installed by getting a suspect to open an infected email attachment from a trusted individual. Such software should be easily detectable and blockable by anti-virus programs, according to an article in the New Scientist (FBI's "Trojan horse" program to grab passwords). Interestingly, McAfee, maker of popular virus-scanning software has offered to make sure that its programs do not detect the FBI's software according to the Washington Post (FBI Develops Eavesdropping Tools). ZDNet News files a report pointing out that this technology is not especially new or clever (FBI's magic revealed as old tricks). Many of the legal issues regarding standards for installing, monitoring and overseeing use of such software have barely been considered, let alone resolved.
Slashdot has been following this story closely:
July 30 — (Legal Challenge to FBI's Keystroke Sniffing)
Nov 20 — (Enhanced Carnivore To Crack Encryption Via Virus)
Nov 24 — (McAfee Will Ignore FBI Spyware).
UPDATE 1450 EST 27 Nov 2001
WIRED's Declan McCullagh reports McAfee's denial of contact with the FBI ('Lantern' Backdoor Flap Rages). Interestingly, there is a new virus running rampant that includes a key logging trojan. The Register notes how Windows Outlook users are affected (BadTrans virus bites Windows users hard).
Key logging has already raised a legal challenge:
The Electronic Privacy Information Center has excellent coverage of the case (United States v. Scarfo, Criminal No. 00-404 (D.N.J.)). One may also want to look into EPIC's Carnivore files (The Carnivore FOIA Litigation).
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