Motherboard: The DEA has been Secretly Buying/Using Hacking Tools from Hacking Team since 2012

Not surprising, but the details may be concerning to some: http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-dea-has-been-secretly-buying-hacking-tools-from-an-italian-company

"The software, known as Remote Control System or "RCS," is capable of intercepting phone calls, texts, and social media messages, and can surreptitiously turn on a user's webcam and microphone as well as collect passwords."

""The legal framework governing the use of such tools in the US is extremely unclear, meaning that the use of Hacking Team's spyware is potentially unlawful," Edin Omanovic, a researcher at Privacy International, told Motherboard."


Comments


[33 Points] None:

[deleted]


[12 Points] deluser:

This isn't a recent revelation, just more Vice clickbait. We've actually known since 2011 that the US was actively acquiring these tools. I'm sure they make extensive use of companies like Vupen to get the absolute latest and greatest too. We know the customers of FinFisher were primarily governments.

At the end of the day the tinfoil hat wearing crazies will always be right in their paranoia, you can never be too careful when the other player is a government entity with endless resources.


[5 Points] basshead555:

One thing the government doesn't understand is that they will have to pay one day for their abuses. No government is above the people and one day they will wake up and make you pay for what youve done


[3 Points] DNMDL:

The tool(s) used are called RATs, instead of RCSs typically (never heard of it called a RCS). I used to be involved in that stuff a year or so back for a bit of time. For a brief overview, a RAT (remote administrative tool) such as Darkcomet or Blackshades are very, very easy to get, and other, better ones are available for relatively small prices. They can give you access to basically every aspect of a 'victims' computer, remote shut off, lock, webcam, keylog, access password caches stored in the memory, and do stuff normal users typically wouldn't be able to do and view without said software. It's not necessarily called 'hacking', and lots of people in the community frown upon calling it that, since it's actually pretty easy, and takes minimal skill, unlike real 'hacking'.


[2 Points] ripndipp:

Good thing I got a piece of paper taped over my webcam top opsec.


[1 Points] Moth3rFuck3rJones:

I've done coke with DEA agents more time than I can remember. Those guys are same like us, just have got a little bit of government power. Same assholes though.

I was in a police academy before I was thrown out for violence....


[1 Points] None:

“The legal framework governing the use of such tools in the US is extremely unclear, meaning that the use of Hacking Team’s spyware is potentially unlawful,” Edin Omanovic

Could also mean it's potentially lawful.