Feds Thwart Extortion Plot Against Best Buy 942
hiero writes "From an article
in the Star Tribune: 'Federal authorities said Tuesday they thwarted an extortion plot against Best Buy Co. Inc. by a man who sent the company an e-mail threatening to expose what he claimed were weaknesses in the retailer's computer system unless he was paid $2.5 million.' What's really interesting to me, though, is this paragraph further on in the article: 'The federal search warrant was obtained the morning of Oct. 24 and allowed the FBI, with Best Buy's cooperation, to use an Internet device known as an Internet Protocol Address Verifier. It contained a program that automatically sent back a response to Best Buy after the company sent a message to the e-mail address. The response allowed investigators to identify Ray as the sender of the e-mail threats, according to the government.' Internet Protocol Address Verifier? Is this Carnivore in action?"
I think... (Score:5, Funny)
Blogzine [blogzine.net]
No Wonder (Score:5, Funny)
Internet Protocol Address Verifier ... (Score:4, Funny)
It all makes sense now! (Score:1, Funny)
Note to extortionists... (Score:4, Funny)
Make sure you turn off Message Disposition Notification in your e-mail client.
Just do not let (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Web bug (Handy for job application e-mails) (Score:5, Funny)
Yes, it's very interesting. For example, here's the log of all the machines who accessed my web bug when applied for a job at the DHS:
frontdesk.dhs.gov
hr.dhs.gov
check.dhs.gov
c
check.irs.org
it.dhs.org
counterte
legal.dhs.org
submitsubpoena.aol
bust.usmarshals.gov
brb 2 secs, someone's at the door...
Re:I think... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Verifier (Score:2, Funny)
Re:If he had used spammer techniques.. (Score:2, Funny)
Wait until he actually received the payment ... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:U.S. government surveillance (Score:5, Funny)
Huh. It reminded me of Stalin and Beria and the NKVD, but you're right, better we should take our lessons from space opera than from history.
In Imperial Coruscant, history takes lessons from YOU!
Re:IP Address Verifier == web bug (Score:4, Funny)
Methinks that would be marketing speak for an HTML mail with a web bug (1x1 transparent pixel image loaded from remote server). If the 'villain' is using a mail program that displays HTML, his IP address is logged.
The villain didn't of course use any mail program but some generic webmail address (most likely outside the US). The lesson? Use Lynx to read your webmail when extorting Best Buy.
Re:If you break in to someone's system (Score:5, Funny)
hey! just like my computer!
</obligatory karma whoring>
Re:I think... (Score:4, Funny)
Sivaram Velauthapillai
As opposed to... (Score:5, Funny)
As opposed to a big company who tries to extort us to use Outlook?
Belongs on America's Dumbest (Score:5, Funny)
1. Rob Taco Bell right after filling out job appication and interview. Be arrested when cops show up at your address on the application.
2. Send extortion/blackmail emails using MS-Outlook from your normal ISP account. Be busted when FBI sends email using marketing tool like Neighborhood Email or eZine Manager. FBI is too embarassed to admit they used an e-newsletter tool and come up with the "ip address verifier" device.
3. Shoplift naked. Be arrested when cop identifies the incredibly stupid butcher's meat chart tatoo when streaking through campus on a dare.
4. Keep crack pipe, crack and lighter in glove box. Be arrested when you see a billboard advising "Drug checkpoint next exit" and begin throwing crack, lighter and pipe out the window while police are video taping looking for people throwing drugs and paraphanellia out the window.
Re:What are you supposed to do? (Score:3, Funny)
2... wait
3... PROFFIT
Its good, we have no need for privacy. (Score:2, Funny)
A great use for Internet Protocol Address Verifier (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Please Think Before Exposing Paranoia (Score:5, Funny)
This example of the counter-"point" is brought to you by the citizens for people thinking first before typing. Thank you.
you owe me (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Uhh... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:However, a bug says: "you're being bugged" (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Internet Protocol Address Verifier? Pfft... (Score:3, Funny)
He should have, too. :p
Re:IP Address Verifier == web bug (Score:1, Funny)
I know what he was doing (Score:4, Funny)
Re:I think... (Score:5, Funny)
By the time it starts loading, the damage is already done.
Re:I think... (Score:2, Funny)
/me takes a moment to hug his Thunderbird.
Why, are you in the extortion business?Re:Belongs on America's Dumbest (Score:3, Funny)
I FOR ONE (Score:2, Funny)
Re:I think... (Score:5, Funny)
Ye... oooh, nice try feds! Almost got me on that one!
internet protocol address verifier source code (Score:3, Funny)
ping -l 666 -n 666 special.host.at.bestbuy.com
fsckin' DUH!
Canivore for the feds? I'm starting an open source project to hold my valuable IPAV app's intellectual property and I'm going to call it Moronivore
It *is* a troll, but its clever - please mod up
Here is the IP Address Verifier source code (Score:3, Funny)
#!/bin/bash
usage()
{
[ "$1" ] && echo "$0: $*" >&2
echo "Usage: $0 " >&2
exit 1
}
[ "$1" ] || usage "You must supply the criminal's email address"
email=$1
domain=${email##*@}
mxname=$(host -t mx "$domain" | sed -ne 's/.* \(.*\)/\1/p')
mxaddr=$(host -t a "$mxname" | sed -ne 's/.* \(.*\)/\1/p')
netblock=$(whois "$mxaddr"|sed -ne 's/[^(]*(\([^)]*\).*/\1/p|tail -1)
netowner=$(whois "$netblock")
echo "Your next step is to issue a subpoena against the following party - probably an ISP."
echo "They need to give you the current user of the IP address $mxaddr."
echo "(This may very well point back to the same ISP)."
echo "This party, in turn, must turn over the identity of the email account
echo "$netowner"
Re:I think... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I think... (Score:1, Funny)
heh.
-j