What We Know About the FBI's CIPAV Spyware 207
StonyandCher writes "What is CIPAV? CIPAV stands for 'Computer and Internet Protocol Address Verifier'; a lengthy term for powerful spyware the Federal Bureau of Investigation can bring to bear on web-based crime. It was used last month in a case where someone was emailing bomb threats regularly to a Washington high school. An affidavit by an FBI agent revealed some of the workings of CIPAV. 'According to the court filing, this is [some of] what the CIPAV collects from the infected computer: IP address, Media Access Control address for the network card, List of open TCP and UDP ports, List of running programs ... Last visited URL. Once that initial inventory is conducted, the CIPAV slips into the background and silently monitors all outbound communication, logging every IP address to which the computer connects, and time and date stamping each.' In a Computerworld article, the author attempts to dissect CIPAV's purpose and raises a number of questions such as: What happens to the data the CIPAV collects? Does the CIPAV capture keystrokes? Can the CIPAV spread on its own to other computers, either purposefully or by accident? Does it erase itself after its job is done?"
address is 192.168.0.100 (Score:4, Funny)
It most do a trace route/phone home or somthing to actually get a useful address
Nice acronym but... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:does it... (Score:5, Funny)
"Mr. Gman from Quantico, VA has sent you an eGreetingCard from Flowers By Irene! Just open this P.D.F. file to view..."
Re:The real threat of "government spyware" (Score:3, Funny)
What happens to the data collected? (Score:3, Funny)
Duh.
Re:The real threat of "government spyware" (Score:3, Funny)
No, but that would be awsome. Maybe some of the open source antivirus kits out there (I know there's at least one) should use that as the name if they ever manage to get a signature of CIPAV.
Re:But how do they install it?!?! (Score:2, Funny)
Yes.
Comment removed (Score:4, Funny)
Let's check... (Score:5, Funny)
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: Couldn't find package cipav
Whew, safe!
Yes... millions of taxpayer dollars have been... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:does it... (Score:1, Funny)
Re:The real threat of "government spyware" (Score:1, Funny)
Re:address is 192.168.0.100 (Score:5, Funny)
It most do a trace route/phone home or somthing to actually get a useful address
As opposed to the guy at 127.0.0.1! I hacked into his machine once, but that bastard had some sort of active defense daemon running that wiped my drive at the same time I was trying to wipe his!
Fortunately, I was able to see the porno pics of his wife before I was hit. Man! That bitch was FUGLY!
Re:Do they still get spam? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:But how do they install it?!?! (Score:3, Funny)
try{
getTarget().addUncostitutionalSpyware();
}
catch (SomebodyFoundOutException e){
getTarget().accuse( new Excuse( Excuse.paedophile , Excuse.terrorist ));
}
finally{
profit();
}
Re:Zombie or not, one specimen WILL be found. (Score:3, Funny)
Brody: The CIPAV is a source of unspeakable power and it has to be researched!
Eaton: And it will be, I assure you Dr. Brody, Dr. Jones. We have top men working on it right now.
Jones: Who?
Eaton: Top men.
Re:does it... (Score:4, Funny)
oh no - it's going to have Ajax and a drop shadow!
This is Slashdot, people! (Score:2, Funny)
Re:does it... (Score:2, Funny)