Are UK Police Hacking File-Sharers' Computers? 177
superglaze writes "Following its takedown earlier this week of the music blog RnBXclusive, the UK's Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) has claimed that "a number of site users have deleted their download histories" in response. Given that the site didn't host copyright-infringing files itself, how do they know? We've asked, but SOCA refuses to discuss its methods. A security expert has pointed out that, if they were hacking using Trojans, the police would themselves have been breaking the law. Added fun fact: SOCA readily admits that the scare message it showed visitors to the taken-down site was written 'with input from industry.'"
Browser exploits? (Score:5, Informative)
Perhaps they were using browser exploits to determine if people had cleared their history or cache. Most (all?) of the major browsers used to allow Javascript to detect if links had been visited, so it could check known pages on the site to see if they had been accessed. Similarly the server can tell if files are in the browser's cache because it doesn't re-download them.
Combine that information with IP address logs and you know... well, nothing actually, but if the message they posted on the site is anything to go by they either don't understand that or are just lying deliberately. My guess is that this claim is the latter.
If you look at the site now the threats have been removed, like someone told them to stop breaking the law themselves. The result of IPCC complaints probably.
So write them a letter if you are not in the UK (Score:4, Informative)
So write them a letter if you are not in the UK
http://www.soca.gov.uk/contact-soca/complaints [soca.gov.uk]
I personally linked the definition of terrorism ( http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terrorism [merriam-webster.com] ) in my e-mail and called them out on their terrorist actions
Sure, it's non-violent terrorism.. but it STILL IS terrorism....
Re:Browser exploits? (Score:2, Informative)
Besides which, last I checked even the domain-specific js snoop didn't work anymore in FF or Chrome.
Given that they both basically keep themselves up-to-date, I don't think you could ever reliably say anything about hit rates. And certainly not well enough to claim people are actively clearing their histories.
No idea on IE, but no matter how you cut it, it's most likely total bullshit. More scare tactics from scumbags.
Re:So write them a letter if you are not in the UK (Score:5, Informative)
Re:history (Score:3, Informative)
I dunno,
Firefox has this creepy new dashboard on New Tabs that shows parts of your history, and it's semi-permanent-sorta even if you delete parts of your history in the settings. I didn't do any exhaustive research, just that I noticed a top level partial history delete didn't work. All I'm saying is that stuff like the new Google data-merge is gonna intersect eventually with the cops/govt spreading their fear campaigns.
Re:Remember: The police are allowed to lie to you (Score:4, Informative)
No - do not remember that because it isn't true.
The police in the UK are not allowed to lie to you in an interview. Lying to a suspect in order to elicit information is an example of "oppression" and is grounds for the evidence obtained to be struck out.
And before someone responds with "ah, but that doesn't stop them doing it before the interview" - interview, in this context, is defined very widely in UK law. I don't think you could engineer a situation in which you could lie to the suspect without it becoming part of the interview.
Re:Remember: The police are allowed to lie to you (Score:4, Informative)