FBI uses secret software to catch hoaxer

WIRED MAGAZINE claimed that the FBI are using secret surveillance malware that was successful in tracking a school kid who was making bomb threats against his school.

The threats against Timberline High School near Seattle were made on an anonymous MySpace profile. The spooks managed to convince the owner to install some snooping software on his computer. The result was that 15-year-old Josh Glazebrook ended up in court admitting charges of making bomb threats, identity theft and felony harassment.

Glazebrook made the threats in the name of another student and only actually delivered on a promise of a denial of service attack against the school.

At the heart of the Untouchables software is something that Wired called a "computer and internet protocol address verifier," or CIPAV.

Basically it is malware which records the IP address, MAC address of ethernet cards, a list of open TCP and UDP ports, running programs, operating system type, version and serial number, default internet browser and version, the registered user of the operating system, and registered company name and the current logged-in user name.

It then secretly monitors the computer's internet use, logging every IP address to which the machine connects. It periodically phones home.

Since it does not capture the content of the communications it does not require the spooks to get a wiretap warrant.

Glazebrook was sentenced Monday to 90 days inside and will be on probation for two years. More here. µ