Judge rejects FBI's request to use 'extremely intrusive' hack tactic

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Judge rejects FBI's request to use 'extremely intrusive' hack tactic
http://rt.com/usa/judge-rejects-fbi-hack-tactic-422/

A federal judge in Texas has denied a Federal Bureau of Investigation request to move forward with an investigation tactic that would have tracked alleged hackers by turning a suspect’s computer into a surveillance agent.

In a 13-page explanation Houston magistrate Judge Stephen Smith eviscerated the FBI’s attempt to push an “extremely intrusive” tactic to track down someone who allegedly used his or her computer to commit federal bank fraud and identity theft.

Smith’s order denied the use of a so-called Trojan Horse tool investigators would have installed on a computer to override its operating system and use a webcam to take pictures of the suspect. The request also asked for permission to access the computer’s email contents, chat message logs, documents, pictures and passwords as well as Internet activity, according to Smith’s memorandum.

Known as a remote administration tool (RAT), hackers have previously used the method proposed by the FBI to spy on women through their computers and share stolen erotic pictures with hackers.

(More at the link.)