Controversy Builds Over Magic Lantern -

[Remote_Access_]

Greetings everyone. I've decided to post another follow up to the magic lantern. This article is from Http://www.hideaway.net
A reliable source of information. The story is as follows:

30/11/2001 Controversy Builds Over Magic Lantern -

Last week we reported on the FBI's new surveillance tool "Magic Lantern" - a trojan horse that logs a suspect's keystrokes and sends them to law enforcement authorities. Controversy has
http://www.silicon.com/public/door?6...R1=silicon.com

emerged over how Anti-Virus software will respond to the software. It doesn't do the FBI much good if the suspect's virus scanner blocks Magic Lantern. McAfee and Symantec have both reportedly
http://www.wired.com/news/conflict/0,2100,48648,00.html made arrangements to keep their virus scanners from detecting it, while Sophos and other vendors have taken the stance that malware is malware and exceptions cannot be made. What's frightening is that hackers could obtain (or simulate) copies of Magic Lantern and modify them for their own use - if the most popular virus scanners don't detect them, this could be disastrous.


Good Day,
Remote_Access_

[GrimMan]

That's a good point, if mainstay security progs like Norton and McAffee let it through, there's trouble...because most school, business, and personal systems use those more mainstream types.
But hackers shouldn't need to steal a copy of the FBI version to cause trouble, since keyloggers are easy to find, and it can't be too difficult to put one in a trojan.
Has the FBI said anything about how they plan to keep this out of 'enemy hands', so to speak?

[[WebCarnage]]

What's frightening is that hackers could obtain (or simulate) copies of Magic Lantern and modify them for their own use - if the most popular virus scanners don't detect them, this could be disastrous.

Yeah, that would be disasterous, but what I would like to know is. Will the FBI install a copy of Magic Lantern to every online "american" user? Because when I was watching Tech TV the other day and they said it was to find usernames and passwords to only malacious 'hackers'. But how will they know which 'hackers' to install the software to. I'm sure they have ways, it's just a thought.

An idea is that they could just place the trojan keylogger in the next update of AOL or something (which the majority of users in America use i'm guessing...thank God I don't). Because I get their CD's all the time, some unsuspecting user would just place it on their tray and plug-'n-play.

[Focmaester]

I am allmost certain that if Mcafee and Norton don't add Magic Lantern in their dat files that the cdc or other organizations will release programs to fight the virus.

[Remote_Access_]

I am allmost certain that if Mcafee and Norton don't add Magic Lantern in their dat files that the cdc or other organizations will release programs to fight the virus.

Or CDC and other orginizations may release programs SIMILAR to the virus, and result in cha0s. :sly:

Remote_Access_

[s0nIc]

hmm the question is.. Does the FBI ever though of the possibility that the Magic Lantern can fall into the wrong hands? Im sure Magic Lantern would be one on the top of the list for the script kiddies coz finally they can have a script thats undetectable.. not to mention crackers...

Or maybe the FBI dont care.. need less to say the FBI isnt that trust worthy enuff coz they just have "govt conspiracy" written all over their faces..

[GrimMan]

Or CDC and other orginizations may release programs SIMILAR to the virus

See, I'd think the same thing. I'm sure various security organizations, both mainstream and otherwise, will end up releasing fairly similair programs...not to mention countless hacker groups altering the actual lantern, or making new versions, and releasing it as well...turning the net into a veritable minefield until software appears to fight this crap.
-Grim

[darkes]

Well, I've spoken on this before, but I'm not at all convinced that it would make any sense for McAfee/Symantec to allow that to happen. How long would you expect to keep that a secret? Surely you don't believe that something like that will not get detected. After all you are making the assumption that all suspects that you somehow manage to infect do not know anything about this sort of thing, which seems very naiive to me!
As a business/home user would you continue to use/recommend compromised software -I can't think of a better reason to recommend an AV company that did catch the virus

In a sense this is one of the strong features of the net - nobody, not even the US, can control what happens in the entire world.
There are many companies located outside the US, who I'm sure would be delighted to see this sort of thing happen

[Focmaester]

Originally posted by Remote_Access_


Or CDC and other orginizations may release programs SIMILAR to the virus, and result in cha0s. :sly:

Remote_Access_

Well I don't think so buddy, just because they released Backorifice doesn't mean they are bad. CDC works on several projects including peakabooty.
Peakabooty will make sure people in countries like China or where the people are pressured etc. are able to view anything off the net despite that most info is blocked for "pornographic reasons"

[Remote_Access_]

Well that may be YOUR opinion but who's to say if they will for sure or not? Have you visited http://www.cdc.com lately?

Remote_Access_