Hacker Builds a Dark Net Version of the FBI Tip Form 41
Daniel_Stuckey writes A London-based programmer has set up a new hidden service for anyone using Tor to submit anonymous tips to the FBI. With the new .onion hidden service link, which accesses the FBI's tips page through a reverse proxy, Mustafa Al-Bassam told me in an IRC chat that he's engineered a "proof-of-concept," demonstrating how the bureau might go about setting up a more secure system for receiving crime tips.
Epic Fail (Score:2, Funny)
but adds no additional security beyond just visiting the FBI’s tips page over a Tor connection.
So. Some guy sets up a Tor link to a webpage:
- Gets his own news story
- Gets "Hacker" status
Lol....Epic slow news day.
Re: (Score:1)
It depends on the tip if they investigate it or not.
A single tip may not be a case for action, but it may still be useful to raise awareness of that something is going on.
If more than one indication comes in then the tip may be useful.
Romanes eunt domus (Score:3)
2. The FBI is not in the business of law enforcement. [msnbc.com] Go find somebody that cares. Good luck.
Re: (Score:1)
Terrorism is defined as the attempt to change public policy by means other than voting (which does NOT work BY DESIGN).
Eff-Tee-Eff-Wye
Re: (Score:1)
Alternately, if the tip is about someone they are already interested in, it doesn't matter if the info comes from someone anonymous and/or if the information is even marginally truthful or accurate, they will still present it to a judge as fact to get a warrant they couldn't get before.
Re: Epic Fail (Score:1)
Lol, you won't even know who he is... Ever heard of tflow?
The FBI does not want Anonymous tips (Score:1)
I do not any law agency really wants anonymous tips. They want a way to track you down for one reason or another.
Re: (Score:3)
I do not any law agency really wants anonymous tips. They want a way to track you down for one reason or another.
I see where your coming from :)
Dear FBI,
I heard that Santa is abusing his gnomes at Xmas time by not paying the minimum wage.
I also have proof that he is using Amazon Logistics instead of chimneys.
Please investigate this. I simply dont have any more room in my recycling bin for more cardboard.
Yours Sincerely,
Mr. Anonymous
Re: (Score:1)
your != you're
Re: (Score:1)
I also hate it when you'retards your their you'res.
Re: (Score:1)
your != you're
American English != British English
Great resource for the kidnapped! (Score:1)
If I am ever kidnapped, I will be sure to remember this!
I can use Tor to post an "anonymous" tip, and then the FBI can rescue me quickly!
Maybe I cant get surreptitious Internet access, I can convince the kidnappers to use the Tip site to taunt the FBI! Get them to think I'm on their side. "Hey we can use TOR to tell the FBI how badly f*cked-up they are!
Re: (Score:1)
Didn't you watch 'Scorpion'? The FBI can track your movements via your IP address. Just use a wi-fi tablet/laptop daily.
Does anyone remember the Tv. show 'Whiz kids', shown at prime-time viewing? Firstly, it was a detective show for tweenies, so there wasn't a lot of danger to the teenage characters. Like 'X-files' years later, there wasn't any character development. But the worst part, was the idea of every piece of information they needed could be found on a computer. It was so unrealistic, as was t
Antithetical (Score:3, Interesting)
Anonymity is complete antithetical to what the the FBI and most other "law enforcement" agencies want, to know everything about everybody for all time so that their jobs are easier. At the same time they want the general public to know next to nothing about their activities beyond that they are "working for the common good/have everything under control". This is of course no way to run a free society and as such there are rules (or there are at least supposed to be) limiting their behavior. I'm not sure anonymous tips are compatible with a free society, they encourage flagrant abuses, such as officers submitting their own tips to attempt an end run around the fourth amendment and people with axes to grind submitting false/misleading tips against those whom they dislike.
Re: (Score:2)
Actually I imagine most law enforcement"agencies would love securely anonymous tips: They get clues from people who might be too afraid to come out publicly, which would cut down on "yet another gang murder in the middle of a crowded street where nobody saw anything" situations, while also allowing them to submit their own anonymous tips when they need to bureaucratically bolster their intuition. The possibilities for abuse are of course astounding, but that doesn't seem to bother the SWAT teams currentl
Re: (Score:3)
But if you're going to kick in the door and shoot the dog you'd better damn well have a warrant based on something a lot more substantial than an anonymous tip.
The anonymous tip just needs to mention the suspects are black.
Re: (Score:2)
As a free society of course we should recognize that potential for abuse and make sure anonymous tips can't be used as justification for any but the most non-invasive of actions. Get a tip that there's a meth lab operating at 123 Xyz street? Send an officer to walk past and do a sniff test, maybe even knock on the door and sell them some tickets to the policemen's ball to get a better look around. But if you're going to kick in the door and shoot the dog you'd better damn well have a warrant based on someth
Re: (Score:2)
Nope, no exceptions. A warrant should *always* be required for invasive action. An anonymous tip by its very nature is not any form of evidence. Breaking in someone's door because of an anonymous tip throws the door wide open to witch hunts without any repercussions to the accuser. Every kidnapping that occurs would be open season for anyone who wanted to SWAT their enemies.
Maybe, *maybe*, you could get a legitimate warrant based on an anonymous tip if that tip contained enough independently verifiable d
Re: (Score:2)
A warrant should *always* be required for invasive action.
I'd actually said a warrant should always be required. I'm just musing about when one might be actually granted based on an anonymous tip.
An anonymous tip by its very nature is not any form of evidence.
Its is evidence. There should be due consideration that it could be an outright fabrication, that it was obtained illegally, that the police themselves may have called it in, etc. But it IS evidence.
. In your kidnapping case if having a name/address/
Re: (Score:2)
Perhaps my choice of words was sub-optimal, butf you need a warrant to go on patrol you'll completely debase the warrant-issuing system. Warrants are necessary when an officer is doing something that would otherwise be illegal - mostly stuff invasive to your constitutionally protected civil rights.
evidence: (noun) the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid.
An anonymous tip is *information*, but due to the totally unverifiable nature of its source
Re: (Score:2)
are you implying that parallel construction is anything but a bedrock of modern policing? Cmon man, even the supreme court ruled it was 'constitutional' -- we live in a society filled with bad actors at every turn who will victimize you at some point. Let's not make their job easier by handcuffing the FBI/police with needless due process :(
Brilliant (Score:4, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
it's a wet dream for parallel construction though. the beauty of an anonymous tip is that the FBI could tip themselves off, and 'investigate it' without having to divulge how that intel was gathered, where it came from, or who submitted it.
the fact that they aren't jumping all over this makes me kind of happy actually.
Re: (Score:2)
It shows the authorities how TOR can be used in their favor...
But ... but ... what if we want to waterboa^H^H^H chat with the "informant"?
... Why do you continue to look at me like that? :-)
After all, if he's willing to betray his friends, how can we continue to trust him without sharing a little drink once in a while?
Back on topic: yes, but you assume that the people in control (a) WANT Tor in a good light, (b) don't want their department to get tainted with the "evil Tor" stigma, and (c) actually understand what's going on.
Strike that last one, the people right UNDERNEATH the people on top know how things work; the people on top know how people work.
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Paranoid? I'm not paranoid.
As Admiral Ackbar said... (Score:2)
"It's a trap!" ;)