The
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is able to remotely listen to and record
audio from Google Android devices and personal computers (PCs).
According to a new report
in the Wall Street Journal the agency controls hacking tools that offer spyware and other malware
software options for hacking consumer and business devices.The report suggests that
the FBI only uses its hacking tools under court order. The tools are used only
when normal wiretapping can not be accomplished for whatever reason.The FBI calls the process
“going dark” and it involves purchased hacking tools and a set of FBI created
options.
A former security expert
for the FBI tells the WSJ that the FBI “hires people who have hacking skill,
and they purchase tools that are capable of doing these things.”
While most of the FBI’s intrusion methods are top secret some
of their practices have been discovered. In one case a simple keylogger was
installed on a mobster’s computer. Sometimes computers are accessed through
malicious URLs, while other techniques have included gaining physical access to
an Android device or PC. Installing the FBIs software can be as easy as
plugging in a thumb drive.
In instances when the FBI
hasn’t been able to gain physical access on its own it has asked companies to
provide surveillance backdoors and other company systems.
Unlike the NSA PRISM
program the FBI Android and PC monitoring solutions are only activated with
court order on a case-by-case basis.
The current report only
mentions Google Android devices but that does not mean similar spying tools are
not being implemented on iOS, Windows Phone, and other smartphones.
Are you surprised that
the FBI is using hacking tools to monitor Google Android and personal
computers?
previous article
Newer Post
No comments
Post a Comment