Federal Investigators Capturing Cell Phone Details Without Warrant<http://shutupslave.blogspot.com/2013/03/federal-investigators-capturing-cell.html>
03/27/2013 Federal investigators in Northern California routinely used a sophisticated surveillance system to scoop up data from cellphones and other wireless devices in an effort to track criminal suspects but failed to detail the practice to judges authorizing the probes. The practice was disclosed Wednesday in documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California in a glimpse into a technology that federal agents rarely discuss publicly. The investigations used a device known as a StingRay, which simulates a cellphone tower and enables agents to collect the serial numbers of individual cellphones and then locate them. Although law enforcement officials can employ StingRays and similar devices to locate suspects, privacy groups and some judges have raised concerns that the technology is so invasive in some cases effectively penetrating the walls of homes that its use should require a warrant. The issues, judges and activists say, are twofold: whether federal agents are informing courts when seeking permission to monitor suspects, and whether they are providing enough evidence to justify the use of a tool that sweeps up data not only from a suspects wireless device but also from those of bystanders in the vicinity. Ellen Nakashima | Little-known surveillance tool raises concerns by judges, privacy activists<http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/little-known-surveillance-tool-raises-concerns-by-judges-privacy-activists/2013/03/27/8b60e906-9712-11e2-97cd-3d8c1afe4f0f_story.html%20target=> FBI Wants to Read Emails as Sent<http://shutupslave.blogspot.com/2013/03/fbi-wants-to-read-emails-as-sent.html> 03/26/2013 Despite the pervasiveness of law enforcement surveillance of digital communication, the FBI still has a difficult time monitoring Gmail, Google Voice, and Dropbox in real time. But that may change soon, because the bureau says it has made gaining more powers to wiretap all forms of Internet conversation and cloud storage a top priority this year. Last week, during a talk for the American Bar Association in Washington, D.C., FBI general counsel Andrew Weissmann discussed some of the pressing surveillance and national security issues facing the bureau. He gave a few updates on the FBIs efforts to address what it calls the going dark problemhow the rise in popularity of email and social networks has stifled its ability to monitor communications as they are being transmitted. Its no secret that under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, the feds can easily obtain archive copies of emails. When it comes to spying on emails or Gchat in real time, however, its a different story. Thats because a 1994 surveillance law called the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act only allows the government to force Internet providers and phone companies to install surveillance equipment within their networks. But it doesnt cover email, cloud services, or online chat providers like Skype. Weissmann said that the FBI wants the power to mandate real-time surveillance of everything from Dropbox and online games (the chat feature in Scrabble) to Gmail and Google Voice. Those communications are being used for criminal conversations, he said. Either way, the FBI is not happy with the current arrangement and is on a crusade for more surveillance authority. According to Weissmann, the bureau is working with members of intelligence community to craft a proposal for new Internet spy powers as a top priority this year. Citing security concerns, he declined to reveal any specifics. It's a very hard thing to talk about publicly, he said, though acknowledged that it's something that there should be a public debate about. Ryan Gallagher | FBI Pursuing Real-Time Gmail Spying Powers as Top Priority for 2013<http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/03/26/andrew_weissmann_fbi_wants_real_time_gmail_dropbox_spying_power.html> J - Ninety percent of politicians give the other ten percent a bad reputation. - Henry Kissinger Politicians are people who, when they see light at the end of the tunnel, go out and buy some ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Order the Adobe Coldfusion Anthology now! http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Coldfusion-Anthology/dp/1430272155/?tag=houseoffusion Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:362209 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/unsubscribe.cfm
