OT: The FBI Hacked My Computer

[Atrocities]

Today at 10:00PM the FBI broke into my computer, looked at all the software, and determined (of course) that some copies (and they were listed to me!) were illegitimate. The FBI pushed a script into my computer and it read "We have determined that some of the software installed in your computer are unauthorized or have been obtained illegally, as multiple Users have been reported to be using the same serial numbers. We are giving you a warning; You must properly register all software or remove it immediately from your computer. You may otherwise be punished to the maximum that law can allow."

It is ironic since recently there was a thread in this forum talking about why people pirate their software...First, you have to be careful when you post stuff in the web, in forums, etc...because everything you do in the web is recorded....your IP isn’t transparent to the people that want to hunt you down like the FBI and Software companies, and perhaps Gamespot might be also keeping an eye on people who stupidly state that they pirate games. Despite my hardware firewall and Norton internet Security the whole protection was nothing to the FBI. I had to uninstall virtually $10,000.00 worth of software in my computer that was obtained via Morpheus and other PTP sites. So now I am on their list....and it feels awful. For many of us this is kind of a game and we probably don't even think of the true consequences of such act. Be smart and stop pirating...I now realize how dangerous the game can turn out. Sad but true, a lot of the software I had installed, I own original copies from. However, all the Insert-CD in order to play has been annoying so I have modified them to NO-CD and so on. The same with Windows XP and Office XP, I own both but the fact that you have to call Microsoft every time you have to wipe your drive due to driver flaws or new hardware it is a pain in the butt. Thus I have disabled the need to call Microsoft to activate the products and so on. I will have to go back to the pain of dealing with Microsoft.

The FBI was able to point to me all the software that was illegal in my computer, thus it is not a random virus or script sent by a vicious kid or anything. This is a true fact and if you don't believe it you might be in danger of being caught. Bush authorized the FBI recently to go against terrorists and use all means to hunt them down...the problem is that anyone suspicious can be tracked by the FBI and not only foreign terrorists will be hunted down but also mainland criminals. I think for the first time our privacy is being hurted....we are no longer free in our own country.

Be smart and stay out of trouble....I hope my case doesn't get any worse than it got already. Just stay out of trouble and don't visit pages that might have to do with pirating software...remeber that child pornography is not the only thing they can track you for! So stop getting in trouble if you are.

Horse *Crap*! Whoever believes this is a moron.

This alleged FBI Hacking. It is utterly untrue. If you fall for this guy’s post, then I would strongly suggest that you send money to some guy in Africa and sit back and wait for him to send you a million dollars.

The most the FBI can legally do is monitor you instant Messages and email. That is called Carnivore. This hacking of a person’s computer is illegal. To "search" someone’s computer without a search warrant is a clear violation of that persons constitutional rights. So I say he is full of it. Believe him if you want, but understand this, even the FBI isn't above the law.

And why in gods name would they bother. I honestly think this is just a good method of scaring people into NOT pirating stuff. I wonder how many paranoid freaks went and F-disked their PC after reading this.

Oh great, no one is here any more....

[ July 30, 2002, 03:12: Message edited by: Atrocities ]

[pathfinder]

Yikes....

I wondered what the h*** then I read your finale there Atrocities....

I thought that a warrant was needed but with 9/11 I wasn't sure what emergency powers MIGHT have been given....

I work for a goverment agency and while agency PCs ARE watched like a hawk, I hadn't heard of any extraordinary measures been taken against private ones....

[Phoenix-D]

"This hacking of a person’s computer is illegal. To "search" someone’s computer without a search warrant is a clear violation of that persons constitutional rights. So I say he is full of it. Believe him if you want, but understand this, even the FBI isn't above the law."

heh. Sorry, but you might be wrong on this point. There's a bill that was introduced in Congress to let *record companies* do exactly that. If Congress will let RIAA hack into people's computers.. the FBI isn't fare behind.

Phoenix-D

[Trajan]

BAH! This is a load of crap. I agree with Atrocities. If you think this is true then send some money to the guy in Africa.

I have worked in the IT info sec industry and have seen what they are capable of first hand. This is not representative of what they are even remotely interested in.

Anyhow...I had to respond since it appeared that the community was so quiet right now and I had a range check error on my SEIV game.

Cheers!
Trajan

[Puke]

okay, thats just like the difference between ALLEGED murder and REAL murder. lots of bills are INTRODUCED into congress. at no time has a bill been PASSED to allow the riaa to hack anything.

bah, i say. alarmism at its worst.

[Baron Grazic]

Certainly a lot a crap but did Bush really "authorized the FBI recently to go against terrorists".
I thought the FBI working inside the US borders & the CIA worked outside.
And if you can't already tell, I am not a Yank.