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Cybercrime discussions in Washington
May
02
2012
As always, it is very interesting to be in the US and to meet with people who work in academia and various think tanks. I had some very rewarding discussions at Harvard with their dedicated students and a number of researchers about integration, terrorism, trafficking, the European crisis, etc. The discussion mainly focussed on immigration and asylum, which was the theme of my lecture.
I then proceeded to Washington where I had a meeting with Attorney General Eric Holder to discuss the fight against child sex abuse images online and cooperation in matters concerning data protection.
I Tuesday afternoon at the FBI, where I received a detailed report on their work to tackle cybercrime. It was interesting to hear about their experiences, especially as we are now establishing a cyber crime centre in The Hague.
In between these meetings I also met with a number of journalists and with various US officials who work against cybercrime and identify violent individuals who are at risk of being radicalised. We talked a lot about the Breivik case and it is evident that the trial in Oslo has received a lot of attention here as well.
Tonight there will be a big reception at the Swedish ambassador’s home, and tomorrow I will speak at a major conference on cyber security. It is organized by CSIS, a think tank where I did an internship for a few summer months some 15 years ago.
The US election campaign dominates many of the conversations here, and of course it is interesting to follow the campaign up close. Today Bo, the president’s dog made his campaign debut. You can read more about it here.
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Well, the events certainly aren’t news to the NSA and FBI, who regularly spoof email accounts for hackers to latch onto and then simply establish a surveillance connection between the spoofed email accounts and the hackers. There is also the advent of certain forensic software technology to consider which actually establishes true point-of-origin access to hacker hardware and implants specific identification beacons into the BIOS programming of the computer which registers activity alerts to government surveillance portals every time hackers subsequently use internet pathways to conduct activity. Their former anonymity is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. The Patriot Act makes it entirely legal to carry out this sort of technology without the need for search warrants.
While the news media may be highly impressed by the efforts of hackers to impede security barriers, they should be embarrassed to learn that those “security” barriers are intentionally established for hackers to impede no differently than drawing flies to honey. It should never be forgotten that while all criminals are skilled in some regard, they are never “smart.” You have but to visit any prison among the thousands around the world to know that much.