Why these forums may be a hotbed of criminal activity...

juicejuice Join Date: 2003-01-28 Member: 12886Members, Constellation
in Off-Topic
Is the use of Linux probable cause? <a href="http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/04/boston-college-prompt-commands-are-suspicious" target="_blank">Apparently so</a>. This type of thing seems to be happening a lot recently, and together with Richard Stallman's comment on the supranational legislation to allow search and seizure of your laptop, copy/move/delete files on it all without a warrant, is it reasonable to say this may be part of a larger movement away from personal freedom on your computer and on the internet?

Am I overreacting or should we, whose expertise may be used as evidence against us, be concerned?
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Comments

  • Dirty_Harry_PotterDirty_Harry_Potter Join Date: 2002-11-21 Member: 9500Members
    They just need a good beating with, fancy phrase inbound, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cum_hoc_ergo_propter_hoc" target="_blank">###### hoc ergo propter hoc bat</a>


    Oh how nice, it's censored!
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  • ZaggyZaggy NullPointerException The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-12-10 Member: 24214Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Onos, Subnautica Playtester
    What is this freedom you speak of?
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  • MonkfishMonkfish Sonic-boom-inducing buttcheeks of terrifying speed&#33; Join Date: 2003-06-03 Member: 16972Members
    Are you a CRIME-inal? a criminal?
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  • XythXyth Avatar Join Date: 2003-11-04 Member: 22312Members
    I feel that we are missing important parts of this story.
    I like that they took his Ubuntu CD. "We got his hacker tools, sir"
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  • X_StickmanX_Stickman Not good enough for a custom title. Join Date: 2003-04-15 Member: 15533Members, Constellation
    edited April 2009
    Hahaha. Now if any of you linux snobs start on at me for using Vista home premium, I can just call the cops and have you arrested for <b>cyber terrorism.</b>

    WHO'S LAUGHING NOW?!
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  • juicejuice Join Date: 2003-01-28 Member: 12886Members, Constellation
    edited April 2009
    LOL @stickman


    <!--quoteo(post=1705018:date=Apr 16 2009, 03:04 AM:name=Zaggy)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Zaggy @ Apr 16 2009, 03:04 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1705018"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->What is this freedom you speak of?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    That would be privacy rights, property rights, and of course, habeus computicus.
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  • CabooseCaboose title = name(self, handle) Join Date: 2003-02-15 Member: 13597Members, Constellation
    edited April 2009
    All I have to say: "Typical."

    As a victim of ignorant law enforcement in regards to technology and psychology, I'm not surprised. The only shocking thing about this to me is that this happened in Massachusetts and not Alabama or Alaska or something.

    Yea, cops took my gaming desktop, my laptop (incidentally running Linux), my Palm, and my DS... (I did however get the DS back.)

    This further removes any faith I had in law enforcement in the US.

    /me goes off to h4x pokemons with tcpdump.

    :edit:
    Oh, and habeas corpus is dead.
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  • SopsSops Join Date: 2003-07-03 Member: 17894Members, Constellation
    If you want to see law enforcement over stepping their authority just take a look at the TSA.

    *Warning, looking at the TSA will automatically add you to the do not fly list*
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  • ZaggyZaggy NullPointerException The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-12-10 Member: 24214Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Onos, Subnautica Playtester
    What? the person mention in the article is you? D:
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  • XythXyth Avatar Join Date: 2003-11-04 Member: 22312Members
    Tell us more Caboose, we must know.
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  • CabooseCaboose title = name(self, handle) Join Date: 2003-02-15 Member: 13597Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1705065:date=Apr 16 2009, 10:55 AM:name=Zaggy)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Zaggy @ Apr 16 2009, 10:55 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1705065"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->What? the person mention in the article is you? D:<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Nope, but I can sympathize with him.
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  • locallyunscenelocallyunscene Feeder of Trolls Join Date: 2002-12-25 Member: 11528Members, Constellation
    This story was on slashdot [http://news.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/04/14/193217]. While the "hack tools" is a laugh the warrant was given because the suspect's roommate stated he hacked into the school's system to change his grade. His crime wasn't using linux, his crime was using a computer with linux to hack a private system among other things . This worries me more <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Deathdonut

    The concern isn't that he committed libel (crime) by sending out email to a list of people that outed the informant by linking him to a ###### personal ad that he probably created (fraud). The problem is that he a suspect in several other crimes including a stolen laptop as detailed in the motion to quash:

    <a href="http://www.eff.org/files/filenode/inresearchBC/CalixteMemSupport.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.eff.org/files/filenode/inresear...eMemSupport.pdf</a> [eff.org]

    While there is probably quite a bit for the defense to attack in how this warrant was obtained, my biggest concern is how it was handled. I suspect the following description is more common than we would like to know:

    "... seized, among other things, Mr. Calixte's cell phone, his iPod, computers, disks, and "postit" note on which Calixte was in the process of taking notes about the officers' actions during the search. Christopher left a Property Receipt with Mr. Calixte listing items seized during the search. (Kessel Decl. Ex. C.) The seized post-it note does not appear on that receipt."

    That's the type of bullying that makes me sick.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Also the full warrant if you haven't all ready(I know it's in the article):
    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->SCPRedMage

    The story the EFF is putting forward is actually incomplete and VERY misleading. The guy is being accused of a LOT of things; changing students grades, "jail breaking cell phones" (since when is THAT a crime?), massive copyright infringement, and harassment, to which the e-mail in question is related.

    Considering all of THAT, data storage devices are practically MANDATORY for the warrant. And considering that iPods can, and frequently ARE, used as USB hard drives, they're fair game.

    Also, we ARE talking about an iPod Touch, as mentioned in the second link in the /. story.

    Link to the full warrant affidavit: <a href="http://www.eff.org/files/filenode/inresearchBC/EXHIBIT-A.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.eff.org/files/filenode/inresearchBC/EXHIBIT-A.pdf</a> [eff.org]<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
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  • spellman23spellman23 NS1 Theorycraft Expert Join Date: 2007-05-17 Member: 60920Members
    wait, WUH?<img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/confused-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="???" border="0" alt="confused-fix.gif" />?
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  • ThansalThansal The New Scum Join Date: 2002-08-22 Member: 1215Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1705089:date=Apr 16 2009, 04:29 PM:name=spellman23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (spellman23 @ Apr 16 2009, 04:29 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1705089"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->wait, WUH?<img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/confused-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="???" border="0" alt="confused-fix.gif" />?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    The news report only covered what they wanted to and with a sensationalist spin.

    he very possibly is guilty of some bad things.

    The cops were still stupid in handling stuff.
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  • XythXyth Avatar Join Date: 2003-11-04 Member: 22312Members
    "The news report only covered what they wanted to and with a sensationalist spin.

    he very possibly is guilty of some bad things.

    The cops were still stupid in handling stuff. "

    This really should have been common sense from the beginning however.
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