News

from Reuters

12/14/01 

FBI Confirms 'Magic Lantern' Project Exists

By Elinor Mills Abreu

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) Wednesday December 12 6:06 PM ET- An FBI spokesman confirmed on 
Wednesday that the U.S. government is working on a controversial Internet spying technology, 
code-named ``Magic Lantern'', which could be used to eavesdrop on computer communications by 
suspected criminals.

``It is a workbench project'' that has not yet been deployed, said FBI spokesman Paul Bresson. ``We 
can't discuss it because it's under development.''

The FBI has already acknowledged that it uses software that records keystrokes typed into a computer 
to obtain passwords that can be used to read encrypted e-mail and other documents as part of criminal 
investigations.

Magic Lantern reportedly would allow the agency to plant a Trojan horse keystroke logger on a target's 
PC by sending a computer virus over the Internet, rather than require physical access to the computer 
as is now the case.

Malicious hackers have been known to use e-mail or other remote methods for installing spying 
technology, security experts said.

When word of Magic Lantern leaked out in published reports in November, civil libertarians said the 
program could easily be abused by overzealous law enforcement agencies.

When asked if Magic Lantern would require a court order for the FBI to use it, as existing keystroke 
logger technology does, Bresson said: ``Like all technology projects or tools deployed by the FBI it 
would be used pursuant to the appropriate legal process.''

Major anti-virus vendors this week said they would not voluntarily cooperate with the FBI and said their 
products would continue to be updated to detect and prevent viruses, regardless of their origin, unless 
there was a legal order otherwise.

Doing so would anger customers and alienate non-U.S. customers and governments, they said, 
adding that there had been no requests by the FBI to ignore any viruses.

The FBI set a precedent in a similar case by asking Internet service providers to install technology 
in their networks that allows officials to secretly read e-mails of criminal investigation targets.

While the FBI requires a court order to install its technology, formerly called ``Carnivore,'' some 
service providers reportedly comply voluntarily, while court orders are relatively easy to get, civil 
libertarians argue. Given the hijacking attacks of Sept. 11, it is also conceivable that the U.S. 
government would enlist the aid of private companies to combat terrorism and help its war effort, said 
Michael Erbschloe, vice president of research at Computer Economics, which analyzes the impact 
of viruses. 

``In previous wars, including World War II, the government had the power to call on companies to help; 
to commandeer the technology,'' said Erbschloe, author of ``Information Warfare: How to Survive Cyber 
Attacks.''

``If we were at war the government would be able to require technology companies to cooperate, I 
believe, in a number of ways, including getting back door access to information and computer systems.''