Chaos Computer Club: German gov't software can spy on citizens

http://redtape.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/10/08/8228095-chaos-computer-club-german-govt-software-can-spy-on-citizens

By Bob Sullivan
Red Tape
msnbc.com
October 9, 2011

A well-regarded Germany-based hacker group claims a German 
government-created Trojan horse program is capable of secretly spying on 
Web users without their consent.

The group says on its website that it obtained and analyzed a piece of 
software that is supposed to be a "lawful interception" program designed 
to listen in on Internet-based phone calls as part of a legal wiretap, 
but its capabilities go far beyond legal bounds.

The program is capable of logging keystrokes, activating Webcams, 
monitoring Web users' activities and sending mountains of data to 
government officials, the club said.

To cover its tracks, the data is routed through rented servers located 
in the United States, the club alleges.

"To avoid revealing the location of the command and control server, all 
data is redirected through a rented dedicated server in a data center in 
the USA," the Club said on its website.

[...]


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