FBI has formulated some advanced surveillance techniques which enable them to secretly activate web cams for spying on the suspected computer owners.
According to a recent publication of the Washington Post, G-men have developed the ability to remotely access cameras which capture real images and transmit them to the investigators. The cameras are accessed without their lights turned on so that the suspect would presume that the camera is not active.
The FBI can also hack into the computer of the suspect and can gather photographs, emails and downloaded files.
These new abilities of FBI came to be known in their investigation of some mysterious guy with the name “Mo”. This guy has threatened to blow down a building which had thousands of innocent civilians unless the authorities release the suspect (James Holmes) of the shooting at Colorado movie theatre.
This guy has also given the threat to blow up a hotel, three colleges and a jail. However no explosives material was found at those targets. The contact between MO and the FBI first happened in July 2012. The duration of the interaction between FBI and Mo is not yet known.
The post mentions that Mo contacted through an encrypted phone and a non-traceable email. After being frustrated by failure to catch Mo, FBI used a specially made software that would automatically install itself on the computer of Mo as he opens his email. The software was though designed to track down Mo and check on his movements, but it did not work out in the manner intended. Mo is still to be caught. The Feds got the permission to install the above mentioned software from a judge in Denver.
The agency also tried to use the software on one more probe but the permission was turned out by a Houston judge on grounds that is both unconstitutional and extremely intrusive. A former employee of FBI has also told the Washington Post that the agency has the capabilities to break into the web cams of computers. The technology is quite controversial and it is not known that how many times the agency has tried to use it.
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