Would a firewall have protected Josh Glazebrook from the FBI?

Would a firewall have protected Josh Glazebrook from the FBI?
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Subject Author Date
Would a firewall have protected Josh Glazebrook from the FBI? Act of Patriots 09-08-2007
Posted by Act of Patriots on September 8, 2007, 4:07 pm
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I curiuos as to why a firewall, properly configured, would not have
protected Josh Glazebrook from the FBI?

According to the news reports
(http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2194604/fbi-tracked-bomb-teen-spyware),
the FBI installed routine CIPAV spyware via myspace to this kid's computer
which tracked
The computer's IP address
The MAC address
The person's username
The last URL visited
A list of open ports
Computer programs that are running
The operating system
The internet browser and version
The computer's registered owner
The IP address of every computer which the PC connects for 60 days

I'm curious.
Would a properly configured firewall have prevented this?

What was the weak link here?

Posted by Straight Talk on September 8, 2007, 4:45 pm
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On Sat, 8 Sep 2007 13:07:53 -0700, Act of Patriots

>I curiuos as to why a firewall, properly configured, would not have
>protected Josh Glazebrook from the FBI?
>
>According to the news reports
>(http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2194604/fbi-tracked-bomb-teen-spyware),
>the FBI installed routine CIPAV spyware via myspace to this kid's computer
>which tracked
>The computer's IP address
>The MAC address
>The person's username
>The last URL visited
>A list of open ports
>Computer programs that are running
>The operating system
>The internet browser and version
>The computer's registered owner
>The IP address of every computer which the PC connects for 60 days
>
>I'm curious.
>Would a properly configured firewall have prevented this?

Impossible to answer based on info available in the article. It
doesn't indicate how the code was installed other than "had the
surveillance software sent to him". Probably some kind of social
engineering was involved.

>What was the weak link here?

Most likely Josh Glazebrook.

Posted by Ernie B. on September 8, 2007, 4:50 pm
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On Sat, 8 Sep 2007 13:07:53 -0700 Act of Patriots wrote:

> I'm curious.
> Would a properly configured firewall have prevented this?
>
Well... I think so, unless the CIPAV piggybacks on a browser. A firewall
should alert on "xxx.exe is attempting to access the Internet. <Allow><Deny>".

> What was the weak link here?
>
The kid using the computer. As Tuco said in _The Good, The Bad and The Ugly_:
"If you're gonna shoot, shoot. Don't stand around talking about it".
--
Ernie B.

Communication: The art of moving an idea from one mind to another, hopefully
without distortion.

Posted by Straight Talk on September 8, 2007, 5:04 pm
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On Sat, 08 Sep 2007 20:50:06 GMT, Ernie B.

>Well... I think so, unless the CIPAV piggybacks on a browser. A firewall
>should alert on "xxx.exe is attempting to access the Internet. <Allow><Deny>".

I think the FBI would make sure it circumvented any such measure.
Either technically or by social engineering.

Posted by Ernie B. on September 8, 2007, 5:51 pm
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On Sat, 08 Sep 2007 21:04:42 GMT Straight Talk wrote:

> On Sat, 08 Sep 2007 20:50:06 GMT, Ernie B.
>
> >Well... I think so, unless the CIPAV piggybacks on a browser. A firewall
> >should alert on "xxx.exe is attempting to access the Internet. <Allow><Deny>".
>
> I think the FBI would make sure it circumvented any such measure.
> Either technically or by social engineering.
>
Probably. The only technical route that comes to mind is to piggyback on a
browser, mail client or something else that has default access though. Social
engineering should be easy against someone who discusses his plans in an open
forum like MySpace.
--
Ernie B.

Communication: The art of moving an idea from one mind to another, hopefully
without distortion.

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