On The Offense: Going Against Cyber Criminals

    (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete, File)
    (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete, File)

    Cyber security experts say they know how to react to the increase in computer crimes and hacks, but they’re now talking about how to go on the offense against the criminals who perpetrate the crimes.

    FOX News Radio’s Jessica Rosenthal reports, one expert called that “sticky legal territory”:

    Cyber INsecurity.

    Reacting to a cyber attack may not be easy, but security experts do it, all the time. Now though, Kevin Epstein at computer security firm Proofpoint in Silicon Valley says there’s talk about how to go after cyber criminals.

    (Epstein) “Just as attackers can infiltrate our systems, internet is a two-way street.”

    Hacking back though is out.

    (Epstein) ”We can’t pursue certain tactics because they are illegal.”

    So they have to turn to law enforcement. Electronic Frontier Foundation attorney Hanni Fakhoury says law enforcement’s complained they don’t have the tools they need. So…

    (Fakhoury) ”A recent rule change has been approved that would basically say its okay if they don’t know where the computer is that they want to search, they can still get a search warrant to search it.”

    Hackers often use different systems like TOR to mask a computers location. So how does the government go after criminals? They deploy malware.

    (Fakhoury) “To record your keystrokes to take over your video camera in order to get information about where the bad guys are.”

    But he says he’s also concerned this gives the government information on other people who’ve done nothing wrong.

    Jessica Rosenthal, FOX News Radio.

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