Can computers be tapped?

[fnheadcase]

My buddy had his computer siezed, and got it back now, but doesnt know if they could have tapped it to see what sites he looks at or who he emails? He hasnt been charged with anything yet, but they copied everything off his computer and gave it back. THey also had his cell phone for awhile, can they tap that?

[Aragorn]

It's time to go shopping for a new cell phone and a computer. I don't know why they took his things but I would not take the chance with it.

Aragorn

[BigGreen]

So long as your hardrive is intact..."they" can, with effort, not only determine every website you ever visited and how often (as well as when) and who you emailed, but, with a fair degree of accuracy the text of any email or word document he ever wrote...deleted or not. I did an internship at a real prominent law firm, and one of the cases i got to "work" on involved a computer seizure (it was related to trade secrets and employee contracts, not aas or porn) and it was AMAZING the shit they were able to pull off of it in a very limited time.

[bulkmeUP]

Most likely, they'll know... I'm guessing their not stupid, so anyone with some computer knowledge will know how to find those things.

Tell him to format his computer, reinstall everything from CD, and then tell him to get a new internet provider as well.

[sicilian40]

the government works like this bro:
if they want you to win , you will
if they want to win, they will
tell your bro its time to get a new phone and a new computer because bro they dont tap with hardware like they do in the movies, they tap with spyware programs that remain undetected on your hard drive no matter what type of system scan you do. i wouldnt risk just getting a new hard drive, you dont know what they could have done.

[Sicilian30]

Yes they can, they can pull up data even from formated drives. I myself have software that can do this. Data recovery is something I deal with everyday. so your answer is "yes". The only real way to completely delete data from a hard drive is to write binary 0's to each sector and/or cluster. This can be done with software, (most hard drive manufacturers include them on their site). Norton utilities also has a very "supposidily" untraceable format utility but you have to know how to use it..
BUt to answer your questions, yes and it is done quite easily.

[Aragorn]

Back to back sicialian posts....30 and 40. You guys related This is too funny and really it isn't

Aragorn

[XBiker]

Originally posted by Sicilian30
Yes they can, they can pull up data even from formated drives. I myself have software that can do this. Data recovery is something I deal with everyday. so your answer is "yes". The only real way to completely delete data from a hard drive is to write binary 0's to each sector and/or cluster. This can be done with software, (most hard drive manufacturers include them on their site). Norton utilities also has a very "supposidily" untraceable format utility but you have to know how to use it..
BUt to answer your questions, yes and it is done quite easily.

Not only these good points, but keep in mind if they put a trojan horse virus and/or a keycheck program on the PC, they can track his movements AND have all his passwords.

Time for a new hard drive.

[fnheadcase]

He changed his internet provider. He isnt worried about what is on his computer, just the emails. What about the cell phone?

[XBiker]

Originally posted by fnheadcase
He changed his internet provider. He isnt worried about what is on his computer, just the emails. What about the cell phone?

Tapping a cell phone is basically like tapping a land line in that it takes a warrant from a judge to do so.

Of course, that is speaking of LEGAL taps and nothing of ILLEGAL (which happen quite often)

Each cell phone has an ESN, which uniquely identifies the phone.

If it were me, I'd deep six the phone and go with a new provider and new phone.

[silverfox]

He should also install some type of firewall, they must think he is up to something.

[still growin]

Your computer and cell phone can be tapped even if nobody has ever actually seen it. All they need is numbers of your computers adress, and anytime you are online, people can see EVERYTHING you do. Passwords, confidential stuff, ar posts. And cellphones can be picked up by alot of different devices, even walkie talkies! You are just sending an unincripted signal out into the air for anyone to receive! lol

[chicamahomico]

Who seized your buddy's computer? Which law enforcement agency?

[fnheadcase]

He got in trouble with a USPS inspector and his local PD took it

[chicamahomico]

The local police dept took it and gave it back unaltered? That is kind of strange. If they gave it back I'm assuming they didn't find anything if there are there no charges pending. Either way I would talk to a lawyer to find out what the police did and what your buddy can do to protect his rights.

[palme]

Get a new computer and a new cell phone. Also get new email addys etc.
Better to be safe then sorry.

[sicilian40]

Originally posted by Aragorn
Back to back sicialian posts....30 and 40. You guys related This is too funny and really it isn't

Aragorn

nah we aint related jus blessed (being sicilian that is)

[kreper69]

i know a couple of guys that got arrested because there cell phones were tapped. it's just as easy if not easier to tap a cell phone as a land line..

[fnheadcase]

He cant really tell if his laptop was altered, they had it for 3 months, but only had his cell for 3 hrs. The PD took some gear from his place, but no charges yet. He's coming to visit in 3 wks, if he doesn't join this site by then I will make sure he post some more info when he is here.

[thegame01]

Do you watch CSI ,those dudedcan do pretty much anything now.I would not take the chance and

BTW in case they are reading this ,i am all natural and plan to remain this way for life LOL

peace
GZ

[zx7racing]

there are multiple programs available for government and network agencies that allow an administrator to remotely key in and watch everything you do on your computer- all they have to have is your ** address or your gateway server address. and you wont even know they are there- they not only can see what it is that you are doing but take actual control over your machine.... scary huh

[bradtn]

Most of us will never have our computer seized, but you can do some things to put your mind at ease and protect yourself if you do. Two things I would recommend:

1. Windows Washer from webroot.com . Washes tracks of everything you do automatically from many different sources and programs on your computer, websites and caches, cookies and many other things, including your recycle bin. It adds "bleach" to these erased things which means it overwrites the files many times making them unrecoverable. Very easy to use.

2. Chances are you've been deleting stuff in the recycle bin and thinking it's gone. Wrong. When you delete a file, it doesn't get erased, the computer just marks that part of the hard drive as being "open"... so it pretty much stays there for a long time. Get a copy of PGP and run the PGP Tools part of it. Do a "Freespace Wipe" before going to bed one night. It will overwrite and erase all these unused parts of your hard-drive and make anything you've ever deleted be deleted for REAL. This is also very easy to use. I run it every couple of months or so.

gl

[bradtn]

Oh yeah, if your computer has already been seized and given back to you... I would nuke everything and start over, there's no telling what they installed on there.

Format the HD and reinstall the operating system.

[Jeff1]

It's relly none of my business but how did the whole thing come to pass Iam just
kinda wondering???

[sin]

GOD! you people are making me way too paranoid.

[thegood]

hey dude! what most of these guys are saying is mostly true. you are always being watched, that is if you invoke the gov to start watching you. such as: they have fake kiddie and teen porn sites out there just to bait you in. once you fill out info then they seize everything. but it sounds like to me, your friend is either in the wrong or doing the right thing. but if he is in the wrong it sounds like to me a new computer or cell phone "will not help". to get a cell phone they need soc sec #, then to get a new computer they'll need a/s/l with address. either way they'll switch the data around and start watching again. and they'll do the same if he got a new internet service provider.

thegood-

[AtomicWedgie]

If you think your puter is bugged, just reformat your drive and start from scratch. Try findnig a program with a "boot lock" for your puter. It pass word protects your computer's boot files from being booted up to your hard drive. If I'm correct with out the password for your boot file your cum-puter's hard drive won't/can't boot up to the O/S.

No mater what they do, if they can't boot up your drive then no one can access your files.

sound correct?

[want2bstronger]

any computer could be "tapped" back-door trojans such as back orifice and subseven are prime examples of this. No information on a personal computer is 100% safe...

my 2 cents