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Thread: Is it true?

  1. #1

    Is it true?

    I was reading on another site, that apparantly the FBI (applies to US hosts) wont get involved with hackers untill $5000 worth of damage has been done? is this true

  2. #2
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    I hope not!

  3. #3
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    I'd be suspicious of blanket statements like that. I'm sure the FBI isn't going to investigate if your home PC got hacked. Certainly your home PC isn't even worth $5K, but what if your PC happens to have on it some type of classified document?

    I'm sure it's going to depend on a case-by-case basis.
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  4. #4
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    Not sure the official amount, but I wouldn't be surprised if that were true. They do not investigate fraud cases below $1 million (because apparently they have too many). Such a shame.
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  5. #5
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    that doesn't make me feel safe

  6. #6
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    Originally posted by colklink
    Certainly your home PC isn't even worth $5K
    I'm sure that someone has purchased the new alienware pc by now, at base price (no add-ons) it goes for a little over 6k.

    At that price, I'd rather get a decent set of wheels.
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  7. #7
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    Wow what a ripoff. I price checked the absolute most expensive pc I could build and it didn't reach 6k.
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  8. #8
    Originally posted by pixelized
    Wow what a ripoff. I price checked the absolute most expensive pc I could build and it didn't reach 6k.
    I went on dell.com I broke the total guage I shouldnt be allowed within 10 feet of a credit card.

  9. #9
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    That doesn't mean the hardware was damaged during any hack - so how would it reach the 5k to begin with as the hardware wouldn't be included unless its permanently damaged.

    And no - I would believe the blanket statement easily as its most likely worse than that, they don't have the means to investigate every issue. They can't police the net.

  10. #10
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    And no - I would believe the blanket statement easily as its most likely worse than that, they don't have the means to investigate every issue. They can't police the net.
    Well, the point I was really trying to make is that some fixed dollar amount may not be the only justification the FBI uses to open an investigation into a hacking incident.

    That said, I think it's safe to assume that the FBI doesn't have the time to investigate the majority of hacking incidents.
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  11. #11
    Hackers arnt the main concern to the so called "FBI", and they usaly only get involved if its something major like someone hacking into personal info like a major credit card industry, or stocks market...

  12. #12
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    The FBI has limited resources. So it has to manage those resources. And in crimes that target property, the amount of damage suffered is a good criteria to allocate resources.

    That doesn't mean that other authorities will not investigate those crimes.
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  13. #13
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    The guy that lives next to me does computer forensics for the FBI. I'll have to ask him.

    I would guess they probably don't worry about a specific dollar figure if it involves terrorism.
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  14. #14
    So like they wont get invloved with any case until the guy hacks and breaks down 15+ dedicated servers? Thats what it seems like, well I hope not.

  15. #15
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    Originally posted by GXD-Hosting
    So like they wont get invloved with any case until the guy hacks and breaks down 15+ dedicated servers? Thats what it seems like, well I hope not.
    Even then I don't think they'll get involved unless those servers contain government files or other important information. I even doubt if the FBI would get involved if only a few thousand of credit card numbers or social security numbers are lost. There're just way too many identity frauds nowadays that they may not have the resources to investigate all of them.

  16. #16
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    Could you imagine the tax hike if the FBI was expected to investigate every computer crime ever commited?
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  17. #17
    Wow, that gives me an idea

  18. #18
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    Be careful with your ideas
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  19. #19
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    I know of a local ISP (no longer in existence) that was cracked back in 95 or 96 or so and the FBI flat out told them that unless there's over $5,000 worth of damage (yes, that is damage to data or the business, not hardware--after all, we are talking about being compromised), they wouldn't and couldn't even consider looking at it. That was about 10 years ago, it can't be any better now.

    I'm sure there's a case-by-case basis that might change the circumstances. I know some phishing scams run from a host, or bank fraud, etc., that the FBI will ask for logs and so forth to investigate, and this is without any damage being done to you and whose to say how much was done, if any at all, to the bank or paypal or whatever is the company being represented in the scams. So, it can depend.

    I don't mean this as being uncaring or not understanding of people's anger, concerns or frustrations, etc., but it's sort of funny when someone runs a free script as an online community and they don't update their software and some automated 'crack-bot' comes and wipes their templates or whatever and they demand you assist them in all your waking hours to track the 'person' that did it so they can call the FBI. I know it sucks for them, but that's ridiculous.

    Obtaining logs and any information relevant to the attack and handing to the client is fine, no problem, but you can't waste time yourself with all the clients that upload and run and don't update software and bring it upon themselves and then expect you, as their web host, to do more for them--as much as you'd like to, it's just not realistic. I can't imagine the FBI would have a more proactive or involved role or opinion given the nature of a lot of the crimes committed online and I don't blame them either.

  20. #20
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    "Ch1ld Exploitation"

    I was told recently by a friend at a larger ISP, that the FBI is interested particularly in obtaining data on instances of hard core kiddie porn peddlers.

    I believe he mentioned that requests for phishing data is minimal to nothing. Phishing is so common, they probably only focus on the larger groups engaging in it.

  21. #21
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    That's good news. Priorities first.

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