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Remote desktops can be used for all sorts of things, among others helping people with their computer problems.

by Tichy 14y ago

coldtea 14y ago
And the sellers of THOSE remote desktops don't have a problem.
vidarh 14y ago
In this case the specific software we're talking about had a feature whose specific purpose was to detect someone entering a credit card number, screenshot it and upload the image to an FTP server: 'In further MSN chats with the FBI, the person alleged to be Hogue answered a question about whether the Blackshades software would automatically conduct key logging or whether it had to be initiated manually. "It auto does, and you can download from all at once, or scan for keywords or digits," came the reply. "And if it detects a credit card is being entered, it can send screenshots to FTP and you can scan for digits that are 16 in a row :P"' It also had as a feature to encrypt a users files and pop up a ransom notice: 'Blackshades went beyond DarkComet in its support for features that were likely to result in illegality, such as the "File Hijacker" that could encrypt a victim's key files and then pop up a "ransomware" message demanding payment into a remote bank account in order to free the files. (A note attached to this feature said: "However, one thing to put in mind: This feature was made for educational purposes only.")' In general, even tools that are quite clearly intended for illegal uses seems to be ok. But this one took it much further.
- jiggy2011 14y ago
  I think it depends on the generality of the software. Obviously a general purpose remote desktop program has a lot of more legitimate uses that something designed specifically to find CC numbers. Thing is , you could make a CC sniffing program and then realise "hmm, this might be difficult to defend in court" so you generalise it to something that simply looks for arbitrary strings of numbers. Of course the fact that 90% of your users happen to enter "16" into the box is not your fault. The generalised program might have useful side effects as a result, but it is no less dangerous than the more specific program.
- Tichy 14y ago
  OK didn't read the article very closely, sorry.

Remote desktops can be used for all sorts of things, among others helping people with their computer problems.

by Tichy 14y ago

Remote desktops can be used for all sorts of things, among others helping people with their computer problems.

coldtea 14y ago

And the sellers of THOSE remote desktops don't have a problem.

vidarh 14y ago

In this case the specific software we're talking about had a feature whose specific purpose was to detect someone entering a credit card number, screenshot it and upload the image to an FTP server: 'In further MSN chats with the FBI, the person alleged to be Hogue answered a question about whether the Blackshades software would automatically conduct key logging or whether it had to be initiated manually. "It auto does, and you can download from all at once, or scan for keywords or digits," came the reply. "And if it detects a credit card is being entered, it can send screenshots to FTP and you can scan for digits that are 16 in a row :P"' It also had as a feature to encrypt a users files and pop up a ransom notice: 'Blackshades went beyond DarkComet in its support for features that were likely to result in illegality, such as the "File Hijacker" that could encrypt a victim's key files and then pop up a "ransomware" message demanding payment into a remote bank account in order to free the files. (A note attached to this feature said: "However, one thing to put in mind: This feature was made for educational purposes only.")' In general, even tools that are quite clearly intended for illegal uses seems to be ok. But this one took it much further.

jiggy2011 14y ago
I think it depends on the generality of the software. Obviously a general purpose remote desktop program has a lot of more legitimate uses that something designed specifically to find CC numbers. Thing is , you could make a CC sniffing program and then realise "hmm, this might be difficult to defend in court" so you generalise it to something that simply looks for arbitrary strings of numbers. Of course the fact that 90% of your users happen to enter "16" into the box is not your fault. The generalised program might have useful side effects as a result, but it is no less dangerous than the more specific program.
Tichy 14y ago
OK didn't read the article very closely, sorry.