Posted By Shivniel Gounder

Should FBI Reveal The Exploit Code?

Last month FBI were ordered to reveal the exploit source for Tor, the ordered came after FBI used the exploit to hack visitors of possibly the largest child pornography site called PlayPen. FBI are fighting back because it only shows how the hacking code was deployed. FBI are arguing that it is not necessary for the case and have asked the judge to reconsider the motion. FBI used a NIT, Network Investigation Technique to reveal the real IP of the visitors.

Disclosure of the “exploit” would do nothing to shed light on whether the government exceeded scope of the NIT warrant … Discovery concerning the “server component” is unneceassy because there are alternative means of verifying the accuracy of the NIT information

Vlad Tsyrklevich, malware expert held by the defense to analyse the NIT said they received only portions of the code and not the full exploit code which ensures suspect identifiers are unique.

“He is wrong,” Special Agent Daniel Alfin writes. “Discovery of the ‘exploit’ would do nothing to help him determine if the government exceeded the scope of the warrant because it would explain how the NIT was deployed to Michaud’s computer, not what it did once deployed.”

A judge has ordered the FBI to reveal the complete code for its Tor exploit to defense lawyers in a child porn case. pic.twitter.com/AZ8QYgGwKe

— Brad Heath (@bradheath) February 17, 2016