Computer and Internet Protocol Address Verifier
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The Computer and Internet Protocol Address Verifier (CIPAV) is a data gathering tool that the
Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, ...
(FBI) uses to track and gather location data on suspects under electronic surveillance. The software operates on the target computer much like other forms of
spyware Spyware (a portmanteau for spying software) is software with malicious behaviour that aims to gather information about a person or organization and send it to another entity in a way that harms the user—for example, by violating their priva ...
, whereas it is unknown to the operator that the software has been installed and is monitoring and reporting on their activities. The CIPAV captures location-related information, such as:
IP address An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a numerical label such as that is connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.. Updated by . An IP address serves two main functions: network interface ident ...
,
MAC address A media access control address (MAC address) is a unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller (NIC) for use as a network address in communications within a network segment. This use is common in most IEEE 802 networking tec ...
, open
ports A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as H ...
, running programs,
operating system An operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware, software resources, and provides common services for computer programs. Time-sharing operating systems schedule tasks for efficient use of the system and may also i ...
and installed application registration and version information, default
web browser A web browser is application software for accessing websites. When a user requests a web page from a particular website, the browser retrieves its files from a web server and then displays the page on the user's screen. Browsers are used o ...
, and last visited URL. Once that initial inventory is conducted, the CIPAV slips into the background and silently monitors all outbound communication, logging every IP address to which the computer connects, and time and date stamping each. The CIPAV made headlines in July, 2007, when its use was exposed in open court during an investigation of a teen who had made
bomb threat A bomb threat or bomb scare is a threat, usually verbal or written, to detonate an explosive or incendiary device to cause property damage, death, injuries, and/or incite fear, whether or not such a device actually exists. History Bomb threat ...
s against Timberline High School in Washington State. The FBI also sought approval from the
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court The United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), also called the FISA Court, is a U.S. federal court established under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to oversee requests for surveillance warrants a ...
to use CIPAV in terrorism or spying investigations.


See also

*
Backdoor (computing) A backdoor is a typically covert method of bypassing normal authentication or encryption in a computer, product, embedded device (e.g. a home router), or its embodiment (e.g. part of a cryptosystem, algorithm, chipset, or even a "homunculus co ...
*
Carnivore (software) Carnivore, later renamed DCS1000, was a system implemented by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that was designed to monitor email and electronic communications. It used a customizable packet sniffer that could monitor all of a target user ...
* ECHELON *
FinFisher FinFisher, also known as FinSpy, is surveillance software marketed by Lench IT Solutions plc, which markets the spyware through law enforcement channels. FinFisher can be covertly installed on targets' computers by exploiting security lapses in t ...
*
Magic Lantern (software) Magic Lantern is keystroke logging software created by the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Magic Lantern was first reported in a column by Bob Sullivan of MSNBC on November 20, 2001 and by Ted Bridis of the Associated Pres ...
* MiniPanzer and MegaPanzer *
Network Investigative Technique Network Investigative Technique, or NIT, is a form of malware (or hacking) employed by the FBI since at least 2002. It is a drive-by download computer program designed to provide access to a computer. Controversies Its usage has raised both Fou ...
* Policeware * R2D2 (trojan) *
Tailored Access Operations The Office of Tailored Access Operations (TAO), now Computer Network Operations, and structured as S32, is a cyber-warfare intelligence-gathering unit of the National Security Agency (NSA). It has been active since at least 1998, possibly 1997, ...
*
Wiretapping Telephone tapping (also wire tapping or wiretapping in American English) is the monitoring of telephone and Internet-based conversations by a third party, often by covert means. The wire tap received its name because, historically, the monitorin ...


References


External links

* http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2009/04/fbi-spyware-pro.html * https://web.archive.org/web/20090422204155/http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9131778&source=NLT_AM * https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2011/04/new-fbi-documents-show-depth-government * http://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/view/33825/did-the-fbi-use-cipav-against-tor/ {{FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation Computer law Surveillance Spyware