Use a Honeypot, Go to Prison?

scubacuda writes "Using a honeypot to detect and surveil computer intruders might put you on the working end of federal wiretapping beef, or even get you sued by the next hacker that sticks his nose in the trap, according this (old) Security Focus article. Honeypots could be federal criminal law calls "interception of communications", a felony that carries up to five years in prison. Because the Federal Wiretap Act has civil provisions, as well as criminal, there's even a chance that a hacker could file a lawsuit against a honeypot operator that doesn't have their legal ducks in a row. "It would take chutzpah," said Richard Salgado, senior counsel for the Department of Justice's computer crime unit, "But there's a case where an accused kidnapper who was using a cloned cell phone sued for the interception of the cell phone conversations... And he won.""

oh no!

[fjordboy]

I always knew that something bad would come of Pooh and his addiction...

Who knew that honeypots would lead to jail? I bet even Owl and Rabbit didn't know that!

Like Bees to...

[eaglebtc]

Whatever happened to good-old-fashioned access logs? On the other hand, this is just like setting up bear traps. Only difference is, the bears can't sue you in court. But they'll probably eat you alive if they ever get out of the trap.

Re:Err...

[gid]

This is like a burglar suing a homeowner because he cut himself on a knife he was stealing along with the rest of their silverware...

Ah but the burglar CAN sue you for cutting himself on your knife. Welcome to the good old US of A.

Heh.

[k03 kalle]

The computers you own are not actually yours. They are owned by the United States govt. Everyone go download their new distributed CPU project called "Count The Votes". Oh, wait, they installed it for me. Thank you govt. :D On a serious note though. Its getting to be that regular Americans can't do anything without fear of getting sued or suing someone else. McDonalds coffee anyone?

Re:Err...

[Anonymous Coward]

So I guess the fact that I have event logging on my Windows 2000 server makes me a criminal.

Stupidity always manages to get its way...

Exploit

[DJ Rubbie]

I can see this might happen:

1) Find Open Windoze SMB share (or any open, insecure systems)
2) "Hack" into it
3) Try to get caught (log files, whatever)
4) Claim that was a honeypot
5) Sue for profit

It does seem this easy.

WANTED...

[LordYUK]

Small, yellow bear wearing red shirt.

Suspect goes by the name of "Winnie the Pooh" which he received because he smears feces all over his victims after he murders them. Suspect keeps company with the likes of a bouncing self proclaimed "thug" named "Tigger" and a small yet crafty mastermind of evil "Piglet".

Suspects should be conidered armed and dangerous. If seen, please contact Detective Christopher Robinson.

We advise the public to keep all Honeypots safely out of sight and or smell.

Re:oh no!

[I Am The Owl]

I bet even Owl and Rabbit didn't know that!

Yeah, you can tell that to my cellmate, Bubba!

Just changed my MOTD

[deadfishhotmail.com]

We trust you have received the usual lecture from the local System Administrator. It usually boils down to these four things: #1) Respect the privacy of others. #2) Think before you type. #3) Everything is being recorded #4) You've just rooted my server, before continuing your hacking please read the complete TOS in /usr/share/tos. If you do not agree to the TOS you must stop hacking my server immediately. root#

That outta do it!

Honey Pot?

[LordYUK]

I've tried some weird combinations before, but mixing honey with pot never occured to me.

Does it get you a better buzz?

Something doesn't add up here

[Hamstaus]

Wait a minute!

No anti-MS sentiment... posted by Taco... not a dupe...

This story is a honeypot! Whatever you do, don't post any comments! It's a trick! It's a tri^&T3ATZ
NO CARRIER

Re:Err...

[outsider007]

next we'll see handicapped burglars suing homeowners for not providing wheelchair access to their valuables.

Re:oh no!

[Just Some Guy]

I am screwed. So screwed. My main server is kanga.honeypot.net, and my workstation is pooh. My wife's iMac is piglet, and my FreeBSD firewall is gopher. Save me a soft bunk in prison.

Re:oh no!

[RealityMogul]

No, you should have detailed logging on, and be keeping those logs for 100 years in case law enforcement needs to look at them, except in the cases when people are hacking your system, then you should turn off the logging.

Re:Err...

[Anonymous Coward]

I think it's fucked up myself too. Sure if someone is entering my house, I can shoot them. But by God if they cut themselves on a steak knife I left out I might be liable for thousands.

Better shoot them instead, no sense putting yourself at legal risk.

"Oh, bother," said Pooh

[artemis67]

...as the Feds slapped the cuffs on him and threw him against the hood of the car.

Re:Err...

[cptgrudge]

Burglar scopes out my house as a score.

Burglar enters my house through a window.

Window breaks, burglar cuts arm.

I hear it, grab my gun, and see the burglar bleeding on my oriental throw rug.

I say, "Sorry man, I don't really want to kill you, but I won't be liable for it and there's less paperwork that way."

BAM!

See ya in 5-10....

[Gibble]

Well I guess I'm going to jail, my cell phone ocassionally intercepts other communications and I hear their conversation in the background of mine...damn the luck.

"Oh, bother," said Pooh

[IIRCAFAIKIANAL]

... as he reached for the soap.

Re:A Modest Proposal

[WebMasterJoe]

What we need IMO is an NRA equivalent to represent the interests of computer users...

Why don't we just ask the NRA to defend us? They've got weapons, right?

Anybody notice?

[cmburns69]

Anybody notice how "Honey pots" backwards is "Stop yenoh!". A quick google [google.com] of the word reveals it to have to do with food, so "honey pots" is code for "Stop food!". This madness must be ended!

An online Starcraft RPG? Free, only at [netnexus.com]
In soviet russia, all your us are belong to base!
Karma: Redundant!

Re:oh no!

[BigBadBri]

I once wrote a SMTP honeypot called Tigger...

but it bounced!

Re:Prove it.

[Poeir]

What's a second-story burgler doing breaking in through a third-floor window? Sounds pretty fishy to me.

Re:Prove it.

[rthille]

Sort of reminds me of the story my mom tells about a friend of hers with an avocado ranch. (Yeah, they call them ranches, not farms, don't blame me). Mom's friend caught a couple of guys stealing avocados and held them a gunpoint while the foreman got the backhoe [deere.com] and dug a hole. When the foreman finished digging the hole, they had the men get in the hole, where they stayed until the police showed up...

Obligatory Blazing Saddles Quote

[bakes]

"If you shoot him, you'll only make him mad"