Romney's tax returns - first Bitcoin extortion?

[rampone]

I dunno, was this http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/09/09/hustler-publisher-larry-flynt-offers-1-million-for-romney-tax-returns/ posted already ?

[molecular]

I dunno, was this http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/09/09/hustler-publisher-larry-flynt-offers-1-million-for-romney-tax-returns/ posted already ?

yep, thanks anyhow. The last major news about this was the bitinstant marketing gag 3 days ago... of course, since nothing's moving and all parties either want to keep things under the rug as much as possible or have already said all there is to say.

[JDBound]

So, I suppose all was not revealed in Austin, TX this morning? Anyone with evidence to suggest otherwise?

Bounty still stands for brute forcing the .rar

[FLHippy]

So, I suppose all was not revealed in Austin, TX this morning? Anyone with evidence to suggest otherwise?

Bounty still stands for brute forcing the .rar

Doing a little research this morning, there is a rar version which has a vulnerability in its encryption/password protection.

I think if the file were part of a troll, they would have used a dictionary password or they would have used the compromised version to make it easier on people who wanted to extract it and their troll more effective. It would be version 2.7. I don't know if it's all versions below 2.7 or just 2.7.

I don't have the tools do do this kind of thing myself. And I couldn't find anything for the mac which does it. I have a couple of dedicated linux miners but I don't trust any of the rar brute force source code or binaries that I found enough to put them on my miners or my macbook without worry of installing a trojan.

There are a bunch of high end windows applications but they cost money. More than the bounty.

[JDBound]

This showed up a day prior to the latest binary.

http://pastebin.com/pfcqiKWX

Seems to be logically consistent with what has happened, although it's impossible to know if it's legitimate.

[jimbobway]

This showed up a day prior to the latest binary.

http://pastebin.com/pfcqiKWX

Seems to be logically consistent with what has happened, although it's impossible to know if it's legitimate.

Has anyone tried downloading the files?

Edit: Ok, I just read more of the thread.  There are so many holes in this story.  For instance, the binary message that was created by sending transactions...anyone can do that, right?  It could be a hoax in a hoax in a hoax...

Anyone can create a binary message by sending coins to that address and make anything up.

[Spekulatius]

Has anyone tried downloading the files?

Yep, I did but as they say it is encrypted and requires a password to see whats inside that .7z file.

Now would anybody with better computational power then me mind cracking that password pls?

[sadpandatech]

This showed up a day prior to the latest binary.

http://pastebin.com/pfcqiKWX

Seems to be logically consistent with what has happened, although it's impossible to know if it's legitimate.

Has anyone tried downloading the files?

Edit: Ok, I just read more of the thread.  There are so many holes in this story.  For instance, the binary message that was created by sending transactions...anyone can do that, right?  It could be a hoax in a hoax in a hoax...

Anyone can create a binary message by sending coins to that address and make anything up.

"44.12. Did everyone find the binary message encoded into those transactions?
45.Yes, very cute. Sorry, we can't do that to ourselves."

The binary messages wre going IN TO the addresses and not SENT from the guys holding the tax returns hostage.

[mc_lovin]

I think if the 2nd pastebin is the same person as the 1st pastebin, then it's fake.  

However, he did get bitcoin on CNN, for that I applaud him.

[CoinDiver]

I think if the 2nd pastebin is the same person as the 1st pastebin, then it's fake.  

However, he did get bitcoin on CNN, for that I applaud him.

Even if it's a fake, they have succeeded at keeping the tax returns in the news.

[Slushpuppy]

I thought Larry Flynt was already ponying up the money for all this?

[CoinDiver]

I thought Larry Flynt was already ponying up the money for all this?

I'm sure he is waiting for some proof.

[keystroke]

Interesting the files inside the archive have a modification date of 1/7/2012 8:18am. Why would they have been created so long ago?

[HorseRider]

There is still not much evidence that the Dr.evil has got the files.

[JDBound]

There is still not much evidence that the Dr.evil has got the files.

There is still not much evidence that Dr. Evil does not have the files.

[squid]

There is still not much evidence that the Dr.evil has got the files.

There is still not much evidence that Dr. Evil does not have the files.

Really? You are going argue the same way religious nuts argue that their God exists?

[Phinnaeus Gage]

There is still not much evidence that the Dr.evil has got the files.

There is still not much evidence that Dr. Evil does not have the files.

Really? You are going argue the same way religious nuts argue that their God exists?

SOB! I get to use the following quote in two back-to-back unrelated posts.

Any crackpot on the street can come up with a grilled cheese with Mary on it, but the word of God in the Bible is eternal.

[Insu Dra]

There is still not much evidence. Therefore Dr Evil is presumed guilty until proven innocent.

*sarcasms on*
Exactly; I would say lock him up, no phone call and no lawyers till he has proven otherwise ...
*sarcasms off*

[keystroke]

That RAR file has the CRC32s of the PDFs when they are not encrypted. We could generate all the CRC32 collisions of valid PDFs with the exact number of bytes, hahaha. Probably not computationally feasible though We might as well try breaking AES

[LightRider]

There is still not much evidence. Therefore Dr Evil is presumed guilty until proven innocent.

*sarcasms on*
Exactly; I would say lock him up, no phone call and no lawyers till he has proven otherwise ...
*sarcasms off*

So says the NDAA.