Dear FBI, CIA, NSA, and SEC authorities on bitcointalk.org...

[sippsnapp]

The only thing i would expect in this area is some sort of provocation to members who are investigated for any reason to reveal more personal information which could lead to a real identity.
There is no reason for any autorithy to give a statements or comment on anything in here, the only comment id expect is another fbi report on the current state of bitcoin as the last report.

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[ShireSilver]

... so we are playing spot the spook now?

I thought there were laws that public officials acting in official capacity have to make themselves known when asked ... or is it just a crypto-police state, not a real one?

The idea that an officer or other public official must identify themself if asked is a myth propagated by undercover cops.

At least here in the U.S. cops are allowed to lie to you. That's pretty well known.

As far as "spot the fed", a few years ago at PorcFest there was a guy that just didn't seem to fit in and a few of the folks decided he must be a fed. He got followed around and it seemed to me to be blown out of proportion. The next year there were people walking around with t-shirts that said "I'm a fed" on the front and "Don't you wish it was that easy?" on the back.

One friend of mine suggested that if they really wanted to infiltrate a group like that (largely male and geeky) the best thing to do would be to send in a young female.

[jgarzik]

Who says they have to be a fed at all?

A lot of electronic intelligence action happens at private contractors, I wager.

[goodlord666]

One friend of mine suggested that if they really wanted to infiltrate a group like that (largely male and geeky) the best thing to do would be to send in a young female.

The only female here that ever got my attention was the one that showed her vagina to everyone willing enough to send her bitcoins. if government agents were to run tactics like that, I'd consider them part of the movement rather than infiltrators.

[paraipan]

Who you gonna call... ? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9We2XsVZfc

[marcus_of_augustus]

Who says they have to be a fed at all?

A lot of electronic intelligence action happens at private contractors, I wager.

like Dunvegan Space Systems for example?

[cbeast]

Full disclosure: cbeast is my codename at the DoD - Department of Defiance.

[sgravina]

I'm a snitch and will talk just for the attention.   I'll tell you anything.  Except how bitcoins work, I don't really understand that.

Disclaimer: I don't know much at all so most of my information is made up.

[oldschool]

Who says they have to be a fed at all?

A lot of electronic intelligence action happens at private contractors, I wager.

NSA was hiring at defcon.... not contract but full salary.

They prefer to keep intelligence inhouse, however they do outsource pentesting on their own network.

[marcus_of_augustus]

The best (most effective) pentesting gets done for "free" of course.

[Bitcoin Oz]

NSA agents are required to sign an agreement to let the government tap their phone as a condition of employment

haha, poor guys. Unlike the rest of us who could never be wiretapped without a warrent...  

Just get a second phone   

[oldschool]

The best (most effective) pentesting gets done for "free" of course.

Not when it comes to three letter government agencies.  Anyone with the skill to pentest them wouldn't be risking the trouble it could bring when they could contact the organizations and get paid a lot of money to do it with permission.

[thebaron]

NSA agents are required to sign an agreement to let the government tap their phone as a condition of employment

haha, poor guys. Unlike the rest of us who could never be wiretapped without a warrent...  

That was my exact thought. Why would they even need to ask...

[marcus_of_augustus]

The best (most effective) pentesting gets done for "free" of course.

Not when it comes to three letter government agencies.  Anyone with the skill to pentest them wouldn't be risking the trouble it could bring when they could contact the organizations and get paid a lot of money to do it with permission.

... you mean those TLAs that 'always' ask for permission before sticking their code into other people's boxes? Do they pay in btc I wonder?

Good for the goose is good for the gander.

[oldschool]

The best (most effective) pentesting gets done for "free" of course.

Not when it comes to three letter government agencies.  Anyone with the skill to pentest them wouldn't be risking the trouble it could bring when they could contact the organizations and get paid a lot of money to do it with permission.

... you mean those TLAs that 'always' ask for permission before sticking their code into other people's boxes? Do they pay in btc I wonder?

Good for the goose is good for the gander.

They print their own money, why would they ever pay in another currency?

[goodlord666]

Just kidding, the U.S gov anyway has very little interest in Bitcoins or your play money scams. The people who are saying OH NO! The $10,000 drug market is going to ruin BTC! Eh, no. Why chase people back and forth and waste the energy and resources, when we could just sit at the U.S boarders, and snag over $60 Million in drugs per day?

You are wrong. If it's true that SilkRoad holds some half million in BTC and Bitcoin were to gain traction and take off publicly they'd be holding a significant portion of the global capital available. And that would eventually make them one of the most powerful entities in the world.
I think it's naive to believe the government has no real interest in Bitcoin, they are no stupider than me or some other folks who saw the true potential in the very beginning. My guess is they're either in high alert mode and have been for a long time (only you don't really see or hear any of it) or they are shitting bricks. Or both.

Or they're joining in on the business.

Being a government employee like you say doesn't mean you know what the government is really doing. After all, you're just an employee.

[wksantiago]

Be wise they should join the business as an additional tool for all !

[RodeoX]

I have had to sign NDA's for secure work involving the military. I can't tell you what for, but I can say that not every secret is sexy. Whoever really buys toilet paper at Langley would get canned for saying what brand they use, even though no one cares.
It was put to me this way: The new paradigm is; "I could tell you, but I would have to sue you."

[oldschool]

I have had to sign NDA's for secure work involving the military. I can't tell you what for, but I can say that not every secret is sexy. Whoever really buys toilet paper at Langley would get canned for saying what brand they use, even though no one cares.
It was put to me this way: The new paradigm is; "I could tell you, but I would have to sue you."

Not all companies will make you sign NDAs like the government, but most will have policies in place barring employee's from disclosing such information.  One big reason for this is social engineering.  Once you've gained enough information about an organization, even if it seems like it is insignificant, this can be used to gain more information from employees and managers.  Simply calling up and pretending to be a janitorial supply company verifying an "order" or other information, you can gather email address', usernames, staffing times, the possibilities are limitless, then you call later from another "company" if need be to gather further information.

[LightRider]

Gavin Andreesen is a CIA operative/extra-terrestrial and he posts on the forums all the time.