Email from FBI Looks Odd • Hacker News Board

Re: Email from FBI Looks Odd

#51

Post by enkid » Sat, Nov 13, 2021, 1:20 PM UTC

dsukhin wrote: post #25

The email domain where the messages originate is from some sort of federated identity management system that was created in 2010 (here is a proposal deck [0] with technical details). Found this program simply by searching Google for the sending domain. Based on the guide for using this system [1] (see step 15) looks like this specific email address is the one that sends automated confirmation emails upon registration…

It could be the Russians trying to make the FBI look incompetent and make people trust the government less.

Re: Email from FBI Looks Odd

#52

Post by enkid » Sat, Nov 13, 2021, 1:21 PM UTC

Alex3917 wrote: post #47

oxymoran wrote: post #43

I find it fascinating that one can be intelligent enough to be able to do something like this but they just couldn’t put together a coherent enough email to actually fool you, especially because they seem to have a decent enough command of English. The tone is waaaaaay off though.

If you can send email from the FBI then you also have a get out of jail free card for any crime. Seems like a bad use of this access.

I don't see how sending an email from the FBI gives you a get out of jail free card.

Re: Email from FBI Looks Odd

#53

Post by sennight » Sat, Nov 13, 2021, 1:29 PM UTC

hungryforcodes wrote: post #39

From the Reddit thread: "got it too. i called the FBI helpdesk and they are getting flooded with calls..." I mean as a spammer (or whateveer) do you REALLY want to piss off the FBI like that?

What are they gonna do in response, bankroll somebody to say they have a tape of Russian hookers peeing on you? The FBI is famously inept at anything beyond questionably legal political games, so much so that the Secret Service was in charge of enforcing telecommunications related law for the longest time.

Re: Email from FBI Looks Odd

#54

Post by IAmGraydon » Sat, Nov 13, 2021, 1:34 PM UTC

Lots of people commenting that the text of the email seems amateurish. Perhaps it’s exactly as it should be, but you don’t understand its purpose. Maybe they wanted this to be discussed on netsec forums everywhere, so that Google searches for “Vinny Troia” always lead back to discussion about this email, framing him as a cyber criminal and outranking legitimate posts about or by him - an online identity assassination. They needed the email to set off some alarm bells so that it would pique enough interest to be widely discussed. They appear to have widely targeted the email addresses of system admins. I’m fairly certain this was their intention.

Also, does it strike anyone else as odd that the account that posted this to HN was created hours ago, for the sole purpose of starting this thread?

Re: Email from FBI Looks Odd

#55

Post by rwbhn » Sat, Nov 13, 2021, 1:36 PM UTC

hungryforcodes wrote: post #39

From the Reddit thread: "got it too. i called the FBI helpdesk and they are getting flooded with calls..." I mean as a spammer (or whateveer) do you REALLY want to piss off the FBI like that?

Misdirection? Loud noise here - actual attack somewhere else?

Re: Email from FBI Looks Odd

#56

Post by macinjosh » Sat, Nov 13, 2021, 1:41 PM UTC

enkid wrote: post #51

dsukhin wrote: post #25

The email domain where the messages originate is from some sort of federated identity management system that was created in 2010 (here is a proposal deck [0] with technical details). Found this program simply by searching Google for the sending domain. Based on the guide for using this system [1] (see step 15) looks like this specific email address is the one that sends automated confirmation emails upon registration…

It could be the Russians trying to make the FBI look incompetent and make people trust the government less.

Oh no! Best check under the bed and in the closet for those dang ruskies /s

Re: Email from FBI Looks Odd

#57

Post by oefrha » Sat, Nov 13, 2021, 1:42 PM UTC

IAmGraydon wrote: post #54

Lots of people commenting that the text of the email seems amateurish. Perhaps it’s exactly as it should be, but you don’t understand its purpose. Maybe they wanted this to be discussed on netsec forums everywhere, so that Google searches for “Vinny Troia” always lead back to discussion about this email, framing him as a cyber criminal and outranking legitimate posts about or by him - an online identity assassination…

> does it strike anyone else as odd that the account that posted this to HN was created hours ago, for the sole purpose of starting this thread?

That is not odd. I also use throwaways to post potentially sensitive information, or information that might rub powerful institutions the wrong way.

The rest of your post is within the realms of reason.

Re: Email from FBI Looks Odd

#58

Post by boomboomsubban » Sat, Nov 13, 2021, 1:45 PM UTC

enkid wrote: post #51

dsukhin wrote: post #25

The email domain where the messages originate is from some sort of federated identity management system that was created in 2010 (here is a proposal deck [0] with technical details). Found this program simply by searching Google for the sending domain. Based on the guide for using this system [1] (see step 15) looks like this specific email address is the one that sends automated confirmation emails upon registration…

It could be the Russians trying to make the FBI look incompetent and make people trust the government less.

The Russians would likely try to exploit such an e-mail to gain something more tangible or if their goal was to make the FBI look inept they would send the message to a much wider audience.

Re: Email from FBI Looks Odd

#59

Post by chillingeffect » Sat, Nov 13, 2021, 1:46 PM UTC

IAmGraydon wrote: post #54

Lots of people commenting that the text of the email seems amateurish. Perhaps it’s exactly as it should be, but you don’t understand its purpose. Maybe they wanted this to be discussed on netsec forums everywhere, so that Google searches for “Vinny Troia” always lead back to discussion about this email, framing him as a cyber criminal and outranking legitimate posts about or by him - an online identity assassination…

Don't know of Vinny, but if he's a security guy, maybe one of his colleagues is pranking him? My college buddies did this kind of stuff to one another. They would die laughing at finding a way to legit send spam through the fbi.

Re: Email from FBI Looks Odd

#60

Post by RhodesianHunter » Sat, Nov 13, 2021, 1:47 PM UTC

macinjosh wrote: post #56

enkid wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It could be the Russians trying to make the FBI look incompetent and make people trust the government less.

Oh no! Best check under the bed and in the closet for those dang ruskies /s

What's the point of comments like this? Do you honestly not believe that Russia enlists hackers to poke at the seams in the US?