Wow. Ugly Details Of HPGary From Ars Technica: "The Convoluted Plot to Bring Down WikiLeaks"

[Hissyspit]

Quite a read.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/02/the-ridiculous-plan-to-attack-wikileaks.ars

Spy games: Inside the convoluted plot to bring down WikiLeaks

By Nate Anderson | Last updated February 14, 2011 1:32 PM

When Aaron Barr was finalizing a recent computer security presentation for the US Transportation Security Administration, a colleague had a bit of good-natured advice for him: "Scare the sh*t out of them!"

In retrospect, this may not have been the advice Barr needed. As CEO of the government-focused infosec company HBGary Federal, Barr had to bring in big clients—and quickly—as the startup business hemorrhaged cash. To do so, he had no problem with trying to "scare the sh*t out of them." When working with a major DC law firm in late 2010 on a potential deal involving social media, for instance, Barr decided that scraping Facebook to stalk a key partner and his family might be a good idea. When he sent his law firm contact a note filled with personal information about the partner, his wife, her family, and her photography business, the result was immediate.

"Thanks. I am not sure I will share what you sent last night—he might freak out."

This rather creepy behavior became common; Barr used it as a sign of his social media prowess. Another target of his investigations went to "a Jewish Church in DC, the Temple Micah." Someone else "married @ the Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michaels, MD (non-denominational ceremony)." Barr was even willing to helpfully guesstimate the ages of children in photographs ("they have 2 kids, son and daughter look to be 7 and 4").

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[toddaa]

1. Kick for Nate at Ars Technica

Best tech news site on the web.

[nashville_brook]

2. k and r

[Gin Blossom]

3. Great article.

Also check out:

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/02/how-one-security-firm-tracked-anonymousand-paid-a-heavy-price.ars

[Hissyspit]

4. Kick. Yes it is.

Thanks.

[Oilwellian]

5. Fascinating read

I've been eating up anything and everything written about this story. It's very addictive stuff. I'm especially happy to see Glenn Greenwald in the thick of it and Anonymous is a freaking trip to behold. I even spent an afternoon reading the chat log they recorded during the actual hack of HBGary. It's pure gold for any movie producer.

[mdmc]

6. ..