FBI uses spyware to catch juvenile prankster
Fifteen year old Josh Glazebrook was sentenced to 90 days in juvenile detention after sending Timberline High Schhol, in Lacey Washington, phony bomb threats through e-mail. Josh was caught after the FBI was granted the permission to use a form of top secret spyware, known as a computer and Internet protocol and address verifier (CIPAV), to correctly identify his IP address.
On June 12, FBI special agent Norman B. Sanders Jr., was given the permission by the United States District Court (Western District of Washington) to infect a computer with FBI spyware.
The said computer was the originating machine used to administer a MySpace account, Timberlinebombinfo (shown), who the FBI suspected may have been used by the same party who was sending bomb threats to the local high school.
The spyware, CIPAV’s, sole purpose was to identify the computer and/or the user(s) of the computer, according to the issued affidavit. The CIPAV was said to collect the activating computer’s IP address, MAC address, registry information, and other environment variables to send to a remote computer controlled by the FBI.
The MySpace profile used currently has a privacy block, but uses the profile name Doug. The name Doug was also used in a few of the several bomb threatening e-mails sent by Josh Glazebrook, who used G-mail accounts:
- dougbriggs123@gmail.com
- dougbrigs@gmail.com
- dougbriggs234@gmail.com
- thisisfromitaly@gmail.com
- timberline.sucks@gmail.com
One of the threatening e-mails sent on June 4, 2007 stated: “I will be blowing up your school Monday, June 4, 2007. There are 4 bombs planted throughout timberline high shcool. One in the math hall, library hall, main office and one portable. The bombs will go off in 5 minute intervals at 9:15 AM.”
The FBI suspected the MySpace profile “timberlinebombinfo” after obtaining MySpace subscriber information and learning the account was registered to a Doug Briggs.
But the IP address, 80.76.80.103, used to send the threatening e-mails and sign up for the MySpace account were from a compromised computer located in Italy; thus explaining the “thisisfromitaly” e-mail address used.
This suggests the teenager, Josh Glazebrook, consciously knew what he was doing was wrong and was using this tactic to mask his true IP address.
Still, Glazebook’s efforts to hide his true identity and location were apparently no match for the CIPAV FBI spyware and the boy was eventually caught.
Glazebrook received a measly 90 days in juvenile detention after pleading guilty, a sentence which should have been significantly greater due to the child’s apparent knowledge of wrongdoing.
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August 21st, 2007
It was rather frightening what happened. I actually KNEW josh glazebrook myself. he used to be a really good friend of mine for ages. I was shocked when i found out it was him who had done it. he seemed so quiet.