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Pentagon researcher details hypothetical World of Warcraft - terror plot

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Lifer
Careful what guilds you join, they could be terrorist cells !

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/54752
Pentagon Researcher Details Hypothetical WoW-hatched Terror Plot


A researcher working for the Pentagon last week presented to members of the US intelligence community a hypothetical scenario that would see foreign militants using World of Warcraft to evade spy agencies in the planning of a terrorist plot.

Dr. Dwight Tovas of the National Defense University presented slides featuring WoW maps and chat logs to illustrate how a group of terrorists might use the global, unmonitored MMO to communicate in secret.

Says Wired of the scenario:

In it, two World of Warcraft players discuss a raid on the "White Keep" inside the "Stonetalon Mountains." The major objective is to set off a "Dragon Fire spell" inside, and make off with "110 Gold and 234 Silver" in treasure. "No one will dance there for a hundred years after this spell is cast," one player, "war_monger," crows.

Except, in this case, the White Keep is at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. "Dragon Fire" is an unconventional weapon. And "110 Gold and 234 Silver" tells the plotters how to align the game's map with one of Washington, D.C.

A February report from the Director of National Intelligence notes that the US intelligence community is already looking to perfect software that would automatically detect suspicious behavior within virtual worlds such as World of Warcraft.

But some are skeptical of whether the policing of MMO games is a high priority for national security.

"Could terrorists use Second Life? Sure, they can use anything," said intelligence analyst Steven Aftergood. "But is it a significant augmentation? That's not obvious. It's a scenario that an intelligence officer is duty-bound to consider. That's all."
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Originally posted by: ivan2
duh! everyone knows there's no raid dungeon in stonetalon mountain...
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It's out in the middle of BFE as well Undercity and Lord Sylvana is so much better
 
Makes sense. Hopefully they don't have to spend a lot to discover these little ideas, however, I'm glad they are starting to at least think outside the box, as conventional that whole idea actually is (at least in my opinions... would probably blow the minds of some of the older government folks who don't have any family members playing the game and/or talking about it).
 
Nice. I went to the grocery store today and picked up a box of oat meal. I gave the cashier a $10 bill and he gave me $5.37 in change. I said thanks and good-bye. What really happened was by me walking into the store that meant our devious plan was to go into motion. The oat meal meant we should c4 charges and the 5.37 change he returned was the activation code. Oh and thanks really meant I hate you and your mullet.
 
How would this be different from IMs or text messages? Are those monitored by the government?

A February report from the Director of National Intelligence notes that the US intelligence community is already looking to perfect software that would automatically detect suspicious behavior within virtual worlds such as World of Warcraft.
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What about the scenario that was used as an example is suspicious? If the terrorist are capable of pulling of an attack you would think they would be able to keep their communions from be suspicious. Will they actually check each message for for consistency?
 
Yeah, like I can totally see Obama Bin Laden totally sitting in his fvcking CAVE playing WOW!

I mean, if you practice radical Islam, doesn't WOW somehow go against your beliefs?

I bet the FBI owns the character name, "Muhammed was Gay" and they carefully monitor how many death threats they get.
 
Your backstab critically hits Goverment for 5000 damage.
Your eviscerate hits Government for 1200 damage.
Government's spell "Spend your Tax dollars" is resisted!
You critically hit Goverment for 3200 damage.
Government dies. You gain 42 experience points.
 
Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
Yeah, like I can totally see Obama Bin Laden totally sitting in his fvcking CAVE playing WOW!

I mean, if you practice radical Islam, doesn't WOW somehow go against your beliefs?

I bet the FBI owns the character name, "Muhammed was Gay" and they carefully monitor how many death threats they get.
Click to expand...

I know you're being sarcastic, but isn't the goal of a terrorist to come up with new and unthought of ways to plan for, and attack the 'enemy'?

Think about it. Who in the hell, besides a handful of people, thought someone would ever fly planes into our buildings. It was an unconventional, and rather ingenious and succesful plan of attack unfortunately.

I doubt Bin Laden plays it (hell, he might for fun, who the hell knows)......but it does seem like a logical way to communicate discreetly if you were a terrorist.

For you to dismiss that because you think it's absurd....well, people who think like you are the reason why our security sucks in the first place.
 
Originally posted by: MisterJackson
Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
Yeah, like I can totally see Obama Bin Laden totally sitting in his fvcking CAVE playing WOW!

I mean, if you practice radical Islam, doesn't WOW somehow go against your beliefs?

I bet the FBI owns the character name, "Muhammed was Gay" and they carefully monitor how many death threats they get.
Click to expand...

I know you're being sarcastic, but isn't the goal of a terrorist to come up with new and unthought of ways to plan for, and attack the 'enemy'?

Think about it. Who in the hell, besides a handful of people, thought someone would ever fly planes into our buildings. It was an unconventional, and rather ingenious and succesful plan of attack unfortunately.

I doubt Bin Laden plays it (hell, he might for fun, who the hell knows)......but it does seem like a logical way to communicate discreetly if you were a terrorist.

For you to dismiss that because you think it's absurd....well, people who think like you are the reason why our security sucks in the first place.
Click to expand...

There are far better and easier communication means than playing in wow...
 
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