Spot the Fed

[TheCotMan]

The Spot the Fed game/contest at DefCon is amusing, but the lack of sophistication shown by some "spotters" is laughable.

Let's see if we can build a new generation of spotters who can better spot and interrogate potential Feds.

I've put up hints about spotting feds as gathered from a DefCon 12 thread and other sources.

What do you think of this? Do you have suggestions to make it better? Do you think this should not be done?

I'll let a vote here decide the availability of that document online to the public.

[bascule]

Hippies think everyone is the fed

[astcell]

Hippies think everyone is the fed

Unless they are obviously another hippie, right?

[Second]

That was a cool article, I liked the questions. I'm a grammar hound by nature, so sorry for pointing this out. Your eighth hyperlink, linking to defcon, has a comma after the www instead of a period. Sorry for being nit-picky but I thought it would help. Thanks for the article though.

:)

[astcell]

It's a period when you're not looking.

[Second]

It's a period when you're not looking.

Wait you can't be seri....*looks again*....*double take* WHAT THE!! Man........wisdome really DOES come with age


:)

[TheCotMan]

That was a cool article, I liked the questions. I'm a grammar hound by nature, so sorry for pointing this out. Your eighth hyperlink, linking to defcon, has a comma after the www instead of a period. Sorry for being nit-picky but I thought it would help. Thanks for the article though.

My mistake. It has been fixed. Any mistakes in that doc , trivial, non-trivial, whatever-- all welcome.

Also, if you have new questions or things that can be used to profile feds and want tho share, please include them.

Even laughable questions are good.

[hackajar]

So what's the story on Fed's qualifications? I heard somewhere that "They must have a badge" and "They must carry a firearm". But doesn't this rule out scientists and tons of forensic analyst's? How about contractors who are given a .gov email address, do they count? There's no clean cut requirements defined anywhere! (point me to them if I'm wrong)

[TheCotMan]

So what's the story on Fed's qualifications? I heard somewhere that "They must have a badge" and "They must carry a firearm". But doesn't this rule out scientists and tons of forensic analyst's? How about contractors who are given a .gov email address, do they count? There's no clean cut requirements defined anywhere!

For the Spot the Fed contest?
Originally? audience/peer opinion.
Later? Priest's opinion with some input from audience.
Latest? Priest's opinion.

Was: Local Law Enforcement Officers sometimes counted, some military in secret ops-type work sometimes counted, and other "feds" seemed to usually count if they worked for any kind of TLA (including IRS in some cases) except for Dept of the Interior.
Later: Secret Service, FBI, CIA, NSA, DIA, ~TLA, Military people who specialize in computer warfare, Navy/AirForce/Army Intrusion Detection specialists
Latest: Not quite sure. I did not see many "Spot the Fed" attempts this last year.

There are people who work for DOJ in labs as scientists who have badges, but I don't know if that is an exception or a rule.

[astcell]

I think th shirt they get has ten badges on the back, so obviously these agencies count. They are not all law enforcement if I recall. Also what about foreigners? If we get a Mossad agent in there, does that count?

[TheCotMan]

They are not all law enforcement if I recall. Also what about foreigners?

If the foreigners work for a similar kind of agency in their country, yeah. They have given shirts to people from Isreal and several other countries when they are "feds" in their homeland.

[-0o-]

a good fed is one that cannot be spotted.


mind you, I'd be paranoid of anyone you don't know who approaches you...
another comical idea would be to walk around and nudge people saying "I know who you're really working for."

[lil_freak]

another comical idea would be to walk around and nudge people saying "I know who you're really working for."

With that idea I could see the possibility of someone ending up in handcuffs and being lead away for questioning.

[TheCotMan]

With that idea I could see the possibility of someone ending up in handcuffs and being lead away for questioning.

Yeah, I added a section before that was posted. "Dangerous Things"
I've got observations like "spotting a concealed weapon" but realized that someone might be stupid snough to bump into people, touch locations they think have guns, or choose some other technique as risky.

[astcell]

...another comical idea would be to walk around and nudge people saying "I know who you're really working for."

The human mind tends to believe what is whispered to it. Try looking someone in the eyes, leaning forward, then whisper, "I know your secret." They'll turn white as a sheet and not question IF you know, they'll wonder HOW you know.

Try this with your boss, you'll never be fired.