EU agrees rules for remote computer access by police forces – but fails, as usual, to mention the security and intelligene agencies

Abstract:

The issue of state agencies getting “remote access” to computer hard drives came to light in June 2008 when the German government adopted a new law to give its main police agency this power in terrorist investigations. This amended the Federal Criminal Police Office Act to allow judicial authorisation to conduct online remote computer hard drive searches (and video surveillance in private homes) in "cases of terrorist threats" to allow: the surveillance of private homes and telecommunications as well as remote searches of computer hard drives.

The technology that might to be used when accessing a hard drive could be Trojan software or “Rootkits” (which remain quietly hidden from the computer owner while accessing and spying on the content) but more likely what is called “Remote Forensic Software" developed by a number of state agencies.