Topic: Is it illegal for someone to hack my BTC wallet? - page 10. (Read 15275 times)
This is illegal but it is quite difficult to prove and find who stole your Bitcoin. These hackers know how to hide their tracks well, so call a very small chance.
hacking your wallet mean that some one is stealing your bank ATM Card and code.
yes it is totally illegal is just like if some one is going to steal your ATM card and code, because you put your crypto currency there and no one has te right to get access to it legally.
Sure, theft is illegal. Generally, so is hacking someone. The trouble in this case, though, is: can you prove that theft, or a hack occurred? That may not always be possible. Users compromise their private keys in a number of ways -- most often by exposing themselves to malware, including malicious mobile wallet apps -- but not always. If you can't prove the method of compromise, and further, the identity of the attacker, you don't have a case.
And then, past that, law enforcement is pretty ignorant with this stuff. Unless huge sums of money are involved, nobody cares.
Even when law officials care, they usually are incompetent.
Lots of exchanges went bust with huge amounts of money hacked, I don't see any recoveries being made by law enforcement agencies.
Even if it cannot be proven, it is theft. Plain and simple illegal shenanigans.
yes it is totally illegal is just like if some one is going to steal your ATM card and code, because you put your crypto currency there and no one has te right to get access to it legally.
Sure, theft is illegal. Generally, so is hacking someone. The trouble in this case, though, is: can you prove that theft, or a hack occurred? That may not always be possible. Users compromise their private keys in a number of ways -- most often by exposing themselves to malware, including malicious mobile wallet apps -- but not always. If you can't prove the method of compromise, and further, the identity of the attacker, you don't have a case.
And then, past that, law enforcement is pretty ignorant with this stuff. Unless huge sums of money are involved, nobody cares.
Even when law officials care, they usually are incompetent.
Lots of exchanges went bust with huge amounts of money hacked, I don't see any recoveries being made by law enforcement agencies.
yes it is totally illegal is just like if some one is going to steal your ATM card and code, because you put your crypto currency there and no one has te right to get access to it legally.
Sure, theft is illegal. Generally, so is hacking someone. The trouble in this case, though, is: can you prove that theft, or a hack occurred? That may not always be possible. Users compromise their private keys in a number of ways -- most often by exposing themselves to malware, including malicious mobile wallet apps -- but not always. If you can't prove the method of compromise, and further, the identity of the attacker, you don't have a case.
And then, past that, law enforcement is pretty ignorant with this stuff. Unless huge sums of money are involved, nobody cares.
yes it is totally illegal is just like if some one is going to steal your ATM card and code, because you put your crypto currency there and no one has te right to get access to it legally.
It is illegal for someone to hack your bitcoin, as it is your bitcoins and the person who steal will have to be treated the same as are treated by stealing other currencies.
I'm not clear on this one point. If somebody got a hold of my private key and moved funds from an address that I claimed on the ledger, is that against the law? At what point could that be considered a crime? For example, if they hacked into my machine and stolen the private key; if they sniped the pk while snooping on a public access connection; brute forced the pk into existence; or just plane snapped a shot of my qr code over my shoulder....ect In which of those examples could I pursue prosecution for the theft of my coin?
From the moral point of view in my own opinion, it is wrong however morality does not change anything but issue is that can it be proven in the court of law so better still I suggest you try other more secure ways to keep it safe to make more secure and avoid reoccurrence of such. My 2 cents...I'm not clear on this one point. If somebody got a hold of my private key and moved funds from an address that I claimed on the ledger, is that against the law? At what point could that be considered a crime? For example, if they hacked into my machine and stolen the private key; if they sniped the pk while snooping on a public access connection; brute forced the pk into existence; or just plane snapped a shot of my qr code over my shoulder....ect In which of those examples could I pursue prosecution for the theft of my coin?
From the moral point of view in my own opinion, it is wrong however morality does not change anything but issue is that can it be proven in the court of law so better still I suggest you try other more secure ways to keep it safe to make more secure and avoid reoccurrence of such. My 2 cents... 
The law is not clear when it comes to cyber crimes. It still has gray areas. But it better then when it use to be when the internet first started out with prosecuting these hackers of accounts and cyber attackers.
I'm not clear on this one point. If somebody got a hold of my private key and moved funds from an address that I claimed on the ledger, is that against the law? At what point could that be considered a crime? For example, if they hacked into my machine and stolen the private key; if they sniped the pk while snooping on a public access connection; brute forced the pk into existence; or just plane snapped a shot of my qr code over my shoulder....ect In which of those examples could I pursue prosecution for the theft of my coin?
Depends on the legislation/law where you live, in developed countries for the most part. YES
Back to the subject though, authorities would most likely just brush anything being digitally stolen as things they "don't have jurisdiction over" so why even bother? sure it's illegal to steal things, physical or digital, but if the authorities don't follow up then whats been stolen is just gone.
This last part starts to go where I was thinking.
In order for something to be stolen it first needs to have a defined value.
Since most governments have not recognized BTC as a valid currency, or at the very least recognized how it is to be valued, BTC essentially has a value of zero.
Theft involves stealing something of value, no value, no theft.
I wouldn't want to test my theory in some countries and that is not to say you could not be punished in another way, in the US mobsters where often convicted of tax evasion.
In the United States, bitcoin is a commodity and definitely has a value. If you take something of value that doesn't belong to you, it's generally looked at as theft. Digital or otherwise. Also, unauthorized intrusion into someone's network/server is a crime. If bitcoin is essentially valueless, tell that to Mark Karpales and the FBI agent that was on the silk road case. They are looking at cells as we speak (save Mark, he just got out I think) for stealing 'worthless' bitcoin
Back to the subject though, authorities would most likely just brush anything being digitally stolen as things they "don't have jurisdiction over" so why even bother? sure it's illegal to steal things, physical or digital, but if the authorities don't follow up then whats been stolen is just gone.
This last part starts to go where I was thinking.
In order for something to be stolen it first needs to have a defined value.
Since most governments have not recognized BTC as a valid currency, or at the very least recognized how it is to be valued, BTC essentially has a value of zero.
Theft involves stealing something of value, no value, no theft.
I wouldn't want to test my theory in some countries and that is not to say you could not be punished in another way, in the US mobsters where often convicted of tax evasion.
So,
1) If they hacked into my machine and stole the private key; (illegal)
2) If they sniped the pk while snooping on a public access connection; (illegal)
3) If they brute forced the private key into existence; (not illegal)
4) If they snapped a shot of my private key qr code over my shoulder at an ATM. (not illegal)
What if I claimed an address on the block chain with a signature and 3 or 4 happened? Would I have a case then?
If 3) happens then all Bitcoins become worthless and the question would become: If I take something which is worth nothing is it illegal?
Well I guess you could argue that even though all Bitcoins are now worthless they still might have sentimental value.
Haha well I doubt we'll get there anytime soon s don't you worry
you just keep on HODLing. It is illegal to steal digital goods. It's a fact. But to others' points, the authorities will most likely do nothing or start a haphazard investigation and in the end getting your $500 back from a hacker off the coast of Taiwan won't be a priority. Giving those punk kids their $150 speeding tickets will meet the quota nicely
Great justice system huh, "make sure you arrest about this many people"
Back to the subject though, authorities would most likely just brush anything being digitally stolen as things they "don't have jurisdiction over" so why even bother? sure it's illegal to steal things, physical or digital, but if the authorities don't follow up then whats been stolen is just gone.
If you found their private key by mathematical computation or guessing, I think it will not be considered illegal. But if you got that by using malware or trojan that may be illegal.
If you hacked Nobody can expect you can claim that wallet is yours.
If you hacked Nobody can expect you can claim that wallet is yours.
So,
1) If they hacked into my machine and stole the private key; (illegal)
2) If they sniped the pk while snooping on a public access connection; (illegal)
3) If they brute forced the private key into existence; (not illegal)
4) If they snapped a shot of my private key qr code over my shoulder at an ATM. (not illegal)
What if I claimed an address on the block chain with a signature and 3 or 4 happened? Would I have a case then?
3) Is it illegal to write a check with your bank account and signature on it?
4) Is it illegal to look in the paper trash for cc information? Snap a shot and use it?
4) yes it is illegal. There would be no difference to using an ATM Skimmer setup (very illegal).... as for "look in the paper trash for cc information" ... that's why it is not printed on paper that goes into the trash anymore ... it is used to complete the transaction then securely destroyed. That is IF paper is used at all anymore. Manual Written transactions have gone the way of the Dodo as far as I am aware. The last time I ever saw the carbon paper slips was almost 20 years ago.
yes it is even illegal to hack the yahoo id of some one. then how can it be legal to hack the BTC wallet. it is just like that if some one stole hck you band account. so what will be your reaction then.
is there any doubt about this. i don's think that any one can think that it is legal for some one to hack you r Bitcoin Wallet. can you allow some one to have access to your bank account.
I think this is kind of a related but murkier issue.
I have a lot of questions about "smart contracts" which have been raised by this event:
http://pastebin.com/CcGUBgDG
So the "smart contract" says that the entire contract is contained in the code and that whatever is defined/allowed by the code is what defined/allowed in the contract.
Then a loophole is found in the "contract" and someone uses it to their advantage.
Is executing this code, which was allowed by the smart contract code, admittedly unintentionally, then legal?
Now, the ETH/DAO community is considering reversing the transaction so ... would that be legal? Wouldn't that be theft by the collective ETH/DAO community?
Some messy questions to say the least.
I have a lot of questions about "smart contracts" which have been raised by this event:
http://pastebin.com/CcGUBgDG
So the "smart contract" says that the entire contract is contained in the code and that whatever is defined/allowed by the code is what defined/allowed in the contract.
Then a loophole is found in the "contract" and someone uses it to their advantage.
Is executing this code, which was allowed by the smart contract code, admittedly unintentionally, then legal?
Now, the ETH/DAO community is considering reversing the transaction so ... would that be legal? Wouldn't that be theft by the collective ETH/DAO community?
Some messy questions to say the least.
Yes, I agree. That is why I asked the question. It's not so "black and white" and it's getting more and more complicated as the technology advances. I mean, many of us are "anti-regulatory" but at the same time, some of us have a sense of moral integrity....so....where do we draw the line and how will we allow that line to be corrected? TheDAO was an excellent example. Some of us agree that funneling investors funds into a private account is wrong but also agree that forking the blockchain to regulate the problem sets a bad precedent....so....what's worse and how is that decided?
Stealing 0.0000001 Bitcoin is perfectly legal, because it's so small value. Nobody ever got arrested for stealing 1 cent for example.
When you do it 10000000000 times, it should be legal too.
When you do it 10000000000 times, it should be legal too.
Stealing 1 cent is also illegal!! It's not about the value of the thing you steal, it is your action which is illegal- even if you are not caught by police.
We should all go back to the Bible and refresh our memory on the Ten Commandment - "Thou shalt not steal".
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