  We study fluctuations of the number of photocounts measured by an ideal
photodetector illuminated by light scattered in an amplifying disordered
medium, below the threshold for random lasing. We show that the variance of
fluctuations and their correlation function carry information about fluctuating
properties of the medium. A direct link is established between the fluctuations
of the number of photocounts due to the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE)
and the dimensionless conductance g of the medium. Our results suggest a
possibility of probing amplifying disordered media by analyzing statistics of
their ASE, without illuminating them from outside by a probe beam.
