hennessy@nmtvax.UUCP (05/03/84)
<> Bob Fishell at ihu1g!fish states >1) Computer security may be a matter for the law, but in my opinion, > any organization that is too stupid, lazy, or cheap to implement > effective security measures deserves to get their passwords hacked. > If I had a computer system that had been broken into by a 21-year-old > amateur, I'd prosecute the sheisskopf who set it up for me, not the > guy that broke into the system. I for one completely disagree. In my humble opinion I do not see any difference between breaking into a computer system and breaking into a persons house, car, etc. I do not think that a person who had their house ripped off by a 21-year-old amateur burgler would not prosecute the burgler but instead would try to prosecute the locksmith or carpenter who put the door on in the first place. I am writing this note on an account used mainly for writing programs for a CS class. The school used to have a small amount of problems with people stealing or distributing programs to others to also turn in. As one result another computer (Decsystem-20) has had it's security hacked to hell by the resident paranoid systems programmer. Fortunately the Vax 11/750 I am on doesn't resort to this kind of thing. The individual user has complete freedom to have his directory set to anything he desires. I keep mine at 755 at all times, except for subdirectory which I keep information about D&D. If someone looks at my programs then morally and ethically but, as it seems not legally, he is stealing. Well you might say, it's my own fault. Maybe so but would you say the same thing if that same person walked into my dorm room, which I also keep unlocked, and stole anything? It would still be my own fault but now I could call the police on the person and get him arrested. I think it is time for people to realize that the hacking that these so called child-genius are doing is just the same as walking into the person's living room and opening all the drawers "just looking around." Either way it is breaking and entering EVEN if the door was open. Sincerely; Greg Hennessy ..ucbvax!unmvax!nmtvax!hennessy