[net.general] Computer Crime Article in August Smithsonian

minow (07/28/82)

Subject:  Article on Computer Crime in August Smithsonian Magazine

The just-out issue of Smithsonian has an interesting article on
computer crime.    A few (out of context) quotes follow:

  It is part of [FBI agent] Brown's job to read messages left at
  computer bulletin boards.  He points to one such computer printout,
  providing access codes for Sprint....  Another message tells how
  to get onto the MIT computer.... "I read the bulletin boards
  for intelligence purposes,"  Brown says.  "If I see evidence
  of crime I act accordingly."

  ...

  Consultants mention two broad categories [of computer crimes].
  First are crimes committed by "joyriders,"  people who like to
  break into computer networks and corporate computers just for
  fun.  (They are often teen-agers; however, cautions Ken Thompson,
  a large bearded man whose hair falls to shoulder length, the
  teen-agers shouldn't get all the blame.  "There are lots of
  'ex-teen-agers,'" he laughs.)

All in all, an interesting article.

Martin Minow
decvax!minow