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