Forwarded from: Jon Miller <cio.nyat_private> I also find it troubling, on additional levels... That this student chose to use his skills to exploit a university computer system (not well known for security in general) is troubling. It wasn't by accident that he did this, and unless he's been living on another planet for the past couple of years, he knows that we don't and shouldn't have a sense of humor about such things. Ethical hacks? By self appointed "deputies of the public trust"? Let the punishment fit the crime, I agree with you completely, but define the crime... If you came home to find such a "deputy" sitting in your living room who said "I broke in to show you that your door locks & alarm system is faulty" would you thank him and send him on his way or call the police? After all, he caused no damage (this time). ________________________ Jon Miller, CISSP, GSEC -----Original Message----- From: owner-isnat_private [mailto:owner-isnat_private] On Behalf Of InfoSec News Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2003 3:38 AM To: isnat_private Subject: Re: [ISN] Student arrested for allegedly hacking university computers to derail election Forwarded from: Dragos Ruiu <drat_private> I find this troubling. There is no reason I can see that this should have come in to the criminal justice system. (drug possession issues aside) I have seen much more potentially harmful and dangerous school pranks go virtually ignored during my University career, but since this involved a computer it seems to have evoked an over-reaction that is disturbing. There is no reason this prank should not have been dealt with in the confines of the school's disciplinary system. Surely negating his university career and chances at a degree is harsh enough punishment for what was ostensibly a prank (albeit a stupid one) - and a relatively victimless one at that. The real fiscal and monetary damages for disturbing a small *student* election would be trivial at best. At my university with 30k undergraduate students the budget for student elections was under $5,000. An 800 vote election cannot be very expensive even in the most inflated estimates. There was no fiscal theft, property damage, nor dangerous liability that could have brought physical injury to anyone, unlike some cases of computer meddling, which would seem to require intervention by the criminal law enforcement system. [JM] ... - ISN is currently hosted by Attrition.org To unsubscribe email majordomoat_private with 'unsubscribe isn' in the BODY of the mail.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Thu Jun 26 2003 - 04:17:43 PDT