Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!spool.mu.edu!cs.umn.edu!uc!shamash!midway!piroska.uchicago.edu!learn From: learn@piroska.uchicago.edu (William Vajk (igloo)) Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk Subject: Re: sysop liability/responsibility Message-ID: <1991Jun5.034522.14169@midway.uchicago.edu> Date: 5 Jun 91 03:45:22 GMT Article-I.D.: midway.1991Jun5.034522.14169 References: <1991May20.130200.11894@unlinfo.unl.edu> <419@netxcom.netx.com> <1991May26.192145.14175@ddsw1.MCS.COM> <3962@d75.UUCP> Sender: news@midway.uchicago.edu (NewsMistress) Reply-To: learn@piroska.uchicago.edu (William Vajk (igloo)) Distribution: usa Organization: Dares No Organization Like Dis Organization Lines: 56 In article <3962@d75.UUCP> bei@d75.UUCP (Bob Izenberg) writes: >In article <1991May26.192145.14175@ddsw1.MCS.COM> William Vajk writes: >>System igloo was "broken into" by such means this year. The details were >>forwarded to every individual and group who might be interested, with the >>concensus that there was actually little to be done. >Which law enforcement organizations did you contact? What was their >response? We've all heard of some people at the state and federal level >who have aggressive policies on computer intrusion. I'm at least five percent sure that the tradition of fair and prompt attention that some >Illinois and Texas residents have come to expect will get this matter >resolved. Only someone with no interest in his job, or too much interest >in hiding the malfeasance of corporations that co-operate in investigations, >would fail to heed your complaint. To be fair to the readers, I believe that I should mention that Bob and I have been discussing this very topic by phone as well, and I am afraid I have been something of a disappointment to Bob in that I haven't filed a police report, nor do I intend to. There are some prudent man considerations at work here which overwhelm my otherwise zealous approach to these difficulties. For openers, need I mention that Rich Andrews was a fine role model and model citizen at the leading edge of this electronic frontier when he saw some text on his public access system which caused him to lose sleep. He reported this information, as some keep suggesting I do presently, and lived to regret his actions. The results have devestated sevaral lives. Riggs, Darden, Grant, Neidorf, and Rose all fell prey to the predations of law enforcement, directly resulting from Rich's call for assistance. Rich also lost his job, his friends, and his equipment. They ript the tongue from the bearer of bad tidings. The written record shows that Andrews was cooperating with the authorities. He had been served a subpoena for certain records which he provided. Subesquently it was determined by the powers that be that the information he provided was not sufficient to meet the immediate needs of the investigation (read this to mean they wanted info in a hurry, they were quite obviously rushing justice and Rich's rights got in the way.) They applied for and received a search warrant, went out and too Rich's equipment away. They escalated the search proceedures well past reasonability and confiscated additional equipment from Steve Jackson Games and others. Given there are risks involved for an individualwho reports a "computer crime," I decided to take a pass. I haven't the fortune to be a philanthropist, nor do I see anyone wiling to fill that niche for me on the horizon. And finally, where I live is served by the Cook County Sherriff's Department for local police services. The unincorporated county is shrinking rapidly, and they are, in my opinion, not equipped nearly as well as San Luis Obispo was to handle "the case of the missing bbs." Bill Vajk