Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!spool.mu.edu!olivea!bbn.com!cosell
From: cosell@bbn.com (Bernie Cosell)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: Student suspended for distributing /etc/passwd
Message-ID: <64655@bbn.BBN.COM>
Date: 14 Jun 91 14:53:49 GMT
Article-I.D.: bbn.64655
References: <31124@hydra.gatech.EDU>
Sender: news@bbn.com
Lines: 51

ccastmg@prism.gatech.EDU (Michael G. Goldsman) writes:

}I just read this on ga.general...
}----------------------------------------------------------------
}---From: mcovingt@athena.cs.uga.edu (Michael A. Covington)
}---Newsgroups: ga.general
}---Subject: Student suspended for helping hackers
}---Summary: Student deliberately compromised security of athena.cs.uga.edu
}---Date: 11 Jun 91 04:21:01 GMT
}---Organization: University of Georgia, Athens

...

}What this student did was mail a copy of /etc/passwd from athena.cs.uga.edu
}to a "hacker" who had already penetrated another system, and who wanted
}to use a password-guessing program to break into athena. The student was
}fully aware that he was assisting in a break-in.

....

}----------------------------------------------------------------

}----------------------------------------------------------------

}I didn't know that doing things with an /etc/passwd
}would be considered unauthoprized use.

I think that the statement said "assisting in a break-in" -- that is,
accessory before-the-fact to a felony.

}the file is readable by the world after all.
}The uga student was not the one who broke in.

First, it is not readable "by the world" --- by using that choice of
words you seem to be intentionally misleading.  In fact, at the best
the file was readable *by*all*users*of*that*system*.  That is hardly
"the world", and surely did not include the hacker who actually
penetrated the system.

Second, far more reasonable than your "readable by the world after all"
is the position that everything within the uga security perimeter
should at least be presumed potentially sensitive.

Third, the allegation is that the student KNEW that the information was
sensitive and _knowingly_ gave it to the hacker for the purpose of
attempting to crack passwords.  Now, the student might not have known
that this was actually as serious a matter as being a felony under
Georgia law, but still can hardly be defended as a harmless/blameless
action.

  /Bernie\