Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!emory!athena.cs.uga.edu!mcovingt
From: mcovingt@athena.cs.uga.edu (Michael A. Covington)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: Student suspended for distributing /etc/passwd
Message-ID: <1991Jun15.152250.7768@athena.cs.uga.edu>
Date: 15 Jun 91 15:22:50 GMT
References: <64655@bbn.BBN.COM> <770J43w164w@cellar.UUCP>
Organization: University of Georgia, Athens
Lines: 30

In article <770J43w164w@cellar.UUCP> rogue@cellar.UUCP (Rache McGregor) writes:
>cosell@bbn.com (Bernie Cosell) writes:
>
>> }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.
>> 
>> }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.
>
>I can't help but notice your contradiction of the original article.  The 
>*ahem* hacker (please use cracker in the future, even if Georgians would get 
>offended) clearly did not break into the system at uga.  Only intent to break 
>into athena was noted, not an actual break-in.
>
  The cracker had already broken into another of the University's computers.


-- 
-------------------------------------------------------
Michael A. Covington | Artificial Intelligence Programs
The University of Georgia  |  Athens, GA 30602   U.S.A.
-------------------------------------------------------