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From: rha@bunker.UUCP (The Minister of Myrth)
Newsgroups: comp.misc,misc.headlines
Subject: Re: Hacker Scholarship
Message-ID: <2240@bunker.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 24-Jun-87 16:24:54 EDT
Article-I.D.: bunker.2240
Posted: Wed Jun 24 16:24:54 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 26-Jun-87 05:55:22 EDT
References: <2757@mtgzz.UUCP> <345@genesis.UUCP> <2318@hoptoad.uucp> <497@cblpe.ATT.COM> <871@van-bc.UUCP>
Reply-To: rha@bunker.UUCP (The Minister of Myrth)
Organization: Uncle Bunky's Treehouse, an Olivetti company
Lines: 39
Xref: mnetor comp.misc:733 misc.headlines:733

In article <871@van-bc.UUCP> sl@van-bc.UUCP (Stuart Lynne) writes:

>Walking into someone's house and taking something is theft. It is a
>crimininal act. This is because most civilized states pass law's making it so.

>Unfortunately "breaking" into a computer system is not covered by these same
>laws. Until specific laws are passed making it illegal and criminal it
>simply isn't. (Fortunately this is SLOWLY happening!)

>Some of the differences of civil vs. criminal proceedings do have to do with
>how well you have protected yourself. If you don't take reasonable
>precautions to prevent people from damaging your property you cannot expect
>the courts to do so. As technology improves the amount of protection you
>must undertake also increases, simply because it is more reasonable to do
>so.

     If I admit someone into my home and this person walks into my bedroom
while I'm in the bathroom and steals my wife's necklace from her jewelry box,
this person is guilty of larceny.  If my office has no reception area but
someone walks in and takes some files out of my file cabinet without my
consent, that person is guilty of larceny.

     Electronically stored information should be no different from any other
tangible good.  If a computer system has even basic security features and
this security is violated by someone who is not authorized, then this person
should be guilty of either larceny or breaking and entering, whichever is
more applicable to the particular circumstance.

     I defend the Freedom of Information Act with all that I have.  However,
there are normal, accepted channels for acquiring this information.  These
channels DO NOT include hacking.

     ...just one man's opinion.

-- 
                       {yale!,decvax!,philabs!}bunker!rha                    
                            Bob "Such a Deal" Averack                           
                        Bunker Ramo, an Olivetti Company                      
               Two Enterprise Drive - Shelton, Connecticut 06484