Xref: utzoo news.sysadmin:1365 comp.protocols.tcp-ip:5290
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!mailrus!cornell!rochester!uhura.cc.rochester.edu!ur-valhalla!deke
From: deke@valhalla.ee.rochester.edu (Dikran Kassabian)
Newsgroups: news.sysadmin,comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: Re: Morris, the law, and his state of mind
Summary: You miss important points...
Message-ID: <1570@valhalla.ee.rochester.edu>
Date: 11 Nov 88 14:50:55 GMT
References: <552@comdesign.CDI.COM>
Organization: UR Dept. of Electrical Engg, Rochester NY 14627
Lines: 39


In article <552@comdesign.CDI.COM>, pst@comdesign.cdi.com (Paul Traina) writes:
>Look, this is getting out of hand.  Maybe I feel the way I do because my
>network was not infected.
>
>			He did not do it on purpose.
>			He *was* negligent.
>			He *should* have done more to spread the word.
>			He was *scared* of the reaction.
>			He is intelligent, and has made *valuable*
>				contributions to the net.
But what he did was nevertheless harmful and destructive, and should
not be encouraged.  Leaving him alone sends the wrong message to other
would-be virus hackers.... that its "ok" to spread a virus if you "teach
a valuable lesson".  But its not.  Consider some of the less obvious
consequences of his actions.

Scientists and researchers at a university like mine were unable to use 
their computers and network links during the virus attack, and lost valuable
time.  As always, some were up against deadlines and may well be hindered now
in their chances for getting results before a conference, or in getting a
grant proposal out before deadlines. 

The medical center/teaching hospital at my university is also network
connected.  What if the network overload caused patient monitoring systems
there to be sluggish and inadequate?  Would that be OK because Mr. Morris
"did not do it on purpose"?   As it turns out, this was not a problem here,
but it's not out of the question... it could have happened somewhere.

This is serious business!  Thank goodness you and I take the network seriously
by being good citizens and using our expertise in constructive ways.  Others
should be encouraged to do the same.

>Paul Traina				To believe that what is true for
>{uunet|pyramid}!comdesign!pst		you in your private heart is true
>pst@cdi.com				for all men, that is genius.

      ^Deke Kassabian,   deke@ee.rochester.edu   or   ur-valhalla!deke
   Univ of Rochester, Dept of EE, Rochester, NY 14627     (+1 716-275-3106)