Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!leah!albanycs!crdgw1!uunet!ficc!peter
From: peter@ficc.uu.net (Peter da Silva)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: Computer Virus Hearings
Keywords: virus, goddard, congress, leahy
Message-ID: <4246@ficc.uu.net>
Date: 19 May 89 17:28:12 GMT
References: <154@oldcolo.UUCP>
Distribution: usa
Organization: Xenix Support
Lines: 22

In article <154@oldcolo.UUCP>, dave@oldcolo.UUCP (Dave Hughes) writes:
> A  system 
> which permits uncontrolled access to its ports,  or self-assigned 
                                                      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> passwords  is not even covered under the Electronic Privacy  Act. 
  ^^^^^^^^^
> Nor  need  it be.  Such computer systems are 'public' as  far  as 
> privacy is concerned. Even if the system is privately owned.

What possible relationship does this have to do with coverage under the
Electronic Privacy Act? Every UNIX system on the net permits users
to assign their own passwords. It is ludicrous to presume that the
existence of a "Password" command should have anything to do with the
public nature of a system.

Either you're confusing passwords with accounts, or the EPA is grossly
misdesigned, or you're misinterpreting it.
-- 
Peter da Silva, Xenix Support, Ferranti International Controls Corporation.

Business: uunet.uu.net!ficc!peter, peter@ficc.uu.net, +1 713 274 5180.
Personal: ...!texbell!sugar!peter, peter@sugar.hackercorp.com.