The Internet Virus--A Commentary

[Dennis G. Rears FSAC]

Gordon Vickers <gordon at prls.uucp> writes:
>
>In article <17556 at adm.BRL.MIL> mchinni at ardec.arpa (Michael J. Chinni, SMCAR-CCS-E) writes:
>>
>>Dennis Rears writes:
>>	In my opinion, the use of sendmail was authorized, BUT the use of the
>>other system to execute code was UNauthorized.  Saying that point 2 was
>>authorized is like saying that because I left my car doors unlocked, the
>>person who takes my car was allowed to do so with my consent.
>>
>      I really don't see this as an issue of weather or not certain
>  services were authorized or not.  When you get right down to it,
>  Wormer willfully and intentionaly circumvented system security and
>  that is a NO-NO.

     NO! NO! NO!.  There is no law against circumventing security.
If I get a copy of /etc/passwd (legally) and on my own time and
equipment deencrypt every password, I have not broken any law.  I defy
anybody to come up with a legal statatue stating it is.  What is
illegal is doing what the security is trying to prevent: theft,
destruction, trepass.

>      Security can always be circumvented if one is familiar enough with
>  the methods imployed to maintain it.

    In security matters one should make something secure to the
point of making sure the effort to break the security is more than
the value of what you get once you break it.  No more.  It is not
worth spending $10,000 to protect a $5 hammer.

>
>      I believe legislation already exist for this sort of "theift of
>  services" i.e. I may connect an antanna to my TV that will allow me
>  to legally view pay TV stations but if I connect a decoder, I'm in
>  trouble since I've circumvented what was obviously a sercurity measure.
>
  I don't believe so.  If you get the signal over the airwaves (antenna or
satellite reciever) that is legal.  A ruling by the Supreme Court
states the airwaves belong to the public.  If you decode that it is
not illegal.  However if you attach a decoder to a cable line
or converter that is.  


Dennis