The Internet Virus--A Commentary

[Gordon Vickers]

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

Just my two cents,
Gordon Vickers 408/991-5370 (Sunnyvale,Ca); {mips|pyramid|philabs}!prls!gordon