From: Colm Buckley (colm at domain tuatha.org)
Date: Fri 06 Aug 1999 - 12:23:05 IST
Saw this in bugtraq just now - thought it was entertaining enough to be
sent around...
> To: BugTraq
> Subject: Re: Microsoft ask users to crack win2000 site
> Date: Wed, Aug 04 1999 21:58:49
> Author: John Horn
>
> Aleph1, I don't know if this posting is really pertinent to the list but
> considering the potential for serious penalties, I thought it might be
> advisable to point this out.
>
> Hmmm, interesting. Nevertheless, such activity contravenes various federal
> statutes and/or possibly state statutes at either the point of origination
> and/or the destination (or both). I would suggest that anyone interested
> in accepting this offer consider the relevant legal issues before actually
> making a compromise attempt on the site. It should be noted that Microsoft
> does not have the authority to waive prosecution under at least one (or
> possibly more) federal statutes. It is quite possible to be prosecuted
> completely without Microsoft's consent.
>
> It is, in fact, even possible that an invitation to the public to
> contravene federal statutes may, in and of itself, violate other statutes.
So... it is a federal offence to deliberately compromise a web site. It
is also a federal offence to invite someone to contravene a federal
rule... so, is Microsoft breaking the law?
Colm
-- Colm Buckley B.A. B.F. # colm at domain tuatha.org colm.buckley at domain tcd.ie colm at domain computer.org Department of Computer Science # +353 87 2469146 # whois cb3765 Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland. # http://www.tuatha.org/~colm/ If I wanted to hear the patter of tiny feet, I'd put clogs on my cat.
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