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July 16, 2004
Just a warning
It's been too long since I dropped something to the CSCS site.
Perusing /. this morning, I couldn't help but notice the first post on the page: Oxford Students Hack University Network:
| Both The Guardian and BBC News are carrying the story that two students at the University of Oxford, Patrick Foster and Roger Waite, were able to easily hack into the university's internal network in minutes using only easily-available software. Once inside, they could find out anyone's email password, observe instant messenger conversations and control parts of the university's CCTV system. The students were investigating the university's network security for the student newspaper, The Oxford Student, which published a front page article and editorial on the matter. In the article, a university spokesperson is quoted as saying 'In some cases the wish to provide the widest possible computer access as cheaply as possible may mean deciding to go for a cheaper set-up, with potentially lower security.' The students now face disciplinary precedings from the university and could receive rustication (suspension) and a 500 pound fine. The matter has also been passed onto the police. |
A few lessons to all of you. Given that you're in University yourselves, this will be a multiple-guess exam. One guess only.
- It isn't cool stuff to hack the University network, even if you can.
- It isn't cool to hack Oxford's network, even if you can.
- If you hack the University network, you shouldn't write it up on the front page of the school paper; better page three of the Sun, where respectable members of the University community are unlikely to see it.
- If you hack the University network, don't use the CSCS(TM) logo, Matt, Brad, or Christian's name, nor anything else that involves us in any way. We don't want to know, and we don't want to be involved.
- If Brad trys to encourage you to hack the University network, follow the same rules you learned as a child for dealing with a stranger trying to talk to you:
- Shout "Stranger!" at the top of your lungs,
- Kick (Brad) in the nuts, and
- Run like hell.
- If Christian claims he already hacked the University network, and asks if you want to see, apply the same rules as if Brad trys to encourage you to do it.
In short, everyone, it is definitely not Cool Stuff in Computer Science for you to get arrested, drag our names through the mud (it's all about our reputation---not yours), fail out of school, be unemployed, and a host of other things like that. If you're going to go to jail, at least make sure it's for something good... like carjacking.
NO! NO! Just kidding! Better you don't go to jail at all, so you can keep on taking part in CSCS.
Posted by mjadud at 08:41 AM | Comments (0)