Even you can be hacked

Thu Jun 10 21:54:07 UTC 2004

Andy Dills wrote:

> On Thu, 10 Jun 2004, Laurence F. Sheldon, Jr. wrote:
> 
> 
>>Jeff Shultz wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>But ultimately, _you_ are responsible for your own systems.
>>
>>Even if the water company is sending me 85% TriChlorEthane?
>>
>>Right.  Got it.  The victim is always responsible.
>>
>>There you have it folks.
> 
> 
> Change the word "victim" to "negligent party" and you're correct.

It would be great if there always was a negligent party, but there is
not always one. If Widgets Inc.'s otherwise ultra-secure web server gets
0wn3d by a 0-day, there is no negligence[0]. Who eats it, Widgets Inc.
or the ISP?

So how about this analogy: Someone breaks into my house and spends a few
hours on the phone to Hong Kong. Who eats the bill, me or my LD carrier?
Neither of us was negligent.

[0] Unless someone can prove the software flaw was sloppy enough that it
constitutes negligence and goes after the software authors. Good luck with
that.
-- 
Crist J. Clark                               crist.clark at globalstar.com
Globalstar Communications                                (408) 933-4387