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The Computer Owner - Guilty or Not Guilty?

Posted by Cliff on from the guilt-by-association-may-not-be-sufficient dept.

Von-at-Infosec_Writers asks: "It is relatively easy to trace a hack back to a particular computer, but proving that a specific person committed the crime could become much more difficult especially since, as a recent CNN.com article stated, a hacker's legal defense can be: it wasn't me but my hijacked computer that committed the crime. 'In some cases, I do suspect there are people whose computer is taken over by third parties. It's also a clever defense to exculpate your client,' says Michael Allison of the Internet Crimes Group.What are possibilities to overcome this problem; to prove that the computer owner, without a doubt, is in fact responsible or not responsible for the crime?" As computers become more and more prevalent in our infrastructure, the consequences for computer crime become that much more serious. How much responsibility does the owner of an Internet-connected computer have for crimes committed using their equipment, and what are ways we can best determine their involvement, or lack of it, in said crimes?

5 of 539 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Innocent Until Proven Clueful by rjelks · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Hey Mr. FBI, I don't even know what a DDOS thingy is. I only have AOL, does the DDOS cost extra?"

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  2. SIMPLE! by w3weasel · · Score: 5, Funny
    What are possibilities to overcome this problem; to prove that the computer owner, without a doubt, is in fact responsible or not responsible for the crime?
    Simple! Keylogger installed with every OS, mandatory by order of the DHS. All Keylogs submitted to a central government database for use only by the DHS, related departments, and companies funding beach houses for the high ranking officials in said offices! Won't you sleep better knowing that we will have the right man?
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  3. Can we ask Daryl about this? by joelparker · · Score: 3, Funny

    If my auto-downloader gets the Linux kernel,
    then a Microsot Word macro virus alters it,
    then an Outlook worm sends it everywhere,
    who exactly is liable for infringement on SCO?

  4. Re:Innocent Until Proven Clueful by EverDense · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yes, I think we can all agree that saying "AOL" will be a "get out of jail free" card.

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  5. Re:Innocent Until Proven Clueful by markxsd · · Score: 5, Funny
    I have several friends who are CS majors and use Windows 98

    Prison is not an adequate punishment.

    ...I advocate death by SQL injection.