Whopping-Big Data Theft At U.C. Berkeley

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Whopping-Big Data Theft At U.C. Berkeley

Posted by timothy on Wednesday October 20, 2004 @01:37AM from the what-pleasant-fellows dept.

aceta writes "An intruder penetrated a research computer at U.C. Berkeley in August and had access to names, social security numbers and other data for 1.4 million Californians participating in a state social program. CNET calls it the worst intrusion U.C. Berkeley has experienced. SecurityFocus additional details: the hacker used a known vulnerability, and state officials have yanked the university's research access to the data because of the breach. The victims were all receiving or providing at-home care under a state program to help the elderly and disabled. The FBI is investigating."

11 of 380 comments (clear)

It's not theft by Anonymous Coward · 2004-10-20 01:40 · Score: 5, Funny

It's "copyright infringement".
Fix by rguiu · 2004-10-20 01:41 · Score: 5, Funny

Should be quite easy to fix, now give new name and social security name to everyone involved.
At Berkeley? by buckeyeguy · 2004-10-20 01:42 · Score: 2, Funny

Was the system in question still running BSD? ;)

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I'd have a personalized plate on my car, but "toxic bachelor" won't fit into 7 letters.
1. Re:At Berkeley? by Indy+Media+Watch · 2004-10-20 01:47 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Two things have come out of Berkeley, Unix and LSD. It is uncertain which caused the other.
  
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  Indy Media Watch-Proctologist of the Internet
WHAT!?! by Creepy+Crawler · 2004-10-20 01:44 · Score: 3, Funny

I didnt know the "SSN database.mdb" in /tmp was 'secret'!

Oh-nos!
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- Mod parent up! by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Thurs, Nov 31, @13:37
Want to sell by ValuJet · 2004-10-20 01:45 · Score: 4, Funny

1.4 million Social Security numbers.
Re:Traffic Safety Center by Sc00ter · 2004-10-20 01:48 · Score: 5, Funny

So you drive around with your car under a big blanket or something?

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Re:Traffic Safety Center by Brummund · 2004-10-20 02:10 · Score: 4, Funny

Tinfoil, my son, tinfoil. :-)
Why bother stealing this data? by commodoresloat · 2004-10-20 02:38 · Score: 2, Funny

The victims were all receiving or providing at-home care under a state program to help the elderly and disabled.
So why bother stealing the SSNs of victims who are old and broke? You can't steal their money - they don't have any! If you steal their identity you'll wind up laying in a hospital with a tube in your nose being pumped full of Demerol....
Oh, ok, now I understand.
My choice by Hoi+Polloi · 2004-10-20 03:00 · Score: 3, Funny

I'm picking "Yusuf Islam", then I'm catching a flight.

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It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
Re:How many intrusions went undetected? by tgrigsby · 2004-10-21 04:42 · Score: 2, Funny

Online bill pay service options:

"Would you like us to remember your credit card number for future transactions?

a. Why yes, please.
b. Remember all but the last 5 digits.
c. I'm not sure.
d. No thank you.
e. What do I look like, some kind of MORON?!
f. ^&%$* YOU!
g. No, and please list all the credit card numbers you already have, thereby saving me the trouble of hacking your system."

Cracker: g

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