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Deleting Files is a Crime?
cemaco writes "A former employee of International Airport Centers, who is currently embroiled in a legal dispute with them, returned his company laptop as required. Hoping to find incriminating evidence, I.A.C. attempted to retrieve deleted information from the laptop in question with no success. This employee had beaten them to the punch. He had used 'secure delete' software, in order to make sure nothing could be recovered. He is now being charged with a violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act."
Of course it is. Wasn't this law passed when Gmail went public? Why if google could get its way, you wouldn't delete shi.. oh wait... :)
"The term "damage" means any impairment to the integrity or availability of data, a program, a system, or information;" Whoa, better not install windows. But really, after I close the lid on my laptop it takes a few seconds for the system to come back to life when I open it, technically, the availability of data is impaired in those few seconds (well 30 if it's a compaq). Oh, whoa again! So if I'm watching a DVD and my brother steps in front of the screen and I can't see for a second, then my access to the "data" is "impaired". Huzzah! We're all going to jail! BONG!
If what you're saying is true, I say we all get busy emailing our government representatives some choice kitty porn, then immediately reporting them to the FBI as being "in possesion" of unlawful pictures... would that help to get the laws changed?
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
That law says whoever "knowingly causes damage without authorization" to a networked computer can be held civilly and criminally liable.
Here's a simple defense then:
"I had unplugged the network cable at the time I deleted the files."
You can't claim damage to a networked computer if the computer wasn't networked.
I didn't know companies now had that power.
Welcome to the New World Order, mein freund.
Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
Deleting files is a crime.
Copying files is also a crime.
What about deleting copied files? Will the two cancel each other out?
I guess deleting is like killing, copying is like saving someone's life (but still getting sued over cracked ribs or something), and file compression is pretty much torture.
Defense lawyer to IAC:
"Please state the names of the unrecoverable files."
IAC:
"britneyspearsnaked01.jpg, britneyspearsnaked02.jpg, britneyspearsnaked03.jpg, britneyspearsnaked04.jpg... clearly the defendant was using steganographic techniques to hide sensitive data."
"Anyone who [rips a CD] is probably engaging in copyright infringement." - David O. Carson
Probably not, but lawyers have to eat, too. There's only so much sustenance to be gained by sucking the lifeblood out of people.
a murderer could deny police access to their premises because they would find a body in her freezer that would incriminate her
You have a crazy ex too?
You are all a bunch of idots.
some choice kitty porn,
Mmmmm, hot stuff
Or better yet Mr. Goatse.
The company is stupid for not requiring backups. The guy's an idiot for using his position to start his own business, and using the company're property to do it. He screwed over all his co-workers by doing that, because it takes away from the company's viability.
/., so that's saying something.
I'm really surprised they actually needed the guy's laptop to support their position in all this, they should be able to prove it without that. Going after him because he deleted files is just a vindictive ploy after they realized they had no way of proving what he was doing.
Sounds like the guy AND the people at the company are both guilty of being freaking morons.
I mean really.... all of the sudden "Wipe"-like programs are going to be off corporate computer systems? Yeah, good luck with that. That's the stupidest damn thing I've read all day.... and I've been reading