Withhold Passwords From Your Employer, Go To Jail?

ericgoldman writes "Terry Childs was a network engineer in San Francisco, and he was the only employee with passwords to the network. After he was fired, he withheld the passwords from his former employer, preventing his employer from controlling its own network. Recently, a California appeals court upheld his conviction for violating California's computer crime law, including a 4 year jail sentence and $1.5 million of restitution. The ruling (PDF) provides a good cautionary tale for anyone who thinks they can gain leverage over their employer or increase job security by controlling key passwords."

Comments

Re:Passwords are property of the employer

[Anonymous Coward]

So passwords are property now? Fine. You have used my password for a while now. Pay up or go to jail.

Use the "Politician's Friend"

[Anonymous Coward]

"I don't remember."