Mailinglist privacy: MY NAME ALL OVER GOOGLE!

[Anthony Atkielski]

Alex de Kruijff writes:

> They can claim all they like, but that doesn't mean this hold up in
> cord.

It does sometimes, which is why smart sysadmins protect against it (it's
trivially easy to do).

> In the Netherlands one who enters a protected system deliberate
> and unlawful can get half a year of jail time and a fine of about two
> thosend euro's.

And how does the law define "protected," "deliberate," and "unlawful"?

> The law doesn't say anyting about warning that need to
> be displayed.

So how does a potential intruder know that a system is protected?

> Lets say I've lost my key to my house and someone else
> found it. This still doesn't give that person the right to use it to
> gain access to my house.

How would you prove that he obtained your keys illegitimately?  Having
the keys provides prima facie evidence that he was authorized to enter
the house.

> Of course if there where some technical compromise disabling the need
> for the username/password then they whould be home free. But this
> technical compromise could also effect the message.

If they enter with a valid user name and password, then again that is
strong evidence that they were authorized to use the system.  The fact
that it may be due to the system owner's negligence won't help.

> Leaving the door open would mean not require a the user to enter there
> name and password.

No, there are many ways to leave open doors.  Someone who correctly
guesses a user name and password can walk through an open door.

-- 
Anthony