Some real news maybe ?

[french frank]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...on-extradition

Meanwhile, this is the latest on the original topic under discussion ...

[Serial_Apologist]

Very sorry to see that Hey Nonymous has for some reaxson removed his posts from this discussion: their presence as quotes in subsequent posts attests that he had cogent points to make.

[amateur51]

Very sorry to see that Hey Nonymous has for some reaxson removed his posts from this discussion: their presence as quotes in subsequent posts attests that he had cogent points to make.

Yes indeed, come back please Hey Nonymous

And Lateralthinking1!

[An_Inspector_Calls]

Meanwhile, this is the latest on the original topic under discussion ...

The Times has a nice picture of McKinnon relaxing down the pub . . .

I'd forgotten that McKinnen was hacking and wrecking US computers between February 2001 and March 2002.

[MrGongGong]

The Times has a nice picture of McKinnon relaxing down the pub . . .

I'd forgotten that McKinnen was hacking and wrecking US computers between February 2001 and March 2002.

I read on a nerdy newsgroup a bit more of the technicalities
which were most interesting
it seems that what he did was

find out what hardware and software they were using
download the relevant manuals from the manufacturer
and
use the default passwords

which (and i'm no code expert ) is quoted as being the equivalent of
driving you car to a "dodgy" area (Matlock springs to mind )
open the windows
leave the engine running and the keys in the ignition

go for a long walk
be surprised that someone has nicked it when you get back

[amateur51]

I read on a nerdy newsgroup a bit more of the technicalities
which were most interesting
it seems that what he did was

find out what hardware and software they were using
download the relevant manuals from the manufacturer
and
use the default passwords

which (and i'm no code expert ) is quoted as being the equivalent of
driving you car to a "dodgy" area (Matlock springs to mind )
open the windows
leave the engine running and the keys in the ignition

go for a long walk
be surprised that someone has nicked it when you get back

A-maaazing!

Mind you, when Camelot Group produced its first guide to playing the National Lottery they showed a typical Lottery ticket with a random set of numbers as an example.

After six months, the most popular ticket was 1,2,3,4,5,6

And the next most popular was the one shown in the example. Humans - dontcha love 'em?!

[An_Inspector_Calls]

Hang on, just explain the first bit:

"find out what hardware and software they were using "


And what McKinnon did was, instead of telling the poor sops they'd left their keys in the car, he drove it away and smashed it up.

Yes, NASA were stupid. But there are still crimes of theft and malicious damage.

And if you want to plead stupidity on the part of the victim, perhaps we should also nod to the fact that McKinnon apparently left his name and address in the car when he walked away from the pile-up. So who's the dumbest here?

[MrGongGong]

After six months, the most popular ticket was 1,2,3,4,5,6

I've never paid idiot tax , sorry played the lottery

but anyone with a modest maths education would know that if its random then ANY numbers are as likely as any others
though i'd choose consecutive ones over 31

Yes, NASA were stupid. But there are still crimes of theft and malicious damage.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that he didn't do anything wrong ?

good job they don't have their fingers on anything dangerous in the USA isn't it

[Serial_Apologist]

Hang on, just explain the first bit:

"find out what hardware and software they were using "


And what McKinnon did was, instead of telling the poor sops they'd left their keys in the car, he drove it away and smashed it up.

Yes, NASA were stupid. But there are still crimes of theft and malicious damage.

And if you want to plead stupidity on the part of the victim, perhaps we should also nod to the fact that McKinnon apparently left his name and address in the car when he walked away from the pile-up. So who's the dumbest here?

The Pentagon - unless they're all Aspergers, too (if you get me )?

[amateur51]

I've never paid idiot tax , sorry played the lottery

but anyone with a modest maths education would know that if its random then ANY numbers are as likely as any others
though i'd choose consecutive ones over 31

The issue is that if you choose the same numbers as a lot of other peoople, although you win if that row comes up, your winnings will be the total pot/number of winners, which is why it's a less intelligent system to use.

Random is best

[MrGongGong]

The issue is that if you choose the same numbers as a lot of other peoople, although you win if that row comes up, your winnings will be the total pot/number of winners, which is why it's a less intelligent system to use.

Random is best

consecutive over 31 means that you wont co-incide with the folk who choose birthdays
I guess you have to work out what is the least likely in terms of psychology rather than any nonsense about the numbers themselves

[amateur51]

consecutive over 31 means that you wont co-incide with the folk who choose birthdays
I guess you have to work out what is the least likely in terms of psychology rather than any nonsense about the numbers themselves

Nice thinking re birthdays

[Pabmusic]

consecutive over 31 means that you wont co-incide with the folk who choose birthdays
I guess you have to work out what is the least likely in terms of psychology rather than any nonsense about the numbers themselves

...Random is best

Any six figures have an equal chance of winning (14 million to 1, or whatever it is). I suspect that 'ordered' groups (consecutive runs, for instance) are more likely to produce duplicates among punters, so I'd go with Ams - random is best.

[An_Inspector_Calls]

I don't think anyone is suggesting that he didn't do anything wrong ?

I got (mistakenly?) the impression that that was your point.

Your hacking scenario has left out an interesting stage in what McKinnon did.

This was the days before widespread broadband/internet use; we were using dial-up modems. He certainly was because that's been revealed in newspaper stories. Now you need to find the computer you want to hack. For that, you need a telephone number. Now I presume NASA didn't publish the telephone numbers so McKinnon had to find them. That was a good level of security for those days; many organisations would have simply hidden their computers behind the screen of exchange numbers.

To penetrate this screen, he might have guessed the correct exchange code, but then he needed numbers which revealed responding modems. OK, that's very easy but it does mean you have to pole thousands of numbers. And even when you have a response you have to make sure that the two communicating modems talk the same protocol. Again, that can all be automated with a very simple programme.

But it all accumulates call costs, especially if he's dialling from the UK. I wonder what mummy's phone bill was like those days?

[MrGongGong]

Here's the phone number for NASA if you want it

(202) 358-0000

(thats the Washington Office)

the Jet Propulsion Lab is

Phone: (818) 354-4321

JFK space centre is

Phone: (321)867-5000



not that hard really !!