3. You have learned that a friend of yours is developing a worm to attack the administrative systems at your institution of learning. The worm is “harmless” and will simply cause a message – Let’s party! – to be displayed on all workstations connected to the computers on Friday afternoon at 3 P.M. by 4 P.M. the virus will erase itself and destroy all evidence of its presence. What would you do?
2007-03-18 10:55:59 · 10 answers · asked by Mac2x 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Security
I would turn his *** in immediately! He is costing your parents tax dollars! Regardless of whether its harmless or not, a joke can create havoc just as easily as a real worm!
2007-03-18 11:01:31 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Any virus, is not a harmless virus. It costs lots of money for schools to remove the infection.
Any school, attacked by a virus that receives Federal money, becomes a Federal Prosecution case. Your friend is treading on very thin ice.
I have recently read two different articles, on legit tech news sites, where college students have received Federal Prison terms, one of 7 yrs., one of 9 yrs., for this same kind of virus attacks. They considered theirs "Harmless" viruses also.
By your knowing about this in advance you are also at risk of Federal Prison time. Federal and State laws require any person having prior knowledge of a crime must report that knowledge to the Authorities.
By telling you of his intended crime your friend has put you in a bad situation. He is demanding that you keep the "Secret" (in this case it is breaking the law) and allow him to continue with his plans. True friends would never ask you to break a law for them.
If you are convicted as an "Accomplice" your life will be ruined. This is not "Tripe"! Your life, for as many years as you live, WILL BE RUINED! You will carry around a "Federal Felony" conviction.
Now is the time for you to evaluate your "Moral Convictions". What you decide to do about this will follow you for the rest of your life also. If you don't have the "Right Stuff" today, you won't have it tomorrow when something new arises.
2007-03-18 11:54:08 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'd report him.......
No worm is harmless because it's infecting systems and
diverting IT staff and administrators from their assigned
duties to deal with the phantom threat and investigate this little charade also distracts their attention from very serious incoming threats from the Internet that can do real damage that can cost alot of money to repair.
Who foots the bill for this?
2007-03-18 14:40:01 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This question brings into play your personal ethics. whether or not there is fiscal harm involved it is a violation of federal law to basically hack into any system you are not specifically authorized to access. Now that we have the legal aspect out of the way. It is your responsibility to inform the authorities if you have prior knowledge of a violation of the laws of our country. So......friend or not......turn this person in.
2007-03-18 11:08:22 · answer #4 · answered by wbaker777 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ask him if there is anything in particular he would like you to bring for him when you visit him in jail.
He could at the very least be expelled from school.
Why would he even want to do it?
2007-03-18 11:06:07 · answer #5 · answered by diane_b_33594 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If he is a true friend you could talk to him and let him know how wrong this is. If he is just a so call friend I would report him.
2007-03-18 11:10:06 · answer #6 · answered by NeaNea 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's harmless and clearly designed as a joke. Ignore it and laugh.
2007-03-18 10:59:52 · answer #7 · answered by Danltn 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Sit back and watch it happen.
2007-03-18 10:58:54 · answer #8 · answered by David B 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
help him/her make it better :)
2007-03-18 11:02:42 · answer #9 · answered by S1 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
do nothing
2007-03-18 11:00:00 · answer #10 · answered by Corporate King™ 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋