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By "hacked" does Wired really just mean "used the credentials to access a Tribune server and make a minor alteration to the headline of a Los Angeles Times news

By "hacked" does Wired really just mean "used the credentials to access a Tribune server and make a minor alteration to the headline of a Los Angeles Times news story" or did anyone in this case do any actual hacking?

jaynos 11y ago
The "hack" in question was using credentials that should have been disabled once Matthew Keys was no longer employed by Tribune. Also, I don't believe Tribune Co was able to prove whether anyone outside of the company actually saw the altered headline before it was corrected. It's also interesting to follow how the cost to fix this "hack" (i.e. change the headline back and delete the credentials that should have already been deleted) kept going up over the course of the trial. Initially under $5,000, then $5,000 so that the FBI can get involved, then eventually $929,977.00 [0]. [0]http://motherboard.vice.com/read/why-the-government-went-after-matthew-keys http://motherboard.vice.com/read/why-the-government-went-aft... [1]https://gimletmedia.com/episode/43-the-law-that-sticks/ https://gimletmedia.com/episode/43-the-law-that-sticks/
chatmasta 11y ago
Maybe describing this act as "hacking" is over-inclusive. But the fact is, this guy logged into a website that was not his, with credentials he should not have had, and changed a headline without authorization. He clearly knew what he was doing was illegal. I have no sympathy for him.
- austenallred 11y ago
  The person who logged in and made the changes is not the person being prosecuted.
  - chatmasta 11y ago
    No, it's the person who knowingly gave credentials that did not belong to him to someone else. If I'm cat sitting for my friend, and she makes a copy of her house keys for me, and when I'm done catsitting, I give those keys to some random guy on the street in a hooded sweatshirt... who is liable if he uses the keys to enter her house? I'm pretty sure she would blame me.
austenallred 11y ago
> By "hacked" does Wired really just mean "used the credentials to access a Tribune server and make a minor alteration to the headline of a Los Angeles Times news story? yes

jaynos 11y ago

The "hack" in question was using credentials that should have been disabled once Matthew Keys was no longer employed by Tribune. Also, I don't believe Tribune Co was able to prove whether anyone outside of the company actually saw the altered headline before it was corrected. It's also interesting to follow how the cost to fix this "hack" (i.e. change the headline back and delete the credentials that should have already been deleted) kept going up over the course of the trial. Initially under $5,000, then $5,000 so that the FBI can get involved, then eventually $929,977.00 [0]. [0]http://motherboard.vice.com/read/why-the-government-went-after-matthew-keys http://motherboard.vice.com/read/why-the-government-went-aft... [1]https://gimletmedia.com/episode/43-the-law-that-sticks/ https://gimletmedia.com/episode/43-the-law-that-sticks/

chatmasta 11y ago

Maybe describing this act as "hacking" is over-inclusive. But the fact is, this guy logged into a website that was not his, with credentials he should not have had, and changed a headline without authorization. He clearly knew what he was doing was illegal. I have no sympathy for him.

austenallred 11y ago
The person who logged in and made the changes is not the person being prosecuted.
- chatmasta 11y ago
  No, it's the person who knowingly gave credentials that did not belong to him to someone else. If I'm cat sitting for my friend, and she makes a copy of her house keys for me, and when I'm done catsitting, I give those keys to some random guy on the street in a hooded sweatshirt... who is liable if he uses the keys to enter her house? I'm pretty sure she would blame me.

austenallred 11y ago

> By "hacked" does Wired really just mean "used the credentials to access a Tribune server and make a minor alteration to the headline of a Los Angeles Times news story? yes