4 ms·
A systems administrator downloads a random zip file and a password cracker onto his work computer, when he works for the Department of Energy, gets caught and f
by cmdkeen 9y ago
A systems administrator downloads a random zip file and a password cracker onto his work computer, when he works for the Department of Energy, gets caught and fired. The first part of the article is surprising only in that he found it so easy to get a good job in finance afterwards.
To be honest I'm not entirely sure what the point of the article is at all. He freely admits that the FBI had cause to be suspicious about his travel to Iceland, it coincided with a massive breach of information and he definitely fit the bill to warrant investigation. He and his associates all were afforded the right to counsel etc, in terms of US law enforcement stories this is more of an example of how things should be done within the context of the law as it stands.
- davidgerard 9y ago> To be honest I'm not entirely sure what the point of the article is at all. To throw mud at Wikileaks, as if there aren't substantive criticisms they could be making.
- belorn 9y agoI think the article has several points: 1: Downloading controversial data on a work computer is a bad idea. 2: When a agency like the FBI is targeting a person its very likely to cause significant harm. They do not harm minimize and can/will go after everyone you know, have meet, scare a company to fire you, ectra. The movie version where a single investigator is asking people nicely and discreetly can be a far cry from the real thing. 3: Because of the way those government agencies operate they are likely to push people into polar opposite political activity of the very goals the agency is trying to reach. Katz could likely been a tech founder here on HN, but because of the way FBI operated he now instead founded a large foreign political party with some very strong feelings about the US and the FBI.
- yownie 9y ago3. I actually went on to work for a few startups here in Iceland and got stock in one of them so this didn't completely kill that trajectory, but yes the harassment certainly made certain future choices for me.
- ithought 9y agoThe FBI raided his girlfriend's parents house and harassed and disrupted the lives of all his friends and family prior to him going to Iceland. All he did was download a file. The FBI knew he was politically motivated but treated him like a criminal. Sure his first employer is within their rights to fire him. But the hedge fund only fired him (despite him already giving notice to leave) after the FBI showed up to harass and disrupt his life. This is not how law enforcement should work.
- salesguy222 9y agoAnd yet, because of the prevailing attitude of the poster to whom you are replying, this is probably how law enforcement will remain. "THEY GET WHAT THEY DESERVE" is an easy and natural philosophy to have, until it happens to you and your family. And then still, many people are subtley and/or overtly pressured (terrorized) into not joining any kind of activist or opposition movement
- petre 9y agoIn a police state we are all suspicious. If you'd lived in a communist/fascist country you'd know that.
- qb45 9y ago> To be honest I'm not entirely sure what the point of the article is at all. He freely admits that the FBI had cause to be suspicious about his travel to Iceland, it coincided with a massive breach of information and he definitely fit the bill to warrant investigation. Surprise, not all journalism is outrage porn and propaganda :)