5 ms·
Flooding your public website form isn't a crime in the same way prank calling a customer service line isn't a crime.
by kesselvon 5y ago
Flooding your public website form isn't a crime in the same way prank calling a customer service line isn't a crime.
- gruez 5y agoActually it is a crime (even though prank calling isn't a crime) because of the CFAA.
- Miner49er 5y agoPretty much anything done on a computer could be a crime because of the CFAA. It is extremely broad.
- nulbyte 5y agoA recent case at the Supreme Court has limited this, and it seems applicable here, on the face of it. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/06/supreme-court-overturns-overbroad-interpretation-cfaa-protecting-security https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/06/supreme-court-overturn... > the Court adopted a “gates-up-or-down” approach: either you are entitled to access the information or you are not. To me, it sounds like you are entitled to submit a job application or you are not. I don't see how a charge under the CFAA for submitting an application would stick, when they are inviting the public to submit applications.
- colejohnson66 5y agoSubmitting a single application would probably be OK, but the coordinated flood might not be
- TheCoelacanth 5y agoNonsense. Using a public form, which is clearly intended to be a public form, is not using a computer without authorization or in excess of authorization. You can't make someone using your computer a crime just by retroactively deciding that you don't like they way someone used it.
- josephcsible 5y agoTo be clear, are you saying you believe DDoS attacks are legal?
- oauea 5y agoFilling in a form a few times is not a DDoS attack, even if it's automated.
- bhhaskin 5y agoIntent matters, and the intent is clearly to deny services.
- coldacid 5y agoThat and denial of service doesn't even need to be something that "clogs up" technical systems. Just making it impossible for the HR people to work by overwhelming them is still a DOS attack.
- jdauriemma 5y agoThis isn't the case, though, the intent is to disrupt their ability to hire non-union workers by submitting bad data, not by taking down their ability to ingest data in general.
- Robotbeat 5y agoIsn’t ability to hire people a “service” in this context?
- aloisdg 5y agoNot OP, but I believe they should be legal in the case of a protest/strike lead by union members.
- ohCh6zos 5y agoThe constant underhanded tactics are the exact reason joining a union is immoral.