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> The reason people don't tell you their database password on Hacker News is because of countries that don't have that law, I assume. That's silly, the reason
by yebyen 3y ago
> The reason people don't tell you their database password on Hacker News is because of countries that don't have that law, I assume.
That's silly, the reason people protect themselves is so that they are protected. Legal protection is another different kind of protection, but I think it's a deep stretch to argue that one can remove all the technical protections and still keep access to the CFAA and obtain meaningful protection from the law.
> protected computer
If you're suggesting that the CFAA itself protects the computer by definition, then you've excluded the possibility of a such thing as an "unprotected computer" which renders the extra word unnecessary. I don't think that's the intention, that all computers gain the implicit protection, I think there actually needs to be a policy or standard enforced, or ownership made clear.
In the tradition of US property law, I think you need to do the bare minimum of posting "NO TRESPASSING" signs at the border so anyone that walks by them can be said to have observed the difference between your space and the public spaces surrounding it (which they are permitted to be in, just like your private property so long as it's unprotected and they haven't been asked to leave before...)
- jrockway 3y ago> That's silly Yeah, of course ;) > In the tradition of US property law, I think you need to do the bare minimum of posting "NO TRESPASSING" signs at the border I guess the law went for an allowlist instead of a denylist this time. Plus one point on their security audit! > protected computer As an aside, sometimes I wonder why people make threats like "you must not link to this site without permission". It's like saying "you must not look at my house as you walk by it". You can ask, but it's Not A Thing. I worry that the language could potentially confuse a court someday. (Or that it already did.)
- dahfizz 3y agoThe term "protected computer" is defined in the CFAA act[1]. Basically its any computer used by a bank, the federal government, or used in interstate commerce. This is just a quirk of the US system of government. If it doesn't fit those criteria, its going to be up to the state to prosecute based on the state's own version of the cfaa. [1] https://www.law.cornell.edu/definitions/uscode.php?width=840&height=800&iframe=true&def_id=18-USC-695191731-692694672&term_occur=999&term_src=title:18:part:I:chapter:47:section:1030 https://www.law.cornell.edu/definitions/uscode.php?width=840...
- tptacek 3y agoIn practice, "protected computer" means "any computer".