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Let the Punishment Fit the Crime

Posted December 10, 2010 8:30 AM by Steve Melito

Patricia Marie Fowler owes $17,000 in restitution and will spend 18 months in federal prison. Upon her release, the former information technology (IT) professional will spent the next three years on probation. Fowler's crime, hacking into a former employer's computer system, spanned a two-week period. Her victim, Suncoast Community Health Centers, provides health care to low-income Floridians.

After being fired from Suncoast in March 2009, Fowler breached the organization's firewall and deleted files, changed administrator account names and passwords, removed access to network resources, and altered employee pay rates. Unsurprisingly, her firing was due to insubordination and refusal to follow instructions rather than lack of technical ability.

Is your IT department sure that it can safeguard your company's network against former employees with an axe to grind?

Source: InfoTECH Spotlight

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Active Contributor

Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Boulder, Co.
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#1

Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime

12/10/2010 10:48 PM

I guess that's better than coming back to the office with an automatic assault rifle...

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Associate

Join Date: Mar 2010
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#2
In reply to #1

Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime

12/10/2010 11:29 PM

The only difference is the gun!

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Guru
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#4
In reply to #2

Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime

12/11/2010 5:28 AM

You said:-

"The only difference is the gun!"

may I add:-

"and the intelligence and knowledge of the person involved!"

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"What others say about you reveals more about them, than it does you." Anon.
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Power-User

Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Cypress, California.
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#3

Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime

12/11/2010 1:19 AM

Hackers & Demons; are the reason I wont use the Computer for income Finances, Banking or Purchases! ( Its bad enough, under threat; to buy protection: or else...)

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Power-User

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#7
In reply to #3

Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime

12/21/2010 3:58 AM

Punishment is not for ADULTS! Punishment is for Training Childreen! When the Amansepatition age is reached by a person, eather by Court Order, or 18 / 21 years of age. Deprivation of Rights is a Crime! Government is Criminal when useing the Criminal System, Depriveing Citizens of our Rights!

Amendment 14 - Citizenship Rights. Ratified 7/9/1868. Note History

1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; {nor} shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; {nor} deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.1. [All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; ] My Reference when FIGHTING THE CALIFORNIA HELMET LAW!]

I am angered by Citizens, Lawers, Politicans ( After giving oath to defend the Constitution.) that don't inforce, this Statute!

Lobest Make Laws & Politicans Indorce them! Not the Constitution in their oath!

We have Solders Dieing... NOT for our LIBERTIES: But for democracy elsware, with strings connected to our politicans.

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Associate

Join Date: Mar 2010
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#8
In reply to #7

Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime

12/21/2010 10:32 AM

Could not have said that better myself... But, the punishment needs to start when they are in grade school... and carry right on through till they leave mom and dad's home.. Let the parents feel the pressure from their misguiding or not caring attitudes and the crimes of their children. If I spent a night in the red bar hotel believe me I would make some changes awful quickly. With that being said the laws also need to be tightened up on those who do not support nor take care of their children. Instead of waiting until they become a ward of the state or federal penal system they need to be taken from their parents and placed in a good home so that they have some chance of being a normal person in society.

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#5

Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime

12/11/2010 11:25 AM

Or, an even more pressing question.

Who and how many, currently working in the IT department have an axe to grind?

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Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Ben Franklin
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#6

Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime

12/13/2010 11:08 AM

Reminds me of a line from an old Barney Miller episode.

While investigating a complaint of strange odors they found a young student with several weird contraptions around his apartment. The one they return to the station with turns out to be a fully workable nuclear bomb only missing the fissionable material. As the student is released (sans his bomb) he stops and says.

"And I only got a C in physics. Imagine what the As and Bs could do......especially if they were angry."

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