14-year-old changes teacher's desktop background. Gets felony charges.

[XavierMace]

This is seriously dumb. Every IT person I know, myself included has stories of pranks and dumb stuff like this they did when they were in high school. Hell, I did far more questionable stuff than this and got off with a stern warning.

The kid used a password (one that the school never should have allowed to be used) to change a desktop background. That's it. The article says they confirmed the kid did NOT access the encrypted testing questions.

Suspension? Sure. Maybe even expulsion since he HAS been suspended for it before. But getting the police involved? That's ridiculous.

Trying to compare this taking a car for a joy ride is silly.

 

[sdifox]

You guys are barking up the wrong tree. Kid got busted for making admin look bad, not for the action.

 

[NesuD]

More likely the publicly elected superintendent couldn't remember it so they told IT to use last names and when IT complained, they were shot down. Blame the bottom of the bucket administration.

This^^^

I have been threatened with discipline for not giving in to users concerning password security policy. I said write me up because I am right. By every security standard either voluntary or legally mandated I am right and you are wrong. I will be more than happy to testify at your hearing for your HIPAA act violations and don't cry to me when your card processor starts fining you for failing to meet PCI compliance standards.

I am amazed at the people that struggle with their windows domain log on yet think they are somehow qualified to decide IT security policy.

 

[edro]

I got after school detention for swapping the mouse and keyboard PS/2 cables on the back of my teacher's computer. He couldn't figure out why it wouldn't work.

Crazy how strict the schools are nowadays.

 

[MarkXIX]

He was charged for unauthorized access to the computer system. If the fact that is a felony is an issue, bitch about the state government making it such, not the police for enforcing it. Should we say "Oh, well certain felonies are only felonies if the person is over a certain age"?

The kid broke a law MULTIPLE fucking times. He was told "Hey! Don't do that shit again." He did it again and the police got involved. This is no different than a kid going to a joy ride in a neighbors car, getting caught and told by the neighbor "stop fucking doing that", the kid doing it again and getting busted for stealing the vehicle.

I think you missed my point. My point is we have a Sheriff, a law enforcement officer, all but stating that they charged him with a felony not because he committed one, but because he COULD have committed one.

This kid clearly isn't some international, cybercrime mastermind. He shoulder surfed a password and used it to change a background on a computer. I don't want to live in a world where that's a felony and I don't want to live in a world where law enforcement officers can speculate on the intentions of a criminal instead of investigating what they ACTUALLY did and charging me accordingly.

 

[smackababy]

I think you missed my point. My point is we have a Sheriff, a law enforcement officer, all but stating that they charged him with a felony not because he committed one, but because he COULD have committed one.

This kid clearly isn't some international, cybercrime mastermind. He shoulder surfed a password and used it to change a background on a computer. I don't want to live in a world where that's a felony and I don't want to live in a world where law enforcement officers can speculate on the intentions of a criminal instead of investigating what they ACTUALLY did and charging me accordingly.

He was charged with the crime he committed, despite what the sheriff stated. And, this wasn't his first offense. He is charged with what is the equivalent of breaking and entering into a secure location. What his reasons for breaking and entering are don't matter. He broke the law multiple times, even after being disciplined for that exact offense.

Also, the ease in which he accessed the computer and the strength of the password have no bearing on this. If I leave my house unlocked, should someone who breaks in not be charged? If I dress scantily and someone rapes me, was I asking for it?