Locked Out in San Francisco

Posted Wed, 07/16/2008 - 06:04 by rba
admittedly, this was yesterday's daily news, but it's too choice to overlook, originally posted 2008-07-15 01:30:19 -- bumped, cho

Image from Marcus Ranum's A Year of Agony: The Sourcefire Computer Security Calendar :: :: :: Jaxon Van Derbeken/SFGate: S.F. officials locked out of computer network

(07-14) 19:23 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- A disgruntled city computer engineer has virtually commandeered San Francisco's new multimillion-dollar computer network, altering it to deny access to top administrators even as he sits in jail on $5 million bail, authorities said Monday.
Gives credence to the Ultimate Rules for Computer Security: - Set up machine in secure underground location; - Bring in programmer under guard; - Program machine, cut wires, place in vault; - Shoot the programmer. Anything less is a downgrade.

Comments

I have to say

by standingup - 07/15/2008 - 07:03
there is a little part of me cheering for the computer engineer ;-)

Wow! What a powerful demonstration

by luaptifer - 07/15/2008 - 07:22
of having the wrong techie in the right place. One guy with an attitude and he holds the superkey to the machine, bummer! The only reason we know is because he locked everyone else out. What if the wrong techie was in the right place and that fact was never discovered? Or the fact was discovered, but nothing done about it? Great find rba!

Poor performance?

by susie dow - 07/15/2008 - 17:05
One official with knowledge of the case said he had been disciplined on the job in recent months for poor performance and that his supervisors had tried to fire him.
Anyone else curious about that little bit. I'd like to know more about what "poor performance" means. For those unaware of the true nature of San Francisco politics, it's an extremely corrupt environment that involves quite a bit of nepotism and cronyism. My first reaction was somebody wanted to put their people into this guy's job.
GreyHawk's picture

I'd like to think that he's a good guy

by GreyHawk - 07/15/2008 - 17:32
in the wrong place but with the right tools to make 'em think twice.

I am wondering why you might be thinking that!

by cho - 07/15/2008 - 19:15
With all due respect and affection!
GreyHawk's picture

Heh heh heh...

by GreyHawk - 07/16/2008 - 08:35
...oh, nuthin'...

once again, rba's tags are ...

by cho - 07/16/2008 - 06:05
priceless.

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