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- Computer underground Digest Fri, Feb 21, 1992 Volume 4 : Issue 08
-
- Editors: Jim Thomas and Gordon Meyer (TK0JUT2@NIU.BITNET)
- Associate Editor: Etaion Shrdlu
-
- CONTENTS, #4.08 ( Feb 21, 1992)
- File 1--"Computer down-underground Digest (CDUGD)
- File 2--CuD articles on Craig Neidorf's legal expenses
- File 3--Update Of Info. In 2/5/92 Newsbytes Article On BBS Phone Rates
- File 4--FULL TEXT: Calif. data-priv/comp.crime bill
-
- Issues of CuD can be found in the Usenet alt.society.cu-digest news
- group, on CompuServe in DL0 and DL4 of the IBMBBS SIG, DL1 of LAWSIG,
- and DL0 and DL12 of TELECOM, on Genie, on the PC-EXEC BBS at (414)
- 789-4210, and by anonymous ftp from ftp.cs.widener.edu (147.31.254.132),
- chsun1.spc.uchicago.edu, and ftp.ee.mu.oz.au. To use the U. of
- Chicago email server, send mail with the subject "help" (without the
- quotes) to archive-server@chsun1.spc.uchicago.edu.
- NOTE: THE WIDENER SITE IS TEMPORARILY RE-ORGANIZING AND IS CURRENTLY
- DIFFICULT TO ACCESS. FTP-ERS SHOULD USE THE ALTERNATE FTP SITES UNTIL
- FURTHER NOTICE.
-
- COMPUTER UNDERGROUND DIGEST is an open forum dedicated to sharing
- information among computerists and to the presentation and debate of
- diverse views. CuD material may be reprinted as long as the source
- is cited. Some authors do copyright their material, and they should
- be contacted for reprint permission. It is assumed that non-personal
- mail to the moderators may be reprinted unless otherwise specified.
- Readers are encouraged to submit reasoned articles relating to the
- Computer Underground. Articles are preferred to short responses.
- Please avoid quoting previous posts unless absolutely necessary.
-
- DISCLAIMER: The views represented herein do not necessarily represent
- the views of the moderators. Digest contributors assume all
- responsibility for ensuring that articles submitted do not
- violate copyright protections.
-
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Date: Sun Feb 16 08:28:41 1992 GMT
- From: aaron@NACJACK.GEN.NZ
- Subject: "Computer down-underground Digest" (CDUGD)
-
- Hello from New Zealand! A few friends and I are starting up an
- electronic publication similar to CuD to be called 'Computer - Down -
- Under Ground Digest' (CDUGD). Its content will be similar to that of CuD,
- but it will mainly deal with computing issues in New Zealand.
-
- Since there has been some interest from outside of New Zealand, CDUGD
- will be available for reading on the alt.hackers Usenet newsgroup.
-
- Please send any suggestions/comments to: aaron@nacjack.gen.nz
-
- Aaron Schiff
- Editor, CDUGD
-
- ((Moderators' note: Aaron asked if we minded the similarity between
- the title of his project and CuD. We have no objections, and wish him
- well in his endeavor)).
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Tue, 18 Feb 92 22:13:31 EST
- From: Keith Moore <moore@CS.UTK.EDU>
- Subject: CuD articles on Craig Neidorf's legal expenses
-
- I have read repeated pleas on various networked discussion groups for
- readers to help defray Craig's legal expenses. While I sympathize
- with his position and am in fact willing to help, I'm sure many of the
- readers would like to know what all of that money was spent for. I
- want to help Craig, but I don't like the idea of giving over money to
- lawyers. The high price of legal help is arguably as much of the
- problem as the reckless disregard for law and due process demonstrated
- by the government.
-
- Also, why are we asked to send money directly to the law firm that
- defended Craig, and not to Craig himself?
-
- I'm sure I'm not the only one among your readership with these kinds
- of questions, and would appreciate it if you could address them in a
- future issue of CuD. Perhaps the computer underground, realizing how
- much we are at the mercy of both lawyers and the government, would
- find it in its interest to act to curtail their powers.
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Wed, 12 Feb 92 11:10:29 PDT
- From: lorbit!walter_s@UCBVAX.BERKELEY.EDU(Walter Scott)
- Subject: Update Of Info. In 2/5/92 Newsbytes Article On BBS Phone Rates
-
- If you do not recall, or are otherwise unaware, there is a
- complaint (docket #UC-205) filed before the Oregon Public Utility
- Commission intended to prevent US West from reclassifying BBS phone
- lines to business rates. SysOp Tony Wagner filed the complaint back in
- October. On 2/5/92, Dana Blankenhorn of Newsbytes Magazine released a
- story, subsequently published in Newsbytes, that covered the Wagner
- complaint. What follows is my own efforts to update Blankenhorn's
- information. Herein, find corrections of some items reported by
- Blankenhorn or simply left out of his article.
-
- Over the weekend of 2/8/92, I managed to conduct a short interview
- with Tony Wagner of Portland, Oregon and First Choice Communications
- BBS. I learned that Wagner's BBS is still online. This is contrary to
- my understanding of the 2/5/92 Newsbytes story by Dana Blankenhorn.
- Wagner's BBS is available at:
-
- 503-297-0278
- 503-297-0279
- 503-297-0343 [RESTRICTED ACCESS]
-
- Wagner mentions his dispute with US West in bulletin #1 on his
- system. Here is full text of that bulletin.
-
- ======================= TEXT BEGINS ===============================
- Well The U.S. West phone company has decided that ALL
- Phone lines that have modems on them Should be classed
- As Business Lines..
-
- I have run a FREE Bulletin Board System for years out
- of my own pocket with out ever asking users to help
- pay the Cost of running the system..
-
- This will have to change if U.S. West has their way
- So please leave me mail as to how you feel about this
- better yet Call the Phone Company and tell them how you
- feel..
-
- If this happens I will do something like a Pay system
- that will cost around $1.00-3.00 Per hour depending
- on what parts of the BBS you want to use The Advantage
- to you will be unlimited Time on NO Time Limits If it
- get to busy I will add more lines Wildcat can handle
- 250 Lines :-)
-
- I may then even add a bunch of Doors with Games Etc.
- ========================== TEXT ENDS ==============================
-
- Wagner's legal expenses were not dealt with in the manner implied
- by Newsbytes on 2/5/92. Although an investigation of Wagner's
- "Pacific Northwest Phone's" conference (the location on Wagner's system
- of the FidoNet PNWBELL echo) would indicate that the subject of others
- chipping in to pay for legal services was broached, Wagner informed me
- that no group of SysOps or users ever paid for, or attempted to pay
- Richard Samuels (Wagner's original attorney).
-
- Richard Samuels withdrew from Wagner's complaint filing at the
- Oregon Public Utility Commission shortly before a December 10 hearing
- date. Wagner represented himself at that hearing.
-
- The "Pacific Northwest Phone's" conference on First Choice
- Communications additionally reveals an important item of interest. It
- is apparent that US West and SouthWestern Bell are sharing information
- about disputes with BBS operators in their respective operating
- jurisdictions. Such is illustrated in the following message pulled from
- the "Pacific Northwest Phone's" conference on First Choice Communications.
-
- =========================== TEXT BEGINS ==============================
- From : SCOTT LENT Number : 223 of 241
- To : ALL Date : 01/10/92 11:56am
- Subject : a note Reference : NONE
- Read : [N/A] Private : NO
- Conf : 505 - Pacific Northwest Phone's
-
-
- That may or may not be of interest to those of you serviced by US West:
-
- A group of sysops in Missouri met with representatives from Southwestern Bell
- on 01/07/92 in St. Louis for the second in a series of negotiations. At the
- meeting, William Bailey, District Manager-Rate Administration, divulged that
- he had been in contact with "someone from US West," and that their
- conversation included discussion of their respective telephone tariffs.
- Specifically, he made reference to your (Oregon's) tariff wording that
- refers to "domestic use."
-
- This information is two-fold. First, you now know that your RBOC people are
- in contact with others about tariff wording. Secondly, your RBOC people are
- aware that other RBOCs are negotiating with their consumers over regulations
- that affect the modeming community.
-
- Scott
-
- --- DB B1056/004017
- * Origin: GKCSA-the ultimate bal...er...Bell buster (1:280/310)
- =========================== TEXT ENDS =================================
-
-
- Wagner has retained attorney Kevin Myles to represent him in his
- complaint case at the Oregon Public Utility Commission. Myles has until
- March 3, 1992 to file a brief. A round of reply briefs, from the
- opposing parties in the complaint, is also possible.
-
- Walter Scott
- --
- "Lightfinger" Rayek's Friendly Casino: 206/528-0948, Seattle, Washington.
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Mon, 17 Feb 92 19:19:18 PST
- From: autodesk!megalon!jwarren@FERNWOOD.MPK.CA.US(Jim Warren)
- Subject: FULL TEXT: Calif. data-priv/comp.crime bill
-
- This includes the full text of legislation that was introduced Feb.
- 10th in the California State Senate by a senior member of that body,
- the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Bill Lockyer of
- Southern Alameda County. This copy of the bill plus staff background
- comments is being uploaded within days of its availability in Senate
- offices.
-
- SB1447 TOPICS
- Sec.1: "Privacy Act of 1992", Senate Bill 1447 (Lockyer, Privacy)
- Sec.2: Driver's licenses: Use of human-readable and magstripe information
- Sec.3: Privacy: Rights of employees and prospective employees
- Sec.4: Computer crime laws: Modifications
- Sec.5: Automatic vehicle identification [AVI] systems: Control of uses
-
- CONTENTS OF THIS MESSAGE [words/chars]
- Introductory comments and details of notation conventions [757/5191]
- Reformatted verbatim text of the Feb. 10th bill [3227/21285]
- Background notes prepared by Sen. Lockyer's assistant [2465/15546]
- If printed, this would take approximately 12 pages.
-
- REPORTEDLY A LEGISLATIVE "FIRST"
- This effort in "electronic democracy" may be the first time that state
- legislation has been distributed online, for access by the general public,
- at the same time it becomes available to legislators and their staff.
- A senior member of the Senate computer system's technical staff reportedly
- said they have never-before down-loaded a machine-readable copy of initial
- legislation onto a personal computer for redistribution on public computer
- networks.
- Furthermore, Sen. Lockyer's Legislative Assistant responsible for the bill
- said he knows of no prior instance where legislative staff have gone online
- on public nets to seek citizen input and discussion about new legislation.
-
- SOURCES OF ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS & INFORMATION
- Mr. Ben Firschein is the Legislative Assistant to Sen. Lockyer who is
- handling this bill:
- Office of Senator Bill Lockyer
- Room 2032, State Capitol
- Sacramento CA 95814
- Mr. Firschein/916-445-6671, main number/916-445-5957, email/**
- Formatted, binary, machine-readable versions of this text will be
- available on the WELL, the Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link. The WELL is a public
- teleconferencing system located in Sausalito, California, accessible via the
- Internet; voice/415-332-4335, 2400-baud data/7-E-1/415-332-6106. For read-
- only access instructions, SEND A REQUEST TO: jwarren@well.sf.ca.us.
- ** -- Mr. Firschein will be online on the WELL within a week or so. You may
- request his email address, also, from jwarren@well.sf.ca.us.
- There will be four read-only files:
- A. The original file that was down-loaded from the Senate's legislative
- computer system in WordPerfect format on a PC-compatible diskette.
- B. The above file, converted to a Word-5.0 Macintosh format, with
- pagination approximating the printed copies of the bill available from the
- legislative offices.
- C. Background information, explanations and mention of some alternatives,
- prepared by Mr. Firschein, in original WordPerfect format for PC-compatibles.
- D. That backgrounder file, converted to Word-5.0 Macintosh format.
-
- REPRESENTING LEGISLATION-IN-PROGRESS: A NOTATION PROBLEM
- In the California Senate, printed legislation-in-progress uses the
- following conventions:
- When stating new legislation, *plain-text* states PROPOSED law.
- When *amending* current law, *plain-text* states the CURRENT law, and
- *strike-thru text* indicates current law to be deleted while *underscored* or
- *italicized* text represents wording to be added to those current statutes.
- Deletions and additions represented by strike-thru and underlining or italics
- *amend* current law.
- But, the basic ASCII character-set -- and a great many older terminals and
- computer printers -- have no strike-thru, italics or underlining. So, here
- is how that unavailable notation is represented in this document:
- [[ annotation ]] -- explanatory comments by "uploader" Jim Warren
- all capitals -- originally bold-face text; no legislative meaning
- Unless stated as amending current law:
- plain-text -- text of new legislation, proposed to be new law
- When stated as amending current law:
- plain-text -- text of current law to remain unchanged
- << strikethru >> -- text in current law, proposed for deletion
- {{ underscore }} -- text proposed to be added to current law.
-
- THE BEGINNING ...
- The introduction of this legislation in the Senate is the beginning of
- a lengthy process or review and revision by amendment, prior to its possible
- passage into law.
- Please send your comments and suggestions about the legislation -- and
- about the Senate staff's active cooperation in making it publicly available,
- online -- to Mr. Firschein and Sen. Lockyer.
-
- --Jim Warren, 345 Swett Rd., Woodside CA 94062; voice/415-851-7075,
- fax/415-851-2814, email/jwarren@well.sf.ca.us -or- jwarren@autodesk.com
- [ for identification purposes, only: contributing editor, MicroTimes;
- Chair, First Conference on Computers, Freedom & Privacy (March, 1991);
- and member, Board of Directors, Autodesk, Inc.; blah blah blah ]
-
- ===================== verbatim text of the legislation =====================
-
- "THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1992" -- CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE BILL No. 1447
- Introduced by Senator Lockyer
- February 10, 1992
-
-
- An act to add Section 1799.4 to the Civil Code, to add Section 2805 to the
- Labor Code, to amend Section 502 of the Penal Code, and to amend Section
- 27565 of the Streets and Highways Code, relating to privacy.
-
-
-
- LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
- [[**** The Legislative Counsel's Digest is NOT part of the bill. It is
- only a summary prepared by the legislature's legal counsel. ****]]
-
- SB 1447, as introduced, Lockyer. Privacy.
- (1) Existing law prohibits the disclosure of specified information by
- business entities which perform bookkeeping services and by persons providing
- video cassette sales or rental services.
- This bill would provide that a business entity that obtains information
- from a consumer's driver's license or identification card shall not sell the
- information or use it to advertise goods or services, without consent.
- (2) Existing law prohibits employers from making or enforcing rules or
- policies forbidding or preventing employees from engaging or participating in
- politics, and from controlling the political activities or affiliations of
- employees.
- This bill would provide that any employer shall be liable to an employee
- or prospective employee for damages caused by subjecting the employee to
- discipline or discharge, or denying employment to a prospective employee, on
- account of the exercise by that person of privacy rights guaranteed by the
- California Constitution.
- (3) Existing law sets forth definitions and penalties for specified
- computer-related crimes.
- This bill would require the owner or lessee of any computer, computer
- system, computer network, computer program, or data, as specified, to report
- to a local law enforcement agency any known violations of the provisions
- described above. The bill would also provide that any person who recklessly
- stores or maintains data in a manner which enables a person to commit acts
- leading to a felony conviction under the provisions described above, shall be
- liable to each injured party for a specified civil penalty. The bill would
- make related changes.
- (4) Existing law requires the Department of Transportation to develop and
- adopt functional specifications and standards for an automatic vehicle
- identification system to be used in toll facilities, as specified.
- This bill would provide that a vehicle owner shall have the choice of
- being billed after using the facility, or of prepaying tolls, in which case
- the department or any privately owned entity operating a toll facility shall
- issue an account number to the vehicle owner which is not derived from the
- vehicle owner's name, address, social security number, or specified other
- sources, and would prohibit the keeping of any record of this information.
- Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
- State-mandated local program: no.
-
-
-
- THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
-
- SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the Privacy Act of
- 1992.
- SEC. 2. Section 1799.4 is added to the Civil Code, to read:
- 1799.4. A business entity that obtains information from a consumer's
- driver's license or identification card for its business records or for other
- purposes shall not sell the information or use it to advertise goods or
- services, without the written consent of the consumer.
- SEC. 3. Section 2805 is added to the Labor Code, to read:
- 2805. (a) Any employer, including any state or local governmental entity
- or instrumentality thereof, shall be liable to an employee or prospective
- employee for damages caused by either of the following:
- (1) Subjecting the employee to discipline or discharge on account of the
- exercise by the employee of privacy rights guaranteed by Section 1 of Article
- I of the California Constitution, provided the activity does not
- substantially interfere with the employee's bona fide job performance or
- working relationship with the employer.
- (2) Denying employment to a prospective employee on account of the
- prospective employee's exercise of privacy rights guaranteed by Section 1 of
- Article I of the California Constitution.
- (b) Damages awarded pursuant to this section may include punitive damages,
- and reasonable attorney's fees as part of the costs of the action. If the
- court decides that an action for damages was brought without substantial
- justification, the court may award costs and reasonable attorney's fees to
- the employer.
- SEC. 4. Section 502 of the Penal Code is amended to read:
- [[**** Note that this would AMEND current law. ****]]
- 502. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this section to
- expand the degree of protection afforded to individuals, businesses, and
- governmental agencies from tampering, interference, damage, and unauthorized
- access to lawfully created computer data and computer systems. The
- Legislature finds and declares that the proliferation of computer technology
- has resulted in a concomitant proliferation of computer crime and other forms
- of unauthorized access to computers, computer systems, and computer data.
- The Legislature further finds and declares that protection of the
- integrity of all types and forms of lawfully created computers, computer
- systems, and computer data is vital to the protection of the privacy of
- individuals as well as to the well-being of financial institutions, business
- concerns, governmental agencies, and others within this state that lawfully
- utilize those computers, computer systems, and data.
- (b) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the
- following meanings:
- (1) "Access" means to gain entry to, instruct, or communicate with the
- logical, arithmetical, or memory function resources of a computer, computer
- system, or computer network.
- (2) "Computer network" means any system which provides communications
- between one or more computer systems and input/output devices including, but
- not limited to, display terminals and printers connected by telecommunication
- facilities.
- (3) "Computer program or software" means a set of instructions or
- statements, and related data, that when executed in actual or modified form,
- cause a computer, computer system, or computer network to perform specified
- functions.
- (4) "Computer services" includes, but is not limited to, computer time,
- data processing, or storage functions, or other uses of a computer, computer
- system, or computer network.
- (5) "Computer system" means a device or collection of devices, including
- support devices and excluding calculators which are not programmable and
- capable of being used in conjunction with external files, one or more of
- which contain computer programs, electronic instructions, input data, and
- output data, that performs functions including, but not limited to, logic,
- arithmetic, data storage and retrieval, communication, and control.
- (6) "Data" means a representation of information, knowledge, facts,
- concepts, computer software, computer programs or instructions. Data may be
- in any form, in storage media, or as stored in the memory of the computer or
- in transit or presented on a display device.
- (7) "Supporting documentation" includes, but is not limited to, all
- information, in any form, pertaining to the design, construction,
- classification, implementation, use, or modification of a computer, computer
- system, computer network, computer program, or computer software, which
- information is not generally available to the public and is necessary for the
- operation of a computer, computer system, computer network, computer program,
- or computer software.
- (8) "Injury" means any alteration, deletion, damage, or destruction of a
- computer system, computer network, computer program, or data caused by the
- access.
- (9) "Victim expenditure" means any expenditure reasonably and necessarily
- incurred by the owner or lessee to verify that a computer system, computer
- network, computer program, or data was or was not altered, deleted, damaged,
- or destroyed by the access.
- (10) "Computer contaminant" means any set of computer instructions that
- are designed to modify, damage, destroy, record, or transmit information
- within a computer, computer system, or computer network without the intent or
- permission of the owner of the information. They include, but are not
- limited to, a group of computer instructions commonly called viruses or
- worms, which are self-replicating or self-propagating and are designed to
- contaminate other computer programs or computer data, consume computer
- resources, modify, destroy, record, or transmit data, or in some other
- fashion usurp the normal operation of the computer, computer system, or
- computer network.
- (c) Except as provided in subdivision (h), any person who commits any of
- the following acts is guilty of a public offense:
- (1) Knowingly accesses and without permission alters, damages, deletes,
- destroys, or otherwise uses any data, computer, computer system, or computer
- network in order to either (A) devise or execute any scheme or artifice to
- defraud, deceive, or extort, or (B) wrongfully control or obtain money,
- property, or data.
- (2) Knowingly accesses and without permission takes, copies, or makes use
- of any data from a computer, computer system, or computer network, or takes
- or copies any supporting documentation, whether existing or residing internal
- or external to a computer, computer system, or computer network.
- (3) Knowingly and without permission uses or causes to be used computer
- services.
- (4) Knowingly accesses and without permission adds, alters, damages,
- deletes, or destroys any data, computer software, or computer programs which
- reside or exist internal or external to a computer, computer system, or
- computer network.
- (5) Knowingly and without permission disrupts or causes the disruption of
- computer services or denies or causes the denial of computer services to an
- authorized user of a computer, computer system, or computer network.
- (6) Knowingly and without permission provides or assists in providing a
- means of accessing a computer, computer system, or computer network in
- violation of this section.
- (7) Knowingly and without permission accesses or causes to be accessed any
- computer, computer system, or computer network.
- (8) Knowingly introduces any computer contaminant into any computer,
- computer system, or computer network.
- (d) (1) Any person who violates any of the provisions of paragraph (1),
- (2), (4), or (5) of subdivision (c) is punishable by a fine not exceeding ten
- thousand dollars ($10,000), or by imprisonment in the state prison for 16
- months, or two or three years, or by both that fine and imprisonment, or by a
- fine not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by imprisonment in the
- county jail not exceeding one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
- (2) Any person who violates paragraph (3) of subdivision (c) is punishable
- as follows:
- (A) For the first violation which does not result in injury, and where the
- value of the computer services used does not exceed four hundred dollars
- ($400), by a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by
- imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year, or by both that fine
- and imprisonment.
- (B) For any violation which results in a victim expenditure in an amount
- greater than five thousand dollars ($5,000) or in an injury, or if the value
- of the computer services used exceeds four hundred dollars ($400), or for any
- second or subsequent violation, by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars
- ($10,000), or by imprisonment in the state prison for 16 months, or two or
- three years, or by both that fine and imprisonment, or by a fine not
- exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by imprisonment in the county
- jail not exceeding one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
- (3) Any person who violates paragraph (6), (7), or (8) of subdivision (c)
- is punishable as follows:
- (A) For a first violation which does not result in injury, an infraction
- punishable by a fine not exceeding two hundred fifty dollars ($250).
- (B) For any violation which results in a victim expenditure in an amount
- not greater than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or for a second or
- subsequent violation, by a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000),
- or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year, or by both that
- fine and imprisonment.
- (C) For any violation which results in a victim expenditure in an amount
- greater than five thousand dollars ($5,000), by a fine not exceeding ten
- thousand dollars ($10,000), or by imprisonment in the state prison for 16
- months, or two or three years, or by both that fine and imprisonment, or by a
- fine not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by imprisonment in the
- county jail not exceeding one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
-
- [[**** Use of << STRIKETHRU >> and {{ UNDERSCORE }} begins, hereafter. ****]]
-
- (e) (1) In addition to any other civil remedy available, {{ any injured
- party, including but not limited to }} the owner or lessee of the
- computer, computer system, computer network, computer program, or data may
- bring a civil action against any person convicted under this section for
- compensatory damages, including {{ consequential or incidental damages. In
- the case of the owner or lessee of the computer, computer system, computer
- network, computer program, or data, damages may include, but are not limited
- to,}} any expenditure reasonably and necessarily incurred by the owner or
- lessee to verify that a computer system, computer network, computer program,
- or data was or was not altered, damaged, or deleted by the access. << For >>
- [[**** Yes, that was a struck-thru "For" ending that paragraph. ****]]
- {{ (2) Any person who recklessly stores or maintains data in a manner
- which enables a person to commit acts leading to a felony conviction under
- this section shall be liable to each injured party for a civil penalty of ten
- thousand dollars ($10,000), up to a maximum of fifty thousand dollars
- ($50,000). Failure to report a previous violation of this section to a local
- law enforcement agency pursuant to subdivision (f) may constitute evidence of
- recklessness }}
- {{ (3) For }} the purposes of actions authorized by this subdivision, the
- conduct of an unemancipated minor shall be imputed to the parent or legal
- guardian having control or custody of the minor, pursuant to the provisions
- of Section 1714.1 of the Civil Code.
- << (2) >>
- {{ (4) }} In any action brought pursuant to this subdivision the court may
- award reasonable attorney's fees to a prevailing party.
- << (3) >>
- {{ (5) }} A community college, state university, or academic institution
- accredited in this state is required to include computer-related crimes as a
- specific violation of college or university student conduct policies and
- regulations that may subject a student to disciplinary sanctions up to and
- including dismissal from the academic institution. This paragraph shall not
- apply to the University of California unless the Board of Regents adopts a
- resolution to that effect.
- (f) {{ The owner or lessee of any computer, computer system, computer
- network, computer program, or data shall report to a local law enforcement
- agency, including the police, sheriff, or district attorney, any known
- violations of this section involving the owner or lessee's computer, computer
- system, computer network, computer program, or data. The reports shall be
- made within 60 days after the violations become known to the owner or
- lessee. }}
- {{ (g) }} This section shall not be construed to preclude the
- applicability of any other provision of the criminal law of this state which
- applies or may apply to any transaction, nor shall it make illegal any
- employee labor relations activities that are within the scope and protection
- of state or federal labor laws.
- << (g) >>
- {{ (h) }} Any computer, computer system, computer network, or any software
- or data, owned by the defendant, which is used during the commission of any
- public offense described in subdivision (c) or any computer, owned by the
- defendant, which is used as a repository for the storage of software or data
- illegally obtained in violation of subdivision (c) shall be subject to
- forfeiture, as specified in Section 502.01.
- << (h) >>
- {{ (i) }} (1) Subdivision (c) does not apply to any person who accesses
- his or her employer's computer system, computer network, computer program, or
- data when acting within the scope of his or her lawful employment.
- (2) Paragraph (3) of subdivision (c) does not apply to any employee who
- accesses or uses his or her employer's computer system, computer network,
- computer program, or data when acting outside the scope of his or her lawful
- employment, so long as the employee's activities do not cause an injury, as
- defined in paragraph (8) of subdivision (b), to the employer or another, or
- so long as the value of supplies and computer services, as defined in
- paragraph (4) of subdivision (b), which are used do not exceed an accumulated
- total of one hundred dollars ($100).
- << (i) >>
- {{ (j) }} No activity exempted from prosecution under paragraph (2) of
- subdivision << (h) >> {{ (i) }} which incidentally violates paragraph (2),
- (4), or (7) of subdivision (c) shall be prosecuted under those paragraphs.
- << (j) >>
- {{ (k) }} For purposes of bringing a civil or a criminal action under this
- section, a person who causes, by any means, the access of a computer,
- computer system, or computer network in one jurisdiction from another
- jurisdiction is deemed to have personally accessed the computer, computer
- system, or computer network in each jurisdiction.
- << (k) >>
- {{ (l) }} In determining the terms and conditions applicable to a person
- convicted of a violation of this section the court shall consider the
- following:
- (1) The court shall consider prohibitions on access to and use of
- computers.
- (2) Except as otherwise required by law, the court shall consider
- alternate sentencing, including community service, if the defendant shows
- remorse and recognition of the wrongdoing, and an inclination not to repeat
- the offense.
-
- SEC. 5. Section 27565 of the Streets and Highways Code is amended to read:
- [[** NOTE: This is another amendment, with strikethrus and underscores. **]]
- 27565. (a) The Department of Transportation, in cooperation with the
- district and all known entities planning to implement a toll facility in this
- state, shall develop and adopt functional specifications and standards for an
- automatic vehicle identification system, in compliance with the following
- objectives:
- (1) In order to be detected, the driver shall not be required to reduce
- speed below the applicable speed for the type of facility being used.
- (2) The vehicle owner shall not be required to purchase or install more
- than one device to use on all toll facilities, but may be required to have a
- separate account or financial arrangement for the use of these facilities.
- (3) The facility operators shall have the ability to select from different
- manufacturers and vendors. The specifications and standards shall encourage
- multiple bidders, and shall not have the effect of limiting the facility
- operators to choosing a system which is able to be supplied by only one
- manufacturer or vendor.
- (b) {{ The vehicle owner shall have the choice of prepaying tolls, or
- being billed after using the facility. If the vehicle owner prepays tolls:
- (1) The department or any privately owned entity operating a toll facility
- shall issue an account number to the vehicle owner. The account number shall
- not be derived from the vehicle owner's name, address, social security
- number, or driver's license number, or the vehicle's license number, vehicle
- identification number, or registration.
- (2) Once an account has been established and an account number has been
- given to the vehicle owner, neither the department nor the privately owned
- facility shall keep any record of the vehicle owner's name, address, social
- security number, or driver's license number, or the vehicle's license number,
- vehicle identification number, or registration.
- (3) The vehicle owner may make additional prepayments by specifying the
- account number and furnishing payment. }}
- {{ (c) }} Any automatic vehicle identification system purchased or
- installed after January 1, 1991, shall comply with the specifications and
- standards adopted pursuant to subdivision (a).
- {{ (d) Any automatic vehicle identification system purchased or installed
- after January 1, 1993, shall comply with the specifications and standards
- adopted pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b). }}
-
- [[**** END OF SB 1447, DATED FEBRUARY 10, 1992 ****]]
-
- =============== background comments by legislative assistant ===============
-
-
- [[**** In this section, since underlining is for emphasis, only, and has no
- legal meaning, I changed Mr. Firschein's underlined text to all-caps. ****]]
-
- California State Senate
- Bill Lockyer
- Tenth Senatorial District
- Southern Alameda County
- State Capitol
- Sacramento, California 95814
- (916)445-6671
-
- TO: Interested parties
- FROM: Ben Firschein, Senator Lockyer's Office
- DATE: February 14, 1992
-
- RE: BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON SB 1447 (LOCKYER, PRIVACY)
- You should have received a copy of SB 1447 (Lockyer, Privacy) in the mail
- recently. Senator Lockyer introduced the bill in an effort to address some
- of the concerns raised at the privacy hearing on December 10, 1991.
- This memorandum is intended to explain the intent of the various sections
- of the bill, but it is not a committee analysis.
- (A committee analysis will be forthcoming at a later date, when the bill
- is set for a hearing). We welcome suggestions as to how to clarify the
- language of the bill, or otherwise improve the bill.
-
-
- SECTION 1: CITATION
- The bill may be cited as the "Privacy Act of 1992"
-
- SECTION 2: INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM DRIVER'S LICENSES
- This section requires the written consent of a consumer for a business
- entity to (1) sell information obtained from the consumer's driver's license
- or (2) use such information to advertise goods or services.
- The section is intended to cover instances where a consumer presents a
- driver's license or identification card for identification purposes during a
- business transaction. The section is not intended to prevent businesses from
- using driver's license information for business record-keeping, or for other
- purposes related to the transaction (i.e. authorizing a transaction).
- The section is not intended to change existing law with respect to the
- ability of businesses to obtain driver's license information from other
- sources (such as DMV records).
- The need for this section is heightened by the new "magstripe" drivers
- license developed by the Department of Motor Vehicles. This license has a
- magnetic stripe on the back which contains much of the information on the
- front of the license. The stripe will enable a business entity to store
- information contained on a driver's license simply by scanning the card
- through a reader.
- A publication by the Department of Motor Vehicles dated May 1991
- ("Department of Motor Vehicles Magnetic Stripe Drivers License/Identification
- Card") states that "using point of sale (POS) readers and printers, the
- business community can electronically record the DL [driver's license] /ID
- number on receipts and business records." The publication notes that
- "magnetic stripe readers are readily available, relatively low in cost, and
- are already available in many retail outlets."
- However, a merchant might access much more than the driver's license/ID
- number; the publication notes that "readers have been produced, and market
- available readers can be modified that will read the three tracks of
- information contained on the California card." According to the publication,
- the tracks contain information such as license type, name, address, sex,
- hair-color, eye-color, height, weight, restrictions, issue date.
-
- SECTION 3:
- DEPRIVATION OF THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY OF EMPLOYEES OR PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES
- This section provides that an employer shall be liable to an employee or
- prospective employee for damages caused by subjecting an employee to
- discipline or discharge or denying employment to a prospective employee, on
- account of the exercise by that person of privacy rights guaranteed by the
- California Constitution.
- This section is modeled after Connecticut Labor Code Section 31-51q. The
- Lockyer bill goes further than the Connecticut statute in that it applies to
- prospective as well as current employees.
- The bill would allow punitive damages and reasonable attorney's fees to be
- awarded pursuant to Section 3 (page 3 lines 10-12).
- The bill would specify that if the court decides that an action for
- damages was brought by an employee or a prospective employee without
- "substantial justification," the court may award costs and reasonable
- attorney's fees to the employer (page 3, lines 12-15).
- As with the Connecticut statute, an employee's cause of action would only
- exist if the activity for which the employee was disciplined or discharged
- did not "substantially interfere with the employee's bona fide job
- performance or working relationship with the employer." (Page 3, lines 4-5).
- POSSIBLE AMENDMENT: The language in the bill covering prospective
- employees (page 3, lines 6-9) omits the "substantial interference" language
- contained in the section covering existing employees. Perhaps the bill
- should specify that a prospective employee lacks a cause of action if the
- prospective employer has a compelling business interest in rejecting someone
- because they engaged in certain acts (even though those acts were protected
- by the constitutional right to privacy).
- Such an amendment would be consistent with cases such SOROKA V. DAYTON
- HUDSON CORPORATION, 91 Daily Journal D.A.R. 13204 (1st Appellate District).
- The court in SOROKA found that a psychological screening test administered to
- Target Store security officer applicants violated the applicants' state
- constitutional right to privacy when it inquired about their religious
- beliefs and sexual orientation, because there was no compelling need for the
- test.
- POSSIBLE AMENDMENT # 2: One of the participants in the privacy hearing
- suggests language making it clear that the rights and remedies set forth in
- the section are not exclusive and do not pre-empt or limit any other
- available remedy.
- POTENTIAL ARGUMENTS AGAINST THIS SECTION: Some may argue that in light of
- cases such as Soroka, this statute is unnecessary, because these rights are
- already set forth in existing case law.
- They may also point out that the California Supreme Court held in WHITE V.
- DAVIS that the right to privacy is self-executing, meaning that every
- Californian has standing to sue directly under Article I, Section I of the
- California Constitution for a privacy violation. WHITE V. DAVIS (1975) 13
- Cal.3d 757, 775. Given that the right to privacy is self-executing, why is a
- statute needed?
- The answer is that case law is in a state of flux, and there is no
- guarantee that future courts will construe Article I in such a liberal
- fashion. Also, the bill is an improvement over existing case law in that it
- specifically lists the types of damages that may be awarded, including
- punitive damages, and reasonable attorney's fees.
-
- SECTION 4. COMPUTER CRIMES
- Jim Warren (one of the witnesses at the hearing) posted the Leg Counsel
- draft of the bill on one of the networks and showed me some of the responses.
- This section generated most of the comments, some of which were quite vocal.
- First a word of caution to those uninitiated in the ways of the
- Legislature: MOST OF THE LANGUAGE IN THIS SECTION IS EXISTING LAW. Our
- proposed additions are contained in language that is in italics or
- underlined. IF IT IS NOT IN ITALICS OR UNDERLINES, IT IS EXISTING LAW.
- PROPOSED ADDITION #1 (page 7, line 25): Extend the existing computer crime
- statute [Penal Code Section 502] to allow civil recovery by any injured party
- against someone convicted under Section 502 of breaking into a computer. (The
- existing law just allows recovery by the owner or lessee of a computer
- system). For example, if someone is convicted under Section 502 of breaking
- into TRW's computers and altering credit records, the existing statute would
- allow TRW to recover against the hacker in a civil suit, but the statute
- would not allow someone whose credit history was injured by the hacker to sue
- the hacker under statute.
- PROPOSED ADDITION #2 (page 7, lines 30-33): Extend Penal Code Section 502
- to allow civil recovery against a convicted hacker for more than just the
- cost of expenditures necessary to verify that a computer system was or was
- not altered, damaged, or deleted by the access. The proposed language would
- allow civil recovery for ALL CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES resulting
- from the intrusion.
- PROPOSED ADDITION #3 (page 7, lines 38-40 & page 8, lines 1-6): Create a
- cause of action against those who "recklessly store or maintain data in a
- manner which enables a person to commit acts leading to a felony conviction
- under this section."
- The section is intended to address the situation where someone stores
- information (e.g. credit data) in a manner which easily allows unauthorized
- access, and the person who is able to access the information as a result of
- the lack of safeguards injures a third party (e.g. a creditor, or a person
- whose credit history is altered).
- The source of the section is the case of PEOPLE V. GENTRY 234 Cal.App.3d
- 131 (1991). In that case, a hacker figured out that if he queried the credit
- databases of TRW, CBI, or Trans Union, about a nonexistent person, each
- system would create a new file for that non-existent person. The non-
- existent person would have an exemplary credit history, because there was no
- negative credit information in the new file. The hacker in the GENTRY case
- went into the business of rehabilitating people's credit history by having
- them change their name, and then creating credit files on these "new" people.
- The court stated in a footnote "we do not address the potential liability
- to innocent third parties who might be harmed by this feature of the software
- program. Although Gentry found a weakness in the program and exploited it,
- responsibility should not rest solely with the felon. Credit reporting
- companies should recognize that this flaw is needlessly risky and remedy it."
- (GENTRY, page 135, footnote 3).
- POTENTIAL CONCERNS: some people who have seen the bill worry that section
- 4 would apply to someone (e.g. a computer bulletin board operator) who stores
- information on a computer about how to commit a crime (e.g. information about
- how to break into a computer, or how to build a bomb)
- The section is intended to be limited to reckless storage of data in a
- manner which enables a person to commit acts LEADING TO A FELONY CONVICTION
- UNDER SECTION 503 (not other types of criminal acts). "Reckless storage" is
- intended to mean maintaining a system that lacks appropriate security
- safeguards; it is not intended to include storing information about how to
- commit crimes. Hopefully any potential ambiguities can be clarified through
- amendments.
- PROPOSED ADDITION #4: The bill requires the reporting to local law
- enforcement of violations of the computer crime statute (Penal Code Section
- 503) within 60 days after such violations become known to the owner or lessee
- of a computer system (page 8, lines 26-34). The bill states that "failure to
- report a previous violation of this section to a local law enforcement
- agency...may constitute evidence of [reckless storage of data]."
- This is intended to ensure that people report such crimes to law
- enforcement. There are anecdotal reports that some of these crimes are not
- being reported because people are concerned about bad publicity resulting
- from reports that their systems were broken into.
- POSSIBLE AMENDMENT: it has been suggested that the reporting requirement
- be limited to certain types of systems, or to a certain level of monetary
- loss. Objections have been raised that the bill would apply equally to
- someone who operates a home computer and to a business that operates a large
- mainframe. One could argue that the reporting requirement is more essential
- where a computer owner has a fiduciary or quasi-fiduciary duty to the people
- whose records are stored on the system (e.g. accounting or credit records).
- An accountant's or a credit company's failure to report a computer break-in
- is more serious than a computer game bulletin board operator's failure to
- report a break in.
- One possible objection to restricting the reporting requirement to a
- certain level of financial loss is that financial loss is hard to quantify.
- However, Section 503 already uses amount of financial loss to determine
- the type of criminal penalty to apply, so one could argue that amount of
- monetary loss could similarly be used as an indication of the need to
- report.
-
- SECTION 5. AUTOMATIC VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS
- Existing law directs Caltrans to develop specifications for automatic
- vehicle tracking systems for toll facilities, such as those on bridges
- (Streets and Highways Code 27565). People will soon be able have a device
- installed in their car which allows them to drive through a toll facility
- without stopping. The device will send a signal to a computer, which will
- keep track of their use of the facility. At the end of the month, they will
- get a bill. Presumably there will continue to be booths that people can drive
- through and pay cash.
- At the December 10 privacy hearing, concern was expressed that the device
- offers potential for abuse. For example, if you know a particular vehicle is
- driving through the facility, why not program the system to:
- 1. Stop all people with outstanding warrants
- 2. Stop all people who have not paid their vehicle registration
- 3. Compile lists of all people who drove through the facility during a
- given month and sell the lists to the private sector.
- One could argue that uses 1 and 2 are legitimate uses of this technology,
- because people who have broken the law should expect to come into contact
- with the police when they drive on public roads and highways. But one could
- also argue that people have an expectation of privacy when they drive and are
- not breaking the law at the time they are stopped (e.g. they are not
- speeding, driving under the influence, or otherwise doing anything to attract
- the attention of the police).
- Use # 3 is harder to justify. Why should people have to reveal their
- personal lives to the private sector in order to use a device that will speed
- up their commute?
- WHAT THE BILL DOES: The bill allows people the option of prepaying their
- tolls, and then using the facility anonymously. People would continue to have
- the option of being billed, rather than prepaying tolls.
- Under the bill, people who prepaid their tolls would be given an
- identification number unrelated to the vehicle owner's name, address, social
- security number, or driver's license number, or the vehicle's license number,
- vehicle identification number, or registration (page 10, lines 34-40). When
- they drive through the facility, the facility would look at their account,
- and let them through if there was still money in the account.
- The bill provides that once a numbered account has been established,
- neither Caltrans nor a private facility shall keep any record of the vehicle
- owner's name, address, social security number, or driver's license number, or
- the vehicle's license number, vehicle identification number, or registration
- (Page 11, lines 1-7).
- The user could make additional prepayments under the bill by specifying
- the account number and furnishing payment (Page 11, lines 8-10).
-
- [[**** END OF MR. FIRSCHEIN'S BACKGROUNDER ON SB 1447 OF FEB. 14, 1992 ****]]
-
- ==================================
-
- [[**** Both of these documents were edited by word-processor, rather than
- by retyping most of the text. I believe it is faithful to the original.
- Any errors are mine; not those of Mr. Firschein nor Sen. Lockyer.
- --Jim Warren ****]]
-
- ------------------------------
-
- End of Computer Underground Digest #4.08
- ************************************
-