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Unsurprisingly, George 'GeoHot' Hotz has Some Thoughts About this Whole PSN Hacking Thing

The kid who cracked the PlayStation 3's security is not shocked to learn someone else hacked the PlayStation Network.

As the news blogs and social media feeds continue to swell to the point of bursting with vitriolic, sarcastic, and generally unkind words regarding the compromising of the PlayStation Network and the bona fide communications catastrophe that has since followed, we of The Internet have waited with bated breath for words from George "GeoHot" Hotz, that lovable, firmware-hacking rapscallion whose fairly public and unpleasant legal battle with Sony over said PS3 hackery more or less set off all this nonsense.

 Hackers, meet your bed-headed messiah.
 Hackers, meet your bed-headed messiah.
Now, Hotz's deepest, most personal thoughts have come down from on high (via his blog), and perhaps unsurprisingly, he sees this issue as primarily the fault of Sony executives and their particular brand of hubris in dealing with the hacker community at large.

"The fault lies with the executives," wrote Hotz, "who declared a war on hackers, laughed at the idea of people penetrating the fortress that once was Sony, whined incessantly about piracy, and kept hiring more lawyers when they really needed to hire good security experts. Alienating the hacker community is not a good idea."

On the subject of the current issue and its ramifications for the personal identities of a whole bunch of PlayStation 3 owners, Hotz expressed a sort of defiant sympathy. "Running homebrew and exploring security on your devices is cool, hacking into someone elses server and stealing databases of user info is not cool. You make the hacking community look bad, even if it is aimed at douches like Sony."

== TEASER ==Hotz, who recently settled his civil suit with Sony over his hacked firmware chicanery, also distanced himself directly from the whole episode. "I'm not crazy, and would prefer to not have the FBI knocking on my door," he stated. Anonymous, the Super Mega Awesome Hacking Club who previously responded to Sony's legal chest-beating by threatening to use Sony executives' personal email addresses to sign up for Craigslist erotic service ads, have also claimed to not be directly involved in this personal info thievery.

Hotz closed with a message to the hackers involved in the PSN breach, imploring them not to be "dicks" and referring to Sony as "noobs" without a hint of identifiable irony.

"To the perpetrator, two things. You are clearly talented and will have plenty of money(or a jail sentence and bankruptcy) coming to you in the future. Don't be a dick and sell people's information. And I'd love to see a write up on how it all went down...lord knows we'll never get that from Sony, noobs probably had the password set to '4' or something. I mean, at least it was randomly generated."
Alex Navarro on Google+

266 Comments

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Dimitrio

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Edited By Dimitrio
@MooseyMcMan: How are all hackers bad?  People who's cause is for the people (like Hotz) are not detrimental to anybody except the guys who make all the money.
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Burn1n9m4n

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Edited By Burn1n9m4n

TRASHING THE FLOW OF DATA!!

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Plasma

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Edited By Plasma
@GunslingerPanda said:
" @Blueman said:
" Smug little prick. "
Who are you talking about? "
Amazing Comment, Bravo.
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Insectecutor

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Edited By Insectecutor

To be honest I'm not surprised this happened either. As soon as the PS3 got jailbroken back in mid february and people had access to the hypervisor and other core firmware I thought PSN would be under threat, so I removed my credit card details from it.

Then I went and bought fucking pixel junk shooter 2 a month later, thinking it had blown over. God damn.

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Magma_Pear

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Edited By Magma_Pear


"noobs probably had the password set to '4' or something. I mean, at least it was randomly generated."

 

 

 

Wound, meet Salt.

 

                                   

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KaosAngel

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Edited By KaosAngel
@Insectecutor: Your stuff is fine.  Nothing bad will happen and the stuff is being overblown.
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GunslingerPanda

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Edited By GunslingerPanda
@Plasma said:
" @GunslingerPanda said:
" @Blueman said:
" Smug little prick. "
Who are you talking about? "
Amazing Comment, Bravo. "
I was just asking a question. And I wasn't asking you, so...
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DonPixel

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Edited By DonPixel
@ryanwho said:
" Holtz is wanted and he's still blogging. What a dumbass. "
well at least he has balls
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Plasma

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Edited By Plasma
@GunslingerPanda said:
" @Plasma said:
" @GunslingerPanda said:
" @Blueman said:
" Smug little prick. "
Who are you talking about? "
Amazing Comment, Bravo. "
I was just asking a question. And I wasn't asking you, so... "
Aww I thought you were making a comment about Alex being a smug prick.

aha I wasn't being sarcastic, I just overestimated your humor :(
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DonPixel

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Edited By DonPixel
@KaosAngel said:

" The people who hacked PSN will NEVER be caught or given to the public.  The FBI is already on this, and you can sure as fuck bet the FBI will break a deal with the people who did this, assuming they're from the states like it was said in the ParyVan IRC.The worst that's going to happen is that the FBI will tell Sony that they took care of it, and the hacker(s) will be working for the government instead of being sent to jail.  It's how the community works.  If you want proof, go to DEFCON and listen to the speeches from top-ranked hackers.  They'll even admit it, the best way to work for the NSA or FBI is to hack something big, and tell them you'll work for the government to skip punishment.  No one is going to go to jail for this. "

Yea and John travolta is the head of the Super Secret organization that runs the FBI right?  i say much tv much 

Most likely no one is going jail because unlike tv in real life the FBI  is pretty incompetent and hand tied with bureaucratic stuff.
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DonPixel

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Edited By DonPixel
@ryanwho said:
" Holtz is wanted and he's still blogging. What a dumbass. "
at lest he has balls
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Azteck

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Edited By Azteck

"Sony, noobs probably had the password set to '4' or something"

What a douche

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KaosAngel

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Edited By KaosAngel
@DonPixel said:
" Most likely no one is going jail because unlike tv in real life the FBI  is pretty incompetent and hand tied with bureaucratic stuff."
...or maybe that's the coverup to get people to think like that?  Dun, dun dun!  These guys are the safety of our citizens, have a little more faith man!
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GunslingerPanda

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Edited By GunslingerPanda
@Plasma said:
" @GunslingerPanda said:
" @Plasma said:
" @GunslingerPanda said:
" @Blueman said:
" Smug little prick. "
Who are you talking about? "
Amazing Comment, Bravo. "
I was just asking a question. And I wasn't asking you, so... "
Aww I thought you were making a comment about Alex being a smug prick.

aha I wasn't being sarcastic, I just overestimated your humor :(
"
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GunslingerPanda

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Edited By GunslingerPanda
@Plasma said:
" @GunslingerPanda said:
" @Plasma said:
" @GunslingerPanda said:
" @Blueman said:
" Smug little prick. "
Who are you talking about? "
Amazing Comment, Bravo. "
I was just asking a question. And I wasn't asking you, so... "
Aww I thought you were making a comment about Alex being a smug prick.

aha I wasn't being sarcastic, I just overestimated your humor :(
"
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hagridore

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Edited By hagridore

Alienating the hacker community? Its illegal: You are supposed to be alienated.


George, slink back to the hacker boards and contemplate why platforms like the PC and PSP getting no love from publishers.
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CL60

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Edited By CL60
@hagridore said:
" Alienating the hacker community? Its illegal: You are supposed to be alienated.

George, slink back to the hacker boards and contemplate why platforms like the PC and PSP getting no love from publishers.
"
Doing what Geohotz does isn't illegal.
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KaosAngel

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@CL60 said:
"Doing what Geohotz does isn't illegal. "
Dude, it's like the birthers.  It doesn't matter how well you explain it, they don't care.   Just ignore it, and let them think like they are right.
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Sayishere

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Edited By Sayishere

Fuck him

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DonPixel

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Edited By DonPixel
@KaosAngel said:
" @DonPixel said:
" Most likely no one is going jail because unlike tv in real life the FBI  is pretty incompetent and hand tied with bureaucratic stuff."
...or maybe that's the coverup to get people to think like that?  Dun, dun dun!  These guys are the safety of our citizens, have a little more faith man! "
haha dun dun dun I did laugh at that...  Still dunno, I no longer live in the U.S. I went college there a worked for a couple of years.. 
for my experience US TV =/= US Real Life have nothing to do man, the first is way more spectacular and fun than the second one..  funny thing there is a beefy amount of Americans that have problems diferentiating the 2.. as I said much tv much

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Green_Incarnate

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Edited By Green_Incarnate
@kurtdyoung said:
" I still think this whole situation was bananas. What's more embarrassing, having your system taken down by that dude, or a clock?  "
I loled.
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ArbitraryWater

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Edited By ArbitraryWater

Oh, how quaint. He seems as much of a douche as I expected him to be. Also, he used the term noob unironically.

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KaosAngel

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@Green_Incarnate said:
" @kurtdyoung said:
" I still think this whole situation was bananas. What's more embarrassing, having your system taken down by that dude, or a clock?  "
I loled. "
That's a serious question.  What is more embarrassing?
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CL60

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Edited By CL60
@Sayishere said:

" Fuck him "

Jesus christ, did nobody read what he said? Did you only read "Geohotz has some thoughts!" Then decide to respond to this topic? 
Here's something he said, and I hope those of you saying retarded shit about Geohotz in here understand.

  To me, a hacker is just somebody with a set of skills; hacker is to computer as plumber is to pipes. And the same ethics should apply, if you want to mess with the pipes in your own house, go for it. But don't go breaking into people's houses and messing with their pipes."


How in any way is he a dick/douche by saying these things. Why are the majority of people in this topic talking about wanting to beat up Geohotz, and calling him a douche, or a dick, when he's said absolutely nothing that would imply any of that. Quite the opposite really. What he's saying is completely logical, and correct.

Here's another quote.

 "Running homebrew and exploring security on your devices is cool, hacking into someone elses server and stealing databases of user info is not cool. You make the hacking community look bad, even if it is aimed at douches like Sony."
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Green_Incarnate

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Edited By Green_Incarnate
@CL60: I'm pretty sure it's the other crap he's saying, like "alienating the hacker community" bullshit. Sony shouldn't have to play nice, because hackers hold their shit as ransom. 
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KaosAngel

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@Green_Incarnate: Who is the onus on?!

Sony for having shiity security or legit hackers exploiting corporations that don't use proper encryption?

People are acting like Sony is the victim when it's already been stated Sony's encryption for PSN was complete shit.  What did people think would happen?  Hackers would ignore that, and let it go?
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RadixNegative2

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Edited By RadixNegative2

I agree, even if I don't necessarily care for hackers/crackers.
Don't go against a hacker just to tell him not to hack again while neglecting the security of your users' data.

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bacongames

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Edited By bacongames

Fair but I feel like it doesn't mean anything to blame this generalized other "executive" at Sony.  What he's saying isn't special and giving him more publicity isn't benefiting anyone but him.

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Green_Incarnate

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@KaosAngel said:
" @Green_Incarnate: Who is the onus on?!Sony for having shiity security or legit hackers exploiting corporations that don't use proper encryption?People are acting like Sony is the victim when it's already been stated Sony's encryption for PSN was complete shit.  What did people think would happen?  Hackers would ignore that, and let it go? "
In an ideal world no security measures should have to be taken. No encryption, no army, no police, no jail. I shouldn't have to lock my door at night, but people are dicks. I'm not saying Sony didn't fuck up. I'm saying we shouldn't have to play nice with hackers, because they might break into my house at night.
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BabyChooChoo

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Edited By BabyChooChoo

He sounds like 75% of my fellow comp sci classmates when he talks. Smart, but full of himself and uses internet speak unironically.

I hate those people.

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KaosAngel

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@Green_Incarnate: This isn't an ideal world though.  Sony should've known better.  You don't live in a house without an alarm system in 2011, and you sure as hell don't have a premier online service with shit encryption.  If a millionaire left his home unsecured, people will rob him.  It's the owner's fault for not protecting his assets as well, yes the robbers go to jail but the house owner is just as responsible.
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warmonked

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Edited By warmonked

I read everything he said and still think he's a total douche.

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Punk1984

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@KaosAngel: I'm pretty sure the onus is on the people who broke the law and hijacked people's personal information without their knowledge.
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KaosAngel

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@Punk1984: So you're perfectly okay knowing Sony had really bad encryption when both their rivals are using the standard 256-bit encryption?
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Andorski

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Edited By Andorski
@KaosAngel said:

" @Green_Incarnate: Who is the onus on?!Sony for having shiity security or legit hackers exploiting corporations that don't use proper encryption?People are acting like Sony is the victim when it's already been stated Sony's encryption for PSN was complete shit.  What did people think would happen?  Hackers would ignore that, and let it go? "

Shouldn't the onus be on both parties?
I never understood the understanding reaction hackers get from other internet dwellers.  What do I expect when a hacker finds an easily exploitable security measure?  If the person's half-decent, I hope he does nothing.  If he/she wants to be even better human being, they can anonymously report the security holes.  No one should be granted the personal information of an entire consumer base solely because they have the technical knowledge to retrieve it.

So I blame Sony for incompetence and the hacker(s) for malice.  I hope Sony spends a fortune trying to win back their user's trust, and I hope there is a big dick waiting in a prison cell for those who stole all this information.
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Punk1984

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Edited By Punk1984
@KaosAngel: I'm not okay with it the same way I wouldn't be okay with someone stealing stuff from an unlocked house. Sony's encryption should have been better(even though you don't know how good it really is because Sony won't tell you) The hackers still broke into a system they weren't supposed to be in and accessed information they had no lawful right to. Sony's security/encryption has nothing to do with the fact that I won't defend people who broke the law.
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Bloodgraiv3

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Edited By Bloodgraiv3


Was bound to happen sooner or later.

 

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Green_Incarnate

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Edited By Green_Incarnate
@KaosAngel: Like I said. I'm not saying Sony didn't fuck up. It's just different in this case because the robber steals my shit, and then expects a job from me for doing so. Fuck the hacker community.
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gamer_152

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Edited By gamer_152  Moderator

Wow, there's a surprising amount of hate for Hotz in here. There's also a little misinformation dotted around this comments section as well. I believe neither that Sony "declared war on hackers", nor that the fault for the hacking lies purely with their execs, but Hotz is right that they need better security and much more importantly he's actually appealing to the hackers on a moral level.

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TorMasturba

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Edited By TorMasturba


Something that keeps cropping up is that it isn't illegal or that Geohotz "isn't morally corrupt" because hacking can be used for good and bad.

 

The guy is a douche because hacking any form of media that has it's main income come from digital code, either on a disc or downloadable, so that it's wide-open and then claiming that you did it because the business leaders of Sony are "Evil dictators" and deserved to be taken down a peg is lame and super over-idealistic.

 

Look the fact is, whether or not it's a good or bad thing to hack and make homebrew, it causes many good people to lose their jobs, and usually, no matter how much damage or influence you try to do to the guys at the top of Sony, or any other global company, they won't be affected at all.

No it will be the people lower down the work chain that will be affected, the hard workers that just want to support their families. And in anybodies books I believe that disregarding this makes you a sociapath of the highest order and extremely corrupt, no matter how massive you claim your attempts at good deeds are.

 

A metaphor I use, a little extreme I admit but you'll get the point, is like using a nuclear bomb on a village so that you can build a motorway through it that heads to the local cheap products superstore or the £1/$1 store.

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KaosAngel

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@Andorski: Realistically we both know if these guys were American they aren't going to go to prison.  The government will cut a deal with them, and everyone will just forget about it.  People like them are too valuable to put in jail, for better or worse.

@Punk1984: We know it was really bad considering how quickly they were able to do it.  Sony had your personal information, if your bank didn't have any locks or safes...and it was robbed dry, wouldn't the fault be on the banks?

Banks would be held to the highest liability.
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Andorski

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@KaosAngel: Hackers have gone to pound in the ass federal prison before, so there's hope.  If there is one thing that American goverment hates most, it's using resources to accomplish something.  They'd rather waste resources while doing nothing.
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Punk1984

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@KaosAngel: Are you insane? The bank robbers are still the ones breaking the law. The person taking stuff is at fault. The institution may have lax security but that doesn't make them complicit in the crime of theft.
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Milkman

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Edited By Milkman

At this point, the only people suffering is the consumer. And it's his fault. So, way to stick up for the little guy, dumbass. 

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KaosAngel

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@Andorski: Bah he was different...he was a legend beyond anything else.  The point is, the government is actively recruiting hackers at DEFCON, lurk the IRCs, and keep tabs on a lot of them.  If the guys who did this get caught, they're just going to get a slap on the wrist.
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KaosAngel

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@Punk1984: You don't think the bank is liable at all?

Dude if my bank was robbed due to lax security, I'd be more fucking pissed at the bank than the robbers.  I'd sue the flying fuck out of the bank.
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Punk1984

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Edited By Punk1984
@KaosAngel: Wait are you 12 or maybe 13 because that is the only way I'm not totally mortified.

Oh and if that is true you some very strongly misplaced feelings about responsibility and justice. Also please for my sake and yours never try this defense in court.
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KaosAngel

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@Punk1984: Dude, I can tell you that if a bank gets robbed due to lax security, the bank will fucking lose like no tomorrow.  The bank is hella liable for it, it's a bank.  It's why banks have high insurance premiums to pay.  Trust me, start up a bank and have shit security...get robbed of all your invester's assets and see what happens when you go to court.
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Andorski

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Edited By Andorski
@KaosAngel said:
" @Andorski: Bah he was different...he was a legend beyond anything else.  The point is, the government is actively recruiting hackers at DEFCON, lurk the IRCs, and keep tabs on a lot of them.  If the guys who did this get caught, they're just going to get a slap on the wrist. "
I doubt the FBI would involve themselves to just give a couple of hackers a slap on the wrist.  My guess is that those caught in cyber crimes have to show the government that they are an asset to the government to avoid any real punishment.  Even then, there is enough public spotlight on this particular situation for the government to make an example out of those implicated in this crime.

And like you said, there are already other ways for the government to recruit those talented in hacking security systems.  The whole "get a criminal to work on your side" happens more in movies than in real life.
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Punk1984

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Edited By Punk1984
@KaosAngel: yeah except the suits are civil suits not criminal suits. Big difference.