IT Admin locks San Fran's city computers

Captain Morgan · 07-17-2008, 12:25 PM

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/pcworld/148427

- A network administrator has locked up a multimillion dollar computer system for San Francisco that handles sensitive data and is refusing to give police the password, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Monday.

The employee, 43-year-old Terry Childs, was arrested Sunday. He gave some passwords to police, which did not work, and refused to reveal the real code, the paper reported.

The new FiberWAN (Wide Area Network) handles city payroll files, jail bookings, law enforcement documents and official e-mail for San Francisco. The network is functioning but administrators have little or no access.

Childs, who remains in custody, is accused of improperly tampering with computer systems and causing a denial of service, said Kamala Harris, San Francisco's district attorney, on Monday afternoon.

"The bail has been set at $5 million, and the exposure in this case if he were convicted on all counts would be seven years in prison," Harris said.

Harris said it's unknown why Childs tampered with the system. The Chronicle, however, reported that Childs was disciplined recently for poor performance. Childs worked in the Department of Technology for San Francisco, making close to US$150,000 a year, the paper reported.

City officials told the paper that Childs may have caused millions in damage while also rigging the network so that other third parties could monitor traffic, posing a huge data security risk. He is also alleged to have installed a tracing system to monitor communications related to his personnel case.

(Robert McMillan in San Francisco contributed to this report.)

Trip · 07-17-2008, 12:27 PM

I saw this, this morning. Hilarious

Rider · 07-17-2008, 12:28 PM

Good for him...

Gas Man · 07-17-2008, 05:18 PM

I think its great. And any of you that haven't thought about such things at work are lieing to yourself. These companies and govt agencies need to understand the value of appreciating what people do in their careers. I'm sick n tired of companies treating everybody like shit!!

fpzx10 · 07-17-2008, 12:28 PM

Yep, that cracked me up. Guy's just sittin there sayin, "nope, your not gettin it" I wonder how much he wants.

Becca_007 · 07-17-2008, 12:49 PM

Unthinkable. Hope this ass never gets hired again and never receives a dime from this childish, irresponsible act of destruction.

Mr Lefty · 07-17-2008, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Becca_007

Unthinkable. Hope this ass never gets hired again and never receives a dime from this childish, irresponsible act of destruction.

True... but the city is who's at fault... giving ONE PERSON control over the entire thing?

surprised it hasn't happened before!

Audiomechanic · 07-17-2008, 05:44 PM

I doubt he was the only one in charge of it. But he changed the root passwords so the other admins can't access it. Which makes him the only one who can fix it!

Personally, it's funnier to me cause it's California.

07-17-2008, 12:25 PM	#1
Captain Morgan Let's do another U-turn Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Indiana Moto: 2009 V-Strom Posts: 3,816	IT Admin locks San Fran's city computers http://tech.yahoo.com/news/pcworld/148427 - A network administrator has locked up a multimillion dollar computer system for San Francisco that handles sensitive data and is refusing to give police the password, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Monday. The employee, 43-year-old Terry Childs, was arrested Sunday. He gave some passwords to police, which did not work, and refused to reveal the real code, the paper reported. The new FiberWAN (Wide Area Network) handles city payroll files, jail bookings, law enforcement documents and official e-mail for San Francisco. The network is functioning but administrators have little or no access. Childs, who remains in custody, is accused of improperly tampering with computer systems and causing a denial of service, said Kamala Harris, San Francisco's district attorney, on Monday afternoon. "The bail has been set at $5 million, and the exposure in this case if he were convicted on all counts would be seven years in prison," Harris said. Harris said it's unknown why Childs tampered with the system. The Chronicle, however, reported that Childs was disciplined recently for poor performance. Childs worked in the Department of Technology for San Francisco, making close to US$150,000 a year, the paper reported. City officials told the paper that Childs may have caused millions in damage while also rigging the network so that other third parties could monitor traffic, posing a huge data security risk. He is also alleged to have installed a tracing system to monitor communications related to his personnel case. (Robert McMillan in San Francisco contributed to this report.)

07-17-2008, 05:18 PM	#4
Gas Man Trip's Assistant Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Imported from Detroit Moto: 2009 HD Street Classic Posts: 12,149	I think its great. And any of you that haven't thought about such things at work are lieing to yourself. These companies and govt agencies need to understand the value of appreciating what people do in their careers. I'm sick n tired of companies treating everybody like shit!! __________________ -Chris "Why pay somebody else to fuck up your bike?" Run Amsoil Product

07-17-2008, 12:28 PM	#5
fpzx10 Rides a Crotch Scooter Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: shitville Moto: 2007 GSXR 750 Posts: 714	Yep, that cracked me up. Guy's just sittin there sayin, "nope, your not gettin it" I wonder how much he wants. __________________

07-17-2008, 12:49 PM	#6
Becca_007 Street Stunter Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Moto: 2003 Kawasaki Z1000 Posts: 93	Unthinkable. Hope this ass never gets hired again and never receives a dime from this childish, irresponsible act of destruction. __________________ 2002 Camaro SS LE: 13.488 @ 102.93MPH 2005 Kawasaki Z750S: 12.239 @ 115.69MPH 2003 Kawasaki Z1000: 11.886 @ 117.72MPH

07-17-2008, 05:44 PM	#8
Audiomechanic Mobile Post-Whore Unit Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Houston, TX Moto: 2000 Honda Magna 750 Posts: 455	I doubt he was the only one in charge of it. But he changed the root passwords so the other admins can't access it. Which makes him the only one who can fix it! Personally, it's funnier to me cause it's California. __________________ This is my signature. Yay.

07-17-2008, 12:28 PM	#3
Rider Moto GP Star Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 12,156	Good for him...