Security Incidents mailing list archives
Re: Port Scans are Legal
From: claymore <claymore () ADELPHIA NET>
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2000 08:41:47 -0500
Besides the fact that it is probably against Acceptable Use of just about any provider. So you may not go to jail, but you'll probably lose your service. Claymore the unprofound -----Original Message----- From: Incidents Mailing List [mailto:INCIDENTS () SECURITYFOCUS COM]On Behalf Of Dan Riley Sent: Monday, December 18, 2000 10:34 PM To: INCIDENTS () SECURITYFOCUS COM Subject: Re: Port Scans are Legal Crist Clark <crist.clark () GLOBALSTAR COM> writes:
The question come up here every few weeks, and it looks like any doubt has been erased for now. Port scanning is not illegal in the USA,
http://www.securityfocus.com/frames/?content=/templates/article.html%3Fid%3D 126 Careful with that axe, Eugene. It's just a district court decision, which means it isn't precedent in most of the US. It ruled that the cost of handling a port scan doesn't qualify as damages under one provision of federal law. That doesn't mean that port scanning can't be illegal under some other provision of federal law (but of course note "but federal law enforcement officials are generally in agreement that port scanning is not a crime" (but also note that no evidence or attribution is provided for this statement)). And it doesn't address at all the question of state law--note in particular Scott Moulton [...] is still facing criminal charges of attempted computer trespass under Georgia's computer crime laws for port scanning a system owned by a competing contractor. My doubt has not been erased. -- Dan Riley dsr () mail lns cornell edu Wilson Lab, Cornell University <URL:http://www.lns.cornell.edu/~dsr/> "History teaches us that days like this are best spent in bed"
Current thread:
- Port Scans are Legal Crist Clark (Dec 18)
- Re: Port Scans are Legal Dan Riley (Dec 18)
- Re: Port Scans are Legal claymore (Dec 19)
- Re: Port Scans are Legal Brett Glass (Dec 19)
- What is a crime, WAS RE: Port Scans are Legal Christopher Byrne (Dec 19)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- Re: Port Scans are Legal ethan preston (Dec 19)
- Re: Port Scans are Legal f4 (Dec 19)
- Re: Port Scans are Legal Dan Riley (Dec 18)