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Soap on a ropeBy Anonymous on July 18, 2008, 1:37 pmWhile the drama is riveting, the fact is around here with that kind of talent anyone can get another gig and just move on. Instead of letting whatever it was go and being proactive months back, he's just solidifying his first class ticket to jail. "wait 'till Otis sees us!....he loves us!..."
Oh yeah?By msspurlock on July 18, 2008, 12:35 pmIf you live west of Denver, this guy probably has your Social Security number through the city's FEMA database. If he has the data locked up, he probably has it backed up, too, and can sell it from prison. Enjoy.
I think he's holding back on the password because he doesn't wanBy Anonymous on July 18, 2008, 6:11 amI think he's holding back on the password because he doesn't want to let them erase evidence he may need for his defence and since he's been reading their emails he knows who not to trust.
If they restore to a point before it happened then they will alsBy Anonymous on July 18, 2008, 5:53 amIf they restore to a point before it happened then they will also lose the evidence they need to prosecute. What I don't get is why let someone know your going to can them and then leave them in charge of your network instead of having him escorted out of the building? Something smells with this whole story theres a disconnect somewhere even when you consider that it is SF.
mf crisisBy Anonymous on July 18, 2008, 3:44 am1. verify backup tapes are current including current audit files. 2.stop all mf 'physical' activity 3.now pull the plug, immediately! 4. reload system files, database, etc. up to just before failure point. system should come up; reason why? he has not performed lockout at this point. 5. now properly down system again. bring it up and change all necessay security settings.if system comes up again then you know you are at the edge of failure. if password change is itself locked out reload that program file from original software. bob lee
whatever sniperacBy Anonymous on July 18, 2008, 3:30 amYes, SniperAC, spoken like a true script kiddie. So basically your argument is that if the guy were in construction and he had a bad review it would be OK for him to commit arson and burn a building down? brilliant. Script kiddies annoy me. Well, in all honesty, stupid people annoy me. Script kiddies are just a subset.
Very well said....By msspurlock on July 18, 2008, 4:12 pm....and if the city wasn't busy wasting their taxpayer money naming sewage plants, and forcing their moonbat social engineering on everyone, maybe they'd have thought twice about hiring a felon and giving him access to everyone's critical information. Nah. They're the kind who think like script kiddies.
San FranBy Anonymous on July 18, 2008, 3:30 amWatch for further degredation of normalcy and quality of life in San Fran as rule by the left wing elitists with a social agenda continues to degrade our quality of life. Competence has never been their issue-social engineering at the expense of ability.
Someone/something must haveBy Anonymous on July 18, 2008, 5:19 amSomeone/something must have really pissed this guy off for him to be holding out on the password this long. I'd like to hear his side of the story. He never should've been entrusted with public security & safety, though. San Francisco is a good and wonderful municipality; too bad he didn't work for some tax-evading, employee-exploiting corporation so he could take it down instead.
Hmmm...By msspurlock on July 18, 2008, 12:29 pmI'm not any more interested in hearing this guy's story than I would be Osama's, or that of a gunman who thinks his supervisor pressured him too much. They're all unjustifiably terrorists and can die.
such haters!By Anonymous on July 18, 2008, 5:05 amSo SF deserves this? What about LA or NY or KC? This could happen anywhere...what I think is funny is that so many poorly written software packages are incompatible with anti-virus packages and force IT to decide between letting an uncecured box on the network or letting everybody use their flash drives to move their data around. Some big firm like GD isn't going to solve that because those naive, 1G software packages are the ones that generate much of your cutting-edge engineering data....
Yes to NY and LA. Not KC, though...By msspurlock on July 18, 2008, 12:27 pm"So SF deserves this? What about LA or NY or KC?" So, yeah. They have the same kind of suicidal Hippie dementia and can go down anytime. I'm fine with that. What's ironic is that the one thing network security people have demonized, "FLASH DRIVES! AHHHH! RUN FOR THE HILLS!" is the only thing saving their sorry skins right now. "Frisco" is a laughing stock. Again.
San Fran ITBy Anonymous on July 17, 2008, 9:54 pmThere's a phrase for this type of governance: BANANA REPUBLIC.
I agree, but there's an echo in here.By msspurlock on July 18, 2008, 12:32 pmI agree, but there's an echo in here. I agree, but there's an echo in here.
San Fran ITBy Anonymous on July 17, 2008, 9:54 pmThere's a phrase for this type of governance: BANANA REPUBLIC.
San Fran ITBy Anonymous on July 18, 2008, 1:54 amThere's a phrase for this type of governance: BANANA REPUBLIC.
Someone in IT is always going to have Administrative ControlBy Anonymous on July 17, 2008, 7:04 pmThe reality is that someone in IT has administrative control over part or all of a network, servers, and databases. In this case, the City of San Francisco picked the wrong person.
Typical San Francisco...By msspurlock on July 17, 2008, 9:00 pmThey deserve this. They've earned it with their ridiculous liberal policies. They knew this guy's history and figuratively speaking, they made a safecracker the bank manager. This is what happens when you allow people with the mentality of children to have a role in your government.
Arrogance and ignoranceBy Anonymous on July 18, 2008, 4:22 pmTerry is 43 and broke a law over 20 years ago when he was a kid. Is he never to hold a responsible job again? He has done NO damage. It would have been no more effort to erase all the network devices than it was to lock out his management. I've worked in conjunction with Terry and he has always been extemely professional. He holds the highest level of professional certification in the network industry. It is poosible that he suddenly became overwhelmed with either arrogance or ignorance and went rogue, but it seems unlikely. After reading the comments posted here, I'd say many of you hold the same potential to go rogue as your comments show both arrogance and ignorance along with a good dose of self righteousness. Terry did no harm when he could have erased the SF County network. there must be more to this story than what we see. Don't be surprised to see charges dropped and this story just fade away.
Employee Holding SF HostageBy ckensek on July 17, 2008, 1:53 pmThere's something to be said about not giving a sngle individual too much control control over a network. At some point in time you have to trust people's ethical compasses. If the individual was going to be put on probation, they should have started protecting themselves before putting the individual on probation.
First thing first...I haveBy Anonymous on July 17, 2008, 11:23 amFirst thing first...I have worked with city run IT department and to be honest most upper IT management [especially city] have no type of IT knowledge.. Most of them were hired because of a friend or because of a change in politics...Management should be the ones to have a $5 milliona bail set on their damn heads just for hiring a felon and giving such extensive access to the network. You never know he probably was a friend of a friend....
TrustBy Anonymous on July 17, 2008, 11:13 amLets be honest, at some point you have to trust someone to do their job. You can have neverending layers of security but somewhere you are going to be vulnerable and just have to hope the person or persons who have such access levels are not going to abuse it.
So True HoweverBy Anonymous on July 18, 2008, 2:06 pmThe hiring manager needs to have at least a lick of sense and not hire people who have proven themselves unworthy of trust.
Another questionBy Anonymous on July 17, 2008, 11:01 amWhat about the moron who hired a felon for such a trusted postion anyway?
How old was he in 1982?By Anonymous on July 23, 2008, 9:38 amHow old was he in 1982? Judging from his stupid, teenage mistakes, it sounds like he turned his life around and made a fine, upstanding citizen of himself.
Question of EthicsBy Anonymous on July 17, 2008, 1:31 pmWould an ethical person commit crimes like robbery or forgery? The ideal I.T. person should have good moral judgement and higher ethical standards than others. They have to be above reproach in order to be trusted with the kinds of information and data they have access to. I agree that people should be given a second chance in life, but are convicted felons to be trusted where confidential information is concerned? They've already proven that their ethics and morals are inadequate or substandard. I would never sabotage my employer, even if they weren't treating me properly. I might be mad and upset but I'd thank my lucky stars I wasn't their employee anymore. I'd leave with my head held high and my morals and ethics intact. The City of SF messed up when they hired this guy and bare part of the blame for the fiasco.
You are way off base!.By Anonymous on July 17, 2008, 9:23 amA bad job review is never justification for destruction or theft of property. By rendering the network unusable, they employee stole or destroyed the property. As a practical matter after the bad review the employee might have been fired. After stealing the network, the employee will be fired, will be tired and possible convicted of crimes, possibly go to jail. You may feel that it is justified but it is a really stupid thing to do and doesn't pay.
Not off base at all...a home run in fact!By Anonymous on July 18, 2008, 9:49 amIf a bad review is the result of nepotism or other office politics, then THAT is destruction and theft of property! Oftentimes the ones that SHOULD go to jail are the ones that PROVOKED someone else to the 'breaking point through oppression and injustice. What goes around, comes around. San Francisco needs to examine the root causes, and eradicate THOSE causes, instead of scapegoating this guy, if, in fact, that is the case.
SF InsiderBy Anonymous on July 17, 2008, 9:18 amThe fix is obviously to hire a manager that has no technical background or experience but is related to the mayor! There are many such precedents such as GM and IBM! You don't need no stinking geeks; they are a dime a dozen in India and China!
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Why a bad review?By Anonymous on July 17, 2008, 6:29 amSome one needs to post why his review was bad. Was it a lie or a made up review to get him fired? If so I hope he never give the password and they aren't able to root kit the servers. You will learn you can't push us around because when you do and your network isn't there any more its your own fault.
under-ratedBy Anonymous on September 11, 2008, 1:48 pmIt seems these companies aren't paying these guys enough for the responsibilities they have if they believe they have to steal to get ahead. It also seems these administrators responsibilities are a lot higher and more complex than given credit for. At least until they are charged with a crime, then it's lock'em up and throw away the key not to mention their life.
Meh!By Anonymous on September 11, 2008, 12:29 pmMeh!
Judging from personalBy Anonymous on July 23, 2008, 9:23 amJudging from personal experience, the following article is the only one that made any sense to me at all: http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/148669-1/the_story_behind_san_franciscos_rogue_network_admin.html
People who can't find the Caps Lock keyBy Anonymous on July 22, 2008, 12:14 pmAlways amuses me when loudmouths contribute to forums like this and can't even master normal capitalisation. And what, pray, is a 'looser'? or 'asteem'?
Once a Criminal....By Anonymous on July 21, 2008, 2:52 pmCome on! Once a criminal, always a criminal! Only in SFO could a convicted, violent criminal no less, be granted a carte blanche! SFO is stupid! Legalizing prostitution is the next lib feaus paux! I am laughing big time!
haven't you neocon trolls learned.By Anonymous on July 21, 2008, 9:38 amyou crawl out of the wood work to make political comments on practicaly every fourm out there. Do you really think your stupid comments make a difference. Those "moonbats" are the majority of americans who won in 2006 and will win again in 2008. Go back to your fox news forums and froth at the mouth barking political nonsense with your friends.
This article is very badly written.By Anonymous on July 21, 2008, 4:36 amim sorry but this article is atrocious. Its a mishmash of inappropriate actions by different network administrators, but ts not actually telling me anything about this story. Terry Childs has not relinquished control of the network. Why did he do this. He has a lawyer, ask him what his issue is? Has the network crashed, or is it still running? does the network run well? Are users being effected by the lack of an admin, or in the case of the city, a new admin who is to take the network over. For god sakes learn some basic journalism. I dont give a damn about other cases where admins did something wrong. im still trying to find out why this guy wont let anyone else change the network. How much is this costing the city? How many users are effected by having lost service. Christ do your job and report this story properly
One up for the little guyBy Anonymous on July 21, 2008, 3:36 amIf they had looked their IT Staff better then they would still "own their own network" LMAO............ Nice one Terry
what's wrong with you peopleBy Anonymous on July 18, 2008, 5:48 pmTHIS GUY IS SICK IN THE HEAD LOW SELF ASTEEM. NO DOUBT HAS NO GIRL FREIND IN OTHER WORDA A REAL LOOSER. HE SHOULD ROT IN JAIL. WHO THE HECK DOES HE THINK HE IS ?! IF IT WAS DONE TO ME I WOULD CUT HIS NUTZ OFF. DON'T ADMIRE HIM. WOULD YOU ADMIRE HITLER ?!