Mom hacks school computers to change her kids' grades. - Polidicks

[quote] There is nothing like a mother's love. Or, perhaps, her shame. Who knows what allegedly moved Catherine Venusto, who stands accused of illegally accessing the Northwestern Lehigh School District's computers and altering history. Her children's history. Or, at least, their chemistry and math. The allegation is that she used knowledge gained as a former employee of the school district to poke her way into the computer system, using the superintendent's password and that of 9 other employees. [URL="http://articles.mcall.com/2012-07-18/news/mc-c-northwestern-lehigh-secretary-hacks-grades-20120718_1_computer-system-student-grades-password"]The Morning Call declares[/URL] that she allegedly altered her daughter's failing grade to a medical exception. However, another accusation might bring tears to an eye or two, for she is also accused of changing one of her son's grades from 98 percent to 99. Court records reportedly show that she admitted accessing the school records, motivated by a mixture of "curiosity and boredom." Perhaps the boredom led to the curiosity. Once the superintendent, Mary Ann Wright, was confronted with the potential security breach and declared that she had not altered any grades, the computer system was shut down and an investigation launched. Court orders soon revealed ISP information. In all, Venusto allegedly entered the computer system 110 times using the superintendent's password and thousands of times in all. However, only two grades were allegedly changed. The school district issued [URL="http://www.nwlehighsd.org/news.cfm?story=100693&school=0"]a press release[/URL] quoting Wright as saying: "The acts were intentional, criminal action to obtain protected information." Venusto allegedly claimed that she believed what she had done was unethical, but not illegal. Authorities, who charged her with three counts of unlawful use of a computer and computer trespassing, will attempt to prove that it was, indeed, against the law. Some might consider that, if the allegations are proven, Venusto exercised remarkable restraint in attempting to improve her children's grades. I can imagine some mothers might really have become addled by such potential power. [/quote][URL="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-57476035-71/mom-allegedly-hacks-school-computer-changes-kids-grades/"] http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-57476035-71/mom-allegedly-hacks-school-computer-changes-kids-grades/[/URL] Coolest Mom of the year

Not a very bright hacker if she didn't cover her tracks at all and wasn't aware that what she did was a crime (which just sounds like a bullshit excuse to me).

How terrible are your kids if you're the one hacking the grades?

[QUOTE=DeanWinchester;36872587]Not a very bright hacker if she didn't cover her tracks at all and wasn't aware that what she did was a crime (which just sounds like a bullshit excuse to me).[/QUOTE] She wasnt a hacker, she just used a username and password from wjen she worked at the school.

[quote]98 percent to 99.[/quote] This criminal scum deserves the firing squad

[QUOTE=Trunk Monkay;36872640]She wasnt a hacker, she just used a username and password from wjen she worked at the school.[/QUOTE] Which generally aren't that hard to guess. The admin password at my school used to literally be 'password2'.

[QUOTE=ChaosUnleash;36872652]Which generally aren't that hard to guess. The admin password at my school used to literally be 'password2'.[/QUOTE]They're usually something school/class-related anyway; there seems to be some sort of template for making school passwords so easy that a mentally challenged student can guess.

Used a username and password. SUDDENLY SUPER COVERT HACKER MOM.

Well, technically 'hacking' is accessing a private database by bypassing some sort of security. (In this case, a terrible password)

People use the word "hack" too loosely It irks me

[QUOTE=ief014;36872858]Well, technically 'hacking' is accessing a private database by bypassing some sort of security. (In this case, a terrible password)[/QUOTE] But this isn't bypassing the security, it's just going through it. Her password still worked.

reminds me of [img]http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/exploits_of_a_mom.png[/img]

A+ Job wouldn't you say?

[quote]...using the superintendent's password and that of 9 other employees.[/quote] I'm pretty sure this is due to them telling her the passwords and not changing them after she left.

BUELLER!!! [IMG]http://clatl.com/binary/14ea/1342634015-ferris_buellers_day-computer_320.jpeg[/IMG]

Was she hot?

Password policy 101: Don't tell anyone your fucking passwords, and change them often. This is not a hard concept. If you're an AD administrator, force password change every 30-60 days.

[QUOTE=Paramud;36872887]But this isn't bypassing the security, it's just going through it. Her password still worked.[/QUOTE] Social engineering is 80% of hacking

Her sons appear to be doing well without her medling, wouldn't you say, chaps?

[QUOTE=Bumbanut;36872773]They're usually something school/class-related anyway; there seems to be some sort of template for making school passwords so easy that a mentally challenged student can guess.[/QUOTE] My school has 3-4 admin passwords, simply because we have had so many "head IT" people. 2 of them are dumb as fuck, and just something about the school reversed like the name or mascot. One of them is "minda" (aka admin backwards). The 4th I don't know, but I know it's a good password as I have seen someone type it in. It uses Upper, Lower, Numbers, Letters and in a seemly random order. Guess the current "head IT" is smarter than the last three.

[QUOTE=Gnomical;36873686] "minda"[/QUOTE] "adnim". I remember one of my teachers in my early days' passwords was "water". He was also the primary IT bloke.

[QUOTE=- Livewire -;36872811]Used a username and password. SUDDENLY SUPER COVERT HACKER MOM.[/QUOTE] I bet there exists a stock photo of that

She still used someone elses account to do this...

probably should have used a proxy or someone elses computer OR change a bunch of random kids grades aswell so no blame on her

[QUOTE=DesolateGrun;36874021]probably should have used a proxy or someone elses computer OR change a bunch of random kids grades aswell so no blame on her[/QUOTE] or she could have done nothing at all

[QUOTE=Croix;36873547]Social engineering is 80% of hacking[/QUOTE] No it is not, that is phishing. The word hacking is thrown around far too much nowadays.

The password for the admin account on our school computers is åpoiu+. Rubbish password, everyone knew it after just two days.

If a kid can figure out how to change his grade, he deserves to have it kept that way. If his mom has to do it, fail him

[QUOTE=KillerTele;36874111]The password for the admin account on our school computers is åpoiu+. Rubbish password, everyone knew it after just two days.[/QUOTE] What country?

[QUOTE=Greenen72;36872643]This criminal scum deserves the firing squad[/QUOTE] Or she could pay a fine and go to jail. :v: