SF IT Tech Pleads Not Guilty - Keeps Password Secret
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As previously reported an IT tech for the City of San Francisco has pleaded not guilty to messing with the city’s network computer and password protecting them. The tech. password protected the administrator accounts which prohibits users from accessing certain system and data information. Thus far, the other IT tech’s have been unable to crack the password, or if they did, are not revealing the information.
Though jokes are being made as to why the password can not be cracked, what will be embarrassing is if the city really can not crack the password. Since San Francisco is located just north of the entire Silicon Valley folks, one would find it extremely hard to believe that no one could crack the secret word. Which in itself would be another story. 
Back at the ranch, the suspect Terry Childs, is willing to cooperate according to his attorney. In a SF Gate story it states:
She said Childs’ bail is ridiculously high given that the network remains intact and that he has “been willing to hand over the password since Tuesday.”
Crane said Childs is “willing to cooperate. We have negotiations ongoing.”
Officials with the city Technology Department, where Childs works, said they were unaware of any offer to give up the password.
That is true. $5 million does seem kind of high. The network also continues to function so it appears the only allegation of wrong doing is the password fiasco. Which brings up another point? I would give you odds that there is more to this story than what the media knows. This just doesn’t make sense. Like I said. Silicon Valley is just down the road and you would have a tough time convincing me that no one there could crack the system.
Comments welcome.
5 Comments
HarryH
July 18th, 2008
at 11:41pm
I can’t imagine that a root password can’t be found given the cracker will have direct access inside the system. Rather amazing. Terry Childs should immediately go to work for the government. He has built a system that can’t be cracked.
a gindin
July 19th, 2008
at 12:15pm
please don’t let him work for the government. ag
Rob
July 23rd, 2008
at 7:45am
1) I cannot believe they haven’t cracked it, given that the system owners can call in any govt resources they want.
2) If the guy’s will to reveal the password, why doesn’t he reveal it? What’s to negotiate?
I cant believe there’s any justification for holding the system hostage. The organization I administer a system for TRUSTS ME! If I have a dispute and they want it, I give it up. It’s about integrity.
GiM
July 26th, 2008
at 1:59pm
Did you hear of… passphrase? Well, if a 10 characters password will be cracked in few hours on a computer close loop software, an 11 character password will be cracked in a longer time, x60, and so on for each character added - if you do not use extended character set - which could be just more than 200 times. I do not believe will be easy to crack a 127 characters password or even longer one.
And if the interface ask to reset connections after 3 wrong trials, or better will lock the account, you need extra time to start again…
Few years ago I worked with bank software and the encryption keys were of 2k characters, in the hope that will not be craked in the next 30 days. Not even by FBI, NSA, CIA… After this interspace, the bank secret is less important.
GiM
July 26th, 2008
at 2:05pm
This page layout does not show the right edge for the comments, just cut last letters-words from some rows…
Plese revise the CSS properties… TY!
I use Win XP SP2, MSIE 6 SP2, flash 9 installed and disabled…
You can delete this comment once you rectify the layout. Tkank You again!