eh lawyers, don't give them any chance to let bad people off the hook,
weclome messages must go! =P
On Tuesday 19 March 2002 01:16 pm, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> It's a good practice to notify any potential user that the use of the
> system is limited to authorized users, that the owner of the system can
> monitor everything, etc. In the case of government-owned systems, in
> particular, that kind of warning creates a clear expectation on the part of
> the user that there is no right to privacy in the information that he/she
> passes over the system.
>
> However, in no case that I have seen was the use of the word "Welcome" even
> discussed as being relevant.
>
> If anyone can point me to a law or a case that said that the use of the
> word "Welcome" in a logon banner means that anyone is automatically an
> authorized user, I'd be grateful (not to mention stunned, but courts have
> decided weirder things).
>
> To say that using "Welcome" in your logon banner turns everyone into an
> authorized user is absurd. The equivalent is saying that a theif who uses a
> skeleton key (or even a copied or stolen key) to get into your house is not
> trespassing (or even breaking and entering) just because you put down a
> "Welcome" mat.
>
> The key question in every case that I've seen has been whether the person
> was an authorized user. The owner of the system gets to decide who is
> authorized. Period. Saying "Welcome" doesn't cut it, it's just being
> polite.
>
> Odds are that the policies you mention, Robert, were developed as a result
> of someone citing this urban myth about the use of "Welcome", and so the
> fiction became policy.
>
> John
>
> In a message dated Tue, 19 Mar 2002 1:51:54 PM Eastern Standard Time,
"Kinsey, Robert" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
> > John,
> >
> > I have also seen other systems/networks that were required (by law???) to
> > meet certain criteria with their login banners.
> >
> > They could not use the word "Welcome..." under any circumstance.
> >
> > The logon banner had to appear on every allowed telnet or ftp session
> > __before__ the actual logon. The user HAD to press [return] before the
> > username prompt would appear.
> >
> > The banner had to include that any and all activity could be monitored
> > and used in evidence by law enforcement officials.
> >
> > What I don't know is whether the banners were in place to satisy some
> > internal requirement (self-imposed) or if it were for legal reasons.
> >
> > Regards,
> > Robert
