A somewhat offtopic question on legality of "hacking"

[Jack]

I don't have access to a non-Microsoft newsgroup, so apologize for this
thread... however, I suspect someone may have the answer. There is a
messagebord run by a major media corporation on which I have an account.
This board was hacked over the weekend and my profile modified. He also put
up a number of bogus posting using my ID.

What concerns me is they obviously obtained my email address, which I cannot
change for business reasons and should have been hidden by the board
operator, that was compromised when this person hacked the system.

My question is, did the hacker break the law and can he be prosocuted for
this if caught?

 

[David Candy]

Depends where the hacker is and where the server is. If either is in New South Wales then max 5 years gaol.

 

[Jack]

Servers (there are several infoar as this is a large site) are most likely
in New York... don't know about the hacker, but let's assume he is somewhere
in the States.

 

[David Candy]

A york person needs to answer rather than a south wales person. But copyright infringement (for crackers) is 10 years under US federal law. Read a newspaper article 10 minutes ago which is why I know.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/06/28/1088392605562.html

Leave us Aussies alone, septic.

 

[David Candy]

Just in case you don't get rhyming slang

Septic = Septic Tank = rhymes with Yank.

Frog & Toad is a road.

 

[Nunya]

David Candy, after spending 3 minutes figuring out which end of the pen to use,
wrote:

Just in case you don't get rhyming slang

Septic = Septic Tank = rhymes with Yank.

Shit = David Candy...no need for it to rhyme as long as it fits the
description.