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Use A Command Line At Boston College... Have Your Computer Equipment Confiscated
from the that-doesn't-seem-right dept
A bunch of folks have submitted various versions of a story in Boston, involving Boston College police being granted a warrant which they used to confiscate the computers of a student as part of an investigation over an email sent to a mailing list. The troubling part is that the warrant was given without any real reason. In fact, part of the warrant application focused on the scary fact that the student in question used a command line on his computer:
Mr. Calixte uses two different operating systems to hide his illegal activities. One is the regular B.C. operating system and the other is a black screen with white font which he uses prompt commands on.There are other accusations in the filing, but reading through it, it seems clear that this is a pure fishing expedition by the police, rather than any real probable cause. Luckily, the EFF is now representing the student, pointing out how this appears to be a pretty significant violation of the student's rights.
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My god...
!!!
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Huh?
Or maybe the student really boots into MSDOS!
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Re: Huh?
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Re: Huh?
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Apparently the police have confused B.C. with Berkeley or MIT.
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Are you retarded?
The grounds for the search warrant were based upon the culprit used the operating system called Ubuntu. In fact only two residents of the building where the e-mails were sent even use the operating system. One of those people is Riccardo F. Calixte, the victim’s roommate.
The director of Security for I.T., David Escalante, handed over the network logs to Police Detective Kevin M. Christopher, which clearly state Calixte by name as a registered user of the sole computer which visited the website that was enclosed in the e-mail, prior to the e-mail being sent. Before the e-mail Calixte was the only person to ever visit the site on the college network. The computer which sent the e-mails had completely different information, except the computer name was a name Calixte has been reported to use. That computer was also running Ubuntu.
The roommate is also a witness in another ongoing investigation which was not mentioned in the warrant. The roommate did list a barrage of suspicious behavior which he had witnessed Calixte participate in. He states that Calixte, has “Jailbroken” possibly stolen phones, has 200+ illegally downloaded movies, and has seen Calixte hack the college computer network to change grades.
With that statement combined with the evidence handed over by Escalante, I see no grounds that an illegal search has been conducted. How about you start doing research for your articles?
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Re: Are you retarded?
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Re: Re: Are you retarded?
Sure, it's a funny prank, but so is pulling out the chair from underneath somebody as they are sitting down, causing them to fall and break their tailbone and damage serveral vertebra, resulting in crippling back pain for the rest of their life.
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Re: Re: Re: Are you retarded?
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Re: Re: Re: Are you retarded?
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Are you retarded?
In any event, I live in the Boston area and use Ubuntu-- so I'm clearly going to have to watch my back. Sheesh.
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Re: Are you retarded?
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On the plus side
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HSO maybe right & Aym Crysler sounds bias
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Re: HSO maybe right & Aym Crysler sounds bias
Sending a false e-mail like he did is harassment and libelous defamation. Which is a crime.
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Re: Re: HSO maybe right & Aym Crysler sounds bias
This was not cited in the search warrant, also these are generally civil issues unless they cause physical or monetary harm in some way.
Not pertinent to this case at all.
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Allegedly
His computer was allegedly logged into the website.
"Sending a false e-mail like he did is harassment and libelous defamation. Which is a crime."
Again allegedly.
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Re: Allegedly
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Re: Re: Allegedly
The warrant never says when or where or how any of the alleged crimes were to have been committed. There is nothing linking any two pieces of evidence together to corroborate. There's only one implicatory statement from one witness that actually applies to a crime alleged in the warrant, and that also is completely without corroboration, and the rest is all smoke and mirrors.
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Re: Re: Re: Allegedly
Bwaaaaahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Allegedly
Get on topic and stop attacking people ad-hominem.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Allegedly
I'm not scared. I also don't think it's "baseless crap" when accusations are leveled about cracking a school computer and changing grades and using school systems for piracy. Maybe you should learn to get the full story -- both sides of it -- before ignorantly spouting off like the person who posted this entry with the headline that the guy's in trouble for using a command line and not even getting the points about changing grades and piracy into what he wrote.
BTW, if *you* want to stay on topic (I know it must be difficult for you) reconsider your choice of words: the person is only accused at this point, *not* (as you put it) "the defendant." The motion filed on his behalf by EFF isn't an attempt to "block proceedings" but rather a feeble attempt to impede the investigation.
Maybe you should take up another hobby. This one is obviously above your comprehension.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Allegedly
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Allegedly
While certainly suspect, this evidence is, at BEST, circumstantial. Most of the evidence/basis of probable cause is completely irrelevant to the case at hand.
This IS SCARY. I for one have spent plenty of time goofing around with my various systems, playing with settings, trying to break stuff. My roommates are clueless about what is going on. I do my best to at least explain to them what is happening so that I can maintain their trust, but what's to say that they won't become scared of something that they don't understand and start thinking that everything that I am doing is hacking? Pretty soon I could end up on the bad side of an investigation myself...I don't really do anything illegal that I'm aware of, but I could potentially be the victim of some targeted attack. That could be everything needed to set a whole bunch of events into play, just like this situation, with me at the center.
This isn't emotional for me. It's just plain thinking about the consequences of actions and precedents. While I certainly wish some days that our government had more ability to prosecute and investigate, I realize at the same time that the powers that are given to them are liable to be abused...there MUST be careful balance...in this case, I think that the judge made a grave mistake and the EFF is very correct in defending this guy, whether or not he is guilty when all is said and done.
Maybe you should think before you post. Instead of filling your posts with diatribes against the rest of us, try putting some references and facts in. Oh, and toning down your tone to a conversational one would help in convincing the rest of us that you aren't emotional.
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Re: Re: Allegedly
But Adm Chrysler seems to have him already tried and convicted.
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Re: Allegedly
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Re: Re: HSO maybe right & Aym Crysler sounds bias
So you're saying homosexuality is a crime so grievous it defames a persons character?
a) you cant prove who was using a computer, even if you could prove what computer was being used (which you cant)
b) the burden of proof is nowhere near met for search & seizure. the EFF will totally destroy whatever case they have and make every1 involved look like Luddites.
c) troll more why don't you.
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Re: Re: Re: HSO maybe right & Aym Crysler sounds bias
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Re: Re: HSO maybe right & Aym Crysler sounds bias
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Re: Re: HSO maybe right & Aym Crysler sounds bias
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Re: HSO maybe right & Aym Crysler sounds bias
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It's all Gay
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Re: It's all Gay
The warrant did not meet the requirement for the crimes claimed.
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Re: Re: It's all Gay
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I smell a rat ..
As for using DOS .. sometimes it's just faster than Windows .. eg copying a bunch of similarly named files from a network drive is a hell of a lot faster without waiting for Windows.
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Re: I smell a rat ..
Adm - your going down my friend, down to china town
Only in Boston.....
Student: "please sir he said nasty things about me"
Voice off screen: "Oh Nowz - send in the super police!!"
Later
Police: "Whats this? wires and shit? DOS? stuff we don't understand? Terrorist!! (or Witch) - you're under arrest"
Perp: "Dammit foiled again - I would have got away with it if it wasn't for those whingy bitches"
The end - roll ad for cool-aid
*Depending on circumstances, state and country. Commenter is not a laywer so legal opinion should not be relied on. terms and conditions may vary. always read the label.
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Re: Re: I smell a rat ..
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I know what the BC operating system is.................
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It's Boston, godammit.
Maybe they'll extradite him to Salem, where they know how to deal with his kind.
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Uhuh
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Re: Uhuh
Oh hang on that probably wouldn't work...
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command line versus allegations of changing grades, defamation, and piracy
/sarcasm
Calixte's troubles will go far beyond using a command line if there's much to the allegations. Accusations include changing grades, piracy, and defamation. Not charged yet? Good, everyone deserves a fair investigation before being charged with a crime.
Ignore the facts, including Adm's post, and only follow the lead of EFF who are now on record that spreading rumors about others is acceptable -- never mind there are other allegations against their new poster boy which warrant the investigation.
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/newton/articles/2009/04/15/bc_senior_fights_seizure _of_his_computer/
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Re: command line versus allegations of changing grades, defamation, and piracy
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Re: Re: command line versus allegations of changing grades, defamation, and piracy
While you're at it, Mister End-of-the-world, who says the accused won't get the equipment back if it's as you suggest and just about two kids not getting along? In that case, the accused will certainly get his stuff back and the accuser will face charges of filing false reports. But if the accused actually did break into campus computers to change grades AND/OR intentionally commit harassment against another person AND/OR use campus resources for the purpose of piracy, then what's your complaint? That law enforcement is actually investigating the matters before rushing charges against the accused?
And just htf do you suppose they'd get the evidence without investigating, nitwit? Hmmmm?
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Re: Re: Re: command line versus allegations of changing grades, defamation, and piracy
I have no problem with the Police investigating. What I have a problem with is the lack of investigating done before seizing a citizens property.
"While you're at it, Mister End-of-the-world, who says the accused won't get the equipment back if it's as you suggest and just about two kids not getting along?"
Well, I had some property stolen from my home two and a half years ago, that I still have not gotten back, even though it was recovered the day after it was stolen. For the sake of argument, lets say the Mass. State Police are 10 times more efficient at returning property, that means the student is without his equipment for three months. Hope he did not have any papers he had not printed out, or projects he had not turned in, because his semester will likely be over before that three months is up. That would cause him hardship, and damage.
"And just htf do you suppose they'd get the evidence without investigating, nitwit? Hmmmm?"
Hmmm, let me think, how would the Police investigate if the suspect gained illegal access to college systems and changed grades? That is a tough one... How about, gee, this could be a long shot, but, how about checking the University servers? You know, the actual computers that would have to have been accessed to change grades? Might that not be the place to start? Since that is where you would find evidence, if any, that records were changed, and an indicator, if any, of what machine, and time it was done. Which could give investigators a good idea of what they should be looking for.
Seems you logic is a but "cart before the horse".
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Re: Re: Re: command line versus allegations of changing grades, defamation, and piracy
One person's say-so, plus the technical incompetence of a police officer, should not be enough for search and seizure.
Suppose a neighbor who hates you tells the police he saw you knife someone to death. You're a chef, and have a variety of "esoteric" cooking gear that the police are unfamiliar with. They should come and take everything in your kitchen? No body, no other claims of a murder, no evidence except the neighbor mouthing-off, and "strange cooking gear."
Before you even start *thinking* about investigating, you have to have a good idea that a crime was actually committed. The cops heard you bad-mouthed you neighbor in a local bar? You took out an ad that says "my neighbor is a jerk" in the local paper? Where's the crime? Maybe you took out an ad that says your neighbor's car is for sale, and gives his phone number. Now you're guilty of harassment, but where does seizing your entire kitchen come in? At the very outside, they *might* try to make a case for seizing your phone--if it was in your kitchen. A weak, easily defeated case. Should they tell the judge that someone said they saw you murder someone, so you must be a bad man? That will cut a lot of ice, I'm sure...
Illegal search and seizure is NOT investigation. It IS constitutionally forbidden. But I get the feeling that I'm reading LEA groupthink, where the only thing the Constitution does is get in the way of the "reasonable activities of law enforcement agencies."
If hearsay from an enemy is evidence, then "the Constitution is just a f'cking piece of paper."
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Re: command line versus allegations of changing grades, defamation, and piracy
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warrantless Anything
Is this true or was that just a bad dream?
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whaa?
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Re: whaa?
He's accused of a lot more than harassing his roommate, he's also accused of changing grades and piracy. Leave it to Linux-tards and conspiracy nuts (some of them in the same camp) to jump the gun and cry about it, and to only pick up on the command line part of the story (and also the details of the alleged harassment) -- as if that's what the whole case is about.
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Re: Re: whaa?
Yeah, a quick confession would just get all over, wouldn't it? Well maybe he's not a stupid as you seem to be.
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Re: whaa?
There seems to be a lot of confusion and FUD surrounding this story.
Bottom line for me, if the kid did it (hacking to change grades) expel and prosecute him. If he did not, "Free Ricky!" and give him his stuff back!
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Re: whaa?
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Oh My F!@#ing God...
How silly,
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Deja vu anyone?
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Ketstone cops
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the one clear thing I get from all this is, the roommate really is a fag...snitched dude out on some personal ish. I am 100% sure that the roommate made heavy use of Calixte's skills when they suited him. ( he setup his computer, etc.) so what ever soured their relationship, he shouldn't of used his personal knowlegde against him.
That's why I stopped giving computer advice. I once made a mistake when setting up a softhack on a friends XBOX, and bricked it. He actually expected a brand new one...let it be known we are no longer friends.
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this is so 80's
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Adm Chrysler, Apr 14th, 2009 @ 9:33pm
The basis for the search was upon the grounds that someone had sent a harassing e-mail to members of the Boston University community, stating that another student was gay. The e-mail contained a link to a fake profile of the victim on www.adam4adam.com.
The grounds for the search warrant were based upon the culprit used the operating system called Ubuntu. In fact only two residents of the building where the e-mails were sent even use the operating system. One of those people is Riccardo F. Calixte, the victim’s roommate.
The director of Security for I.T., David Escalante, handed over the network logs to Police Detective Kevin M. Christopher, which clearly state Calixte by name as a registered user of the sole computer which visited the website that was enclosed in the e-mail, prior to the e-mail being sent. Before the e-mail Calixte was the only person to ever visit the site on the college network. The computer which sent the e-mails had completely different information, except the computer name was a name Calixte has been reported to use. That computer was also running Ubuntu.
The roommate is also a witness in another ongoing investigation which was not mentioned in the warrant. The roommate did list a barrage of suspicious behavior which he had witnessed Calixte participate in. He states that Calixte, has “Jailbroken” possibly stolen phones, has 200+ illegally downloaded movies, and has seen Calixte hack the college computer network to change grades.
With that statement combined with the evidence handed over by Escalante, I see no grounds that an illegal search has been conducted. How about you start doing research for your articles?
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