Domanik Green was apparently just trying to get back at a teacher when he used said teacher’s password to access the classroom computer for a prank. When police found out, they ended up charging him with a felony and labeled him a hacker.
Sheriff Chris Nocco in Pasco County, Florida commented to the Tampa Bay Times that Green was charged with “an offense against a computer system and unauthorized access” using an administrative password at the school. What did he do with that access? Changed the background screen to two men kissing. From Tampa Bay Times:
“Even though some might say this is just a teenage prank, who knows what this teenager might have done,” Nocco said.
But Green, interviewed at home, said students would often log into the administrative account to screen-share with their friends. They’d use the school computers’ cameras to see each other, he said.
Green had previously received a three-day suspension for accessing the system inappropriately. Other students also got in trouble at the time, he said. It was a well-known trick, Green said, because the password was easy to remember: a teacher’s last name. He said he discovered it by watching the teacher type it in.
Nice administrative password, Mr. Chips. I don’t know what’s worse, that password or the authorities charging a kid with hacking for using that password. Green recounted the events surrounding his prank, noting that he only accessed a computer housing encrypted 2014 FCAT questions for a few moments before moving to another that had a built-in camera:
“So I logged out of that computer and logged into a different one and I logged into a teacher’s computer who I didn’t like and tried putting inappropriate pictures onto his computer to annoy him,” Green said.
The teacher he was targeting was out that day. Instead, the substitute teacher saw the picture and reported it to the school’s administration.
Sheriff Nocco went on record to say that any other kids caught doing the same activity would face similar charges to Green’s, just as soon as he’s finished chasing down The Bandit:
Green’s mother noted that her son did break the rules, but having him arrested seemed like a bit much. This is especially true since the school should’ve had tighter security on their computers. The school district noted they are updating their administrative password, but it’s probably too late. ISIS has won and Florida has been lost.
(Via Bro Bible / Tampa Bay Times)