[dns-operations] Querying version.bind illegal?

[Joe Greco]

> IANAL,
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_Fraud_and_Abuse_Act
> 
> The CFAA defines a “protected computer” under 18 U.S.C. § 1030(e)(2) to mean a computer:
> 
> 	• which is used in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce or communication, including a computer located outside the United States that is used in a manner that affects interstate or foreign commerce or  communication of the United States...
> 
> (Seems a DNS server would possibly fall into this category)
> 
> Looking at a.2.C, it could apply to anything a DNS server replies with.  Then again, it's a server so meant to be a public item, so I wouldn't be concerned.

That's a geek technical argument.  Real world is different.

http://www.circleid.com/posts/811611_david_ritz_court_spam/

There was both a civil case and criminal prosecution involved in all
of this, apparently instigated by Sierra Corporate Design, the same
nice ethical people who brought us Usenet.com.

http://www.spamsuite.com/node/501

I don't recall what the exact endgame was in David's case, but it was
not good.  Basically this is the same sort of awful abuse of broad and
vague computer crime laws that we've been seeing more of lately.

... JG
-- 
Joe Greco - sol.net Network Services - Milwaukee, WI - http://www.sol.net
"We call it the 'one bite at the apple' rule. Give me one chance [and] then I
won't contact you again." - Direct Marketing Ass'n position on e-mail spam(CNN)
With 24 million small businesses in the US alone, that's way too many apples.