True enough, the article is littered with the term “hacked” but the only direct quote from a state agency I can find uses the term “unauthorized access.”
“This morning FDLE served a search warrant at a residence on Centerville Court in Tallahassee, the residence of Rebekah Jones,’’ the state statement said. “FDLE began an investigation November 10, 2020 after receiving a complaint from the Department of Health regarding unauthorized access to a Department of Health messaging system which is part of an emergency alert system, to be used for emergencies only. Agents believe someone at the residence on Centerville Court illegally accessed the system.”
That’s another thing that’s a little confusing, one might argue intentionally ambiguous. The message went to the people who staff the SERT, not the general public. I can’t find stated anywhere the number of people who actually received the message.
There’s really nothing controversial at all about saying that it should be illegal to misuse emergency messaging channels and that the illegality of this doesn’t hinge on whether you thought the message was cool. But of course I don’t think she should go to prison. I think she should be fined and/or given a good behaviour bond. (Obviously this is all under the assumption she actually did this).
Of course it’s controversial. I do not care about someone being slightly subversive and causing no measurable harm by encouraging people to do the right thing. I would care about someone using it to send out porn. Criminally prosecuting the former, especially this aggressively, is something a tyrant does, not a reasonable government.
I think its pretty common sense to say that people fired from jobs who have access to secure/private info should not try to access this after being fired.
btw, I also don’t think it’s so clear that it’s a bad idea to have a system like that only loosely secured. It’s not like a breach gives people access to private information or anything and you don’t want people having problems trying to use the system in the event of an emergency. You can mostly just rely on the illegality of misusing it.
I disagree pretty strongly with this. The way these systems (should) work is that they are activated and used in accordance with well-defined protocols, with specific chains of command, review, sign-off, etc. Typically it will be designated officials in a physical or virtual EOC (Emergency Operations Center). It’s not like a town mayor is going to be frantically trying to send an alert out as he/she is evacuating their town.
Source: have worked with governmental emergency management people on systems of this nature.
If you can’t read between the lines I’ve written tonight then I can’t help you. I might suggest the the reverse is also not necessarily true but accepted as fact by some.
Otherwise, the simple fact that they showed up with guns drawn shows the real intent of the authorities. To separate the state intimidation from the seriousness of the alleged illegal act is farcical and knee jerk authoritarian.
I don’t give a shit if she is a nut job or not. It’s not actually Germaine to the discussion. I’m just disappointed itt.
So, lawbros, is that the standard way that search warrants are supposed to be executed? Are they worried that the occupants will destroy the computer once they realize the cops are there? What is the standard procedure?
Assuming the video is real, putting aside the legitimacy of the warrant, waving guns around at children is absolutely inexcusable. And maybe it is just my inherent hatred of authority but their tone and manner of speech are mega tilting to me.