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Date: Sat, 26 Feb 1994 15:54:54 CST
From: CuD Moderators <cudigest@mindvox.phantom.com>
Subject: File 6--Media "Hackers" Whack Harding's E-mail

((MODERATORS' COMMENT: CuD has periodically reported on the manner in
which the media cover hackers. Perhaps we should have been paying more
attention to the manner in which the media covers by hacking.  Perhaps
the lesson of the following story is that "hacking" should be
reclassified as a sport?))

                     NOT EVEN HARDING'S MAIL SAFE
           REPORTERS BREAK INTO HER ELECTRONIC MAIL SYSTEM
              Reporter: John Husar, Tribune Staff Writer
         (From: Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb, 1994 (Sect 3, p. 7))

     LILLEHAMMER, Norway--In what was described as a "stupid,
     foolish mistake," perhaps as many as 100 American
     journalists peeked into figure skater Tonya Harding's
     private electronic mailbox at the Olympics.

According to the story, no one claimed to have read the story or used
the information. One reporter, Michelle Kaufman of the Detroit Free
Press, explained that the offense was a "spur-of-the moment" incident
that occurred after pizza at 2 a.m. According to Kaufman, the reporters
merely attempted to see if a code, reputed to be Tonya's, would work.

The story explains that an electronic information system is available
to all members of the "Olympic family" of coaches, athletes,
journalists, and others. The electronic system provides information
(weather, sports, news) and allows for sending or receiving messages.

The story explains that a double code is required to access messages:
One is the user's Olympic accreditation number, and the other the
secret password. The initial password is the user's birthdate.
Harding's accreditation number was retrieved from an enlarged photo of
her wearing an official Olympic ID tag.  Her birthdate is readily
available from publicity and other sources.

     Kaufman said she and a few others found that the code did
     gain access to Harding's mailbox. A sign reported 68 unread
     messages for Harding.

     "But we never opened any messages," Kaufman said. "There were
     none sent under her name. We made a joke--something about
     her not being smart enough to figure out how to get her
     mail--and closed the file and walked away. It couldn't have
     lasted for more than a minute."

The story identifies Ann Killion of the San Jose Mercury News and
Jerry Longman of the New York Times as being among the group. Both
denied reading Harding's messages.

     Mike Moran, head of the U.S. Olympic Committee's
     information section, said he considered the situation an
     ethical matter for journalists to settle rather than
     anything that would require any kind of official reaction.


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