IP: what happens when the legislators dont understands the technology

[Dave Farber <farber@cis.upenn.edu>]

>Date: Fri, 2 Jun 2000 16:20:35 -0400 (EDT)
>From: Ron Rivest <rivest@theory.lcs.mit.edu>
>To: farber@cis.upenn.edu
>Subject: Spreading viruses in Pennsylvania is illegal??
>
>
> > (IDG) -- People who intentionally spread a computer virus face a seven-year
> > prison sentence and a $15,000 fine in Pennsylvania after Governor Tom Ridge
> > signed a new bill into law May 26. The bill also requires that restitution
> > be paid for any damages caused.
>
>What does "spreading a computer virus" mean?
>
>Last month I sent out the "I Love You" virus to my cryptography/security
>reading group, as we were going to study it at our next meeting.  The virus
>was sent out in source code (vbs) format as part of a text file, not as a
>.vbs attachment that might be unwittingly executed.  Of course, the 
>introductory
>text described the virus being forwarded, and warned the recipients not to
>execute it.  The purpose of the dissemination, as I said, was for study 
>purposes
>and to help educate those who will be at the forefront of the infowars of the
>future.
>
>Is this now illegal (assuming that there might have been a recipient in 
>Pennsylvania)?
>
>         Cheers,
>         Ron Rivest