Anyone following the Mike Parsons/ St. Louis Post Dispatch lunacy?

[GK4Herd]

In a nutshell, a reporter for the SLPD discovered that a Missouri state website, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, failed to encrypt over 100,000 teachers’ social security numbers when viewed in the html source code for the website. The paper notified the state and allowed them to fix the error before reporting on the story. Finding source code is as simple as hitting “view source” or F12 on most browsers (including Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, and Edge).

The education commissioner was prepared to thank the reporter for uncovering the vulnerability and sent an email to the governor’s office with this suggested notice…

“We are grateful to the member of the media who brought this to the state’s attention,” said a proposed quote from Education Commissioner Margie Vandeven.


The quote was not used. Instead the governor’s office decided to start a criminal investigation calling the journalist a hacker in this news release…

“We will not let this crime against Missouri teachers go unpunished,” Parson said at the news conference. “And we refuse to let them be a pawn in the news outlet’s political vendetta. Not only are we going to hold this individual accountable, but we will also be holding accountable all those who aided this individual and the media corporation that employs them.”


The governor is being ridiculed on social media, but keeps doubling down. Here’s two different articles on the story…

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/10/14/newspaper-informed-missouri-about-website-flaw-governor-accused-it-hacking/

The governor of Missouri still doesn’t know how websites work

According to him looking at website source code is a crime

www.theverge.com

 

[i am herdman]

If the media really cared they would not have broke the story, instead they would have told the authorities in confidence.

 

[herdfan06]

If the media really cared they would not have broke the story, instead they would have told the authorities in confidence.

Do you mean they would have done what they did?

 

[Rock98Dog]

Sorry esteemed moderator, but they handled it perfectly. The press should point out the incompetence, but protect the teachers in the process. That’s what they did.

The governor is just mad at the incompetence being pointed out. It’s political embarrassment. He handled it wrong. His reply should have been that he was thankful for them finding it and letting them fix it and vow to get to the bottom of this breach of trust.

 

[i am herdman]

Do you mean they would have done what they did?

GK wrote:

"The paper notified the state and allowed them to fix the error before reporting on the story."

I stated if they really cared they would have never wrote the story. They wanted to write a story for a gotcha moment. If they cared they would have been a good neighbor and told them off the problem and not wrote the story.

 

[herdfan06]

@GK4Herd I agree, it is completely nuts. It makes me wonder if he has completely inept legal advisers, too many "yes men," or he is saying F-it, I am not backing down and admitting fault.

 

[i am herdman]

Sorry esteemed moderator, but they handled it perfectly. The press should point out the incompetence, but protect the teachers in the process. That’s what they did.

The governor is just mad at the incompetence being pointed out. It’s political embarrassment. He handled it wrong. His reply should have been that he was thankful for them finding it and letting them fix it and vow to get to the bottom of this breach of trust.

So let's say I discover a data breech in the state or fed or military system somewhere. I say he you go this problem. I will go blabber about it to the press but I will give you a head start to fix it before it gets out. Or should I just be a good person and tell them and keep my mouth shut? It borders on unethical if not illegal.

 

[herdfan06]

GK wrote:

"The paper notified the state and allowed them to fix the error before reporting on the story."

I stated if they really cared they would have never wrote the story. They wanted to write a story for a gotcha moment. If they cared they would have been a good neighbor and told them off the problem and not wrote the story.

You now want the media to provide cover for our government?

 

[herdfan06]

So let's say I discover a data breech in the state or fed or military system somewhere. I say he you go this problem. I will go blabber about it to the press but I will give you a head start to fix it before it gets out. Or should I just be a good person and tell them and keep my mouth shut?

Are you or are you not a member of the press in this scenario?

 

[Rock98Dog]

We get mad at the press for running cover for Biden, so you have to be consistent. Do you believe the guy who found Hunter’s laptop should have kept it quiet and the press should have suppressed it?

 

[i am herdman]

You now want the media to provide cover for our government?

No, if they were doing a good deed then why do they feel compelled to write a story?

 

[ARandomHerdFan]

So let's say I discover a data breech in the state or fed or military system somewhere. I say he you go this problem. I will go blabber about it to the press but I will give you a head start to fix it before it gets out. Or should I just be a good person and tell them and keep my mouth shut? It borders on unethical if not illegal.

You’re being ridiculous.

Articles like this can be advantageous to other entities, as it can prompt reviews of existing systems to make sure that the same vulnerability or issue isn’t present.

It would be journalistic malpractice to not report on it.

 

[i am herdman]

We get mad at the press for running cover for Biden, so you have to be consistent. Do you believe the guy who found Hunter’s laptop should have kept it quiet and the press should have suppressed it?

Difference is Hunter Biden's laptop contained illegal activities and which show the corruption of the Biden family and them be compromised by foreign entities.

This deal in MO could have been a mistake that involved private data of employees and citizens. It needed to be corrected. It would be like me saying hey dog, you water line is leaking under your house. So before I go to the town and tell them your plumber didn't get the right permit, I will let you fix it first and oh then I am going to tell all the neighbors as well.

 

[i am herdman]

You’re being ridiculous.

Articles like this can be advantageous to other entities, as it can prompt reviews of existing systems to make sure that the same vulnerability or issue isn’t present.

It would be journalistic malpractice to not report on it.

So was the guy trying to help them by telling them they had a problem or was he after a story?

 

[ARandomHerdFan]

So was the guy trying to help them by telling them they had a problem or was he after a story?

It can be both in this situation.

With your response to the Hunter Biden comment, I can see that this is strictly partisan for you.

 

[i am herdman]

It can be both in this situation.

With your response to the Hunter Biden comment, I can see that this is strictly partisan for you.

Not really as they are two different situations. Plus, the MO government believes the journalist may have committed unlawful acts as their statement says.

Hey FBI or DOD I hacked your website and hey you have a problem. So before I report it you might want to know.

 

[ARandomHerdFan]

Not really as they are two different situations. Plus, the MO government believes the journalist may have committed unlawful acts as their statement says.

Hey FBI or DOD I hacked your website and hey you have a problem. So before I report it you might want to know.

It’s not hacking the website, dumbass.

It’s right-clicking and choosing “View Source”.

 

[GK4Herd]

GK wrote:

"The paper notified the state and allowed them to fix the error before reporting on the story."

I stated if they really cared they would have never wrote the story. They wanted to write a story for a gotcha moment. If they cared they would have been a good neighbor and told them off the problem and not wrote the story.

Who cares if they were writing it for a gotcha moment. That’s kind of the job of a journalist. The question is…should a journalist be prosecuted for hacking a government site for hitting F12 or “show source” on a publicly available state website? The level of ridiculous here is indefensible.

 

[herdfan06]

It’s not hacking the website, dumbass.

It’s right-clicking and choosing “View Source”.

Even my father who would not know HTML if it splurged in his face thinks this whole thing is ridiculous because anyone can inadvertently hit F12 and suddenly they are a hacker.

 

[i am herdman]

It’s not hacking the website, dumbass.

It’s right-clicking and choosing “View Source”.

So why didn't he just tell them hey guys this happens when you do this? If I go to the bank websit and it show my someone personal info do I go tell the bank or say hey I am going to NBC news with this?

Plus, the MO government also feels there may be more to the story.

 

[i am herdman]

Who cares if they were writing it for a gotcha moment. That’s kind of the job of a journalist. The question is…should a journalist be prosecuted for hacking a government site for hitting F12 or “show source” on a publicly available state website? The level of ridiculous here is indefensible.

Let's see if there is more to the story.

 

[herdfan06]

So why didn't he just tell them hey guys this happens when you do this? If I go to the bank websit and it show my someone personal info do I go tell the bank or say hey I am going to NBC news with this?

Plus, the MO government also feels there may be more to the story.

Again, you are making weird analogies and throwing in additional scenarios into the mix in an attempt to somehow conform to your ideology. After your attempt to twist it, you throw in yet an additional scenario that the government feels there is more to the story.

To break this down
You feel the news paper is in the wrong because they did not just inform the government. They should know what is good for them and keep their mouths shut.

In addition to them just keeping their mouths shut, they probably did something wrong because the government said they did something wrong. Always trust the government, the government knows best and never makes mistakes.

 

[i am herdman]

Again, you are making weird analogies and throwing in additional scenarios into the mix in an attempt to somehow conform to your ideology. After your attempt to twist it, you throw in yet an additional scenario that the government feels there is more to the story.

To break this down
You feel the news paper is in the wrong because they did not just inform the government. They should know what is good for them and keep their mouths shut.

In addition to them just keeping their mouths shut, they probably did something wrong because the government said they did something wrong. Always trust the government, the government knows best and never makes mistakes.

Look, what I am saying is this:

1)The reporter just didn't want to do a good thing. He wanted his story also

2)As I told GK, Let's see if there is more to the story.

 

[herdfan06]

Look, what I am saying is this:

1)The reporter just didn't want to do a good thing. He wanted his story also

2)As I told GK, Let's see if there is more to the story.

1. A reporter wants a story about something he uncovered? He should be immediately terminated and prosecuted to the fullest (heck, further than the fullest because he did not commit a crime) extent of the law.
2. This has been going on for months and the governor has yet to mention anything that would indicate the reporter did more than view publicly facing source code to obtain the sensitive information, nor has he indicated they have or believe they have information that suggests anything unlawful took place.

 

[herdfan06]

 

[HerdFan73]

Look, what I am saying is this:

1)The reporter just didn't want to do a good thing. He wanted his story also

2)As I told GK, Let's see if there is more to the story.

If government is so incompetent as to essentially plaster public employees’ SSNs on a billboard, the public needs to know.

 

[Rock98Dog]

Difference is Hunter Biden's laptop contained illegal activities and which show the corruption of the Biden family and them be compromised by foreign entities.

This deal in MO could have been a mistake that involved private data of employees and citizens. It needed to be corrected. It would be like me saying hey dog, you water line is leaking under your house. So before I go to the town and tell them your plumber didn't get the right permit, I will let you fix it first and oh then I am going to tell all the neighbors as well.

You wouldn’t want to let the other neighbors who used the same plumber aware of potential problems with his work?

 

[HerdandHokies]

So was the guy trying to help them by telling them they had a problem or was he after a story?

The guy was doing his job as a journalist.

 

[ohio herd]

This gives me hope that the newspapers reporters might actually cover some other stories in the future that need to be exposed....good for them

 

[i am herdman]

I am letting this one play out

 

[extragreen]

I am letting this one play out

Best decision you've made in a decade, you stupid oath breaker.

 

[herdfan06]

 

[GK4Herd]

Everyone is making the assumption that this is just the case of an old guy politician that’s simply out of touch with a technological age that passed him by. That’s an oversimplification and doesn’t hint at the likely reason for the governor doubling down on absurdity. It’s very likely the governor is clueless on html and source code, but anyone with reasonable intelligence can have it explained in a way that’s easily understood. This governor understands that his position that this is an offense worthy of prosecution has no merit.

This is purely a political move whose end goal is to energize his base and not the actual prosecution of an unwinnable case. This holding onto and prosecuting an absurdity is a siren call to all of those people who refuse to differentiate between what is logical and reasonable with that which promotes their worldview. Journalist and the media are viewed as liberals who are in direct opposition to their ideological view of the world. This isn’t right vs wrong, it’s my side against theirs. This is pure politics being viewed as a way to elevate his status among his base…both in Missouri and nationally.

This governor could be just out of touch and stupid I guess, but I doubt it. This is a strategy that we’re seeing with all kinds of politicians today…saying and holding on to ridiculous things, because they know it will garner the collective amens from a group that doesn’t care about what is common sense as long as it hurts their political adversaries.

 

[ThunderCat98]

Everyone is making the assumption that this is just the case of an old guy politician that’s simply out of touch with a technological age that passed him by. That’s an oversimplification and doesn’t hint at the likely reason for the governor doubling down on absurdity. It’s very likely the governor is clueless on html and source code, but anyone with reasonable intelligence can have it explained in a way that’s easily understood. This governor understands that his position that this is an offense worthy of prosecution has no merit.

This is purely a political move whose end goal is to energize his base and not the actual prosecution of an unwinnable case. This holding onto and prosecuting an absurdity is a siren call to all of those people who refuse to differentiate between what is logical and reasonable with that which promotes their worldview. Journalist and the media are viewed as liberals who are in direct opposition to their ideological view of the world. This isn’t right vs wrong, it’s my side against theirs. This is pure politics being viewed as a way to elevate his status among his base…both in Missouri and nationally.

This governor could be just out of touch and stupid I guess, but I doubt it. This is a strategy that we’re seeing with all kinds of politicians today…saying and holding on to ridiculous things, because they know it will garner the collective amens from a group that doesn’t care about what is common sense as long as it hurts their political adversaries.

What "base" is he pandering to, though? Herdman excluded, both sides seem pretty adamant that this is bullsh*t.

 

[i am herdman]

What "base" is he pandering to, though? Herdman excluded, both sides seem pretty adamant that this is bullsh*t.

I said I was waiting to see what happened. I don't trust the press. So, I am waiting it out.

 

[GK4Herd]

What "base" is he pandering to, though? Herdman excluded, both sides seem pretty adamant that this is bullsh*t.

There are a lot of herdman’s out there. Remember this is a country that elected MTG and Lauren Boebert.

 

[herdfan06]

Terrible news for @i am herdman

 

[mlblack16.]

There are a lot of herdman’s out there. Remember this is a country that elected AOC and the rest of the squad, as well as a geriatric washed up politician who keeps calling his VP the President.

FIFY lib.

 

[herdfan06]

Great news for @i am herdman, this security hole began under a Democrat governor.