Jailed for using a nonstandard browser

[Aloone_Jonez]

Jailed for using a nonstandard browser
A Londonder made a tsnuami-relief donation using lynx -- a text-based browser used by the blind, Unix-users and others -- on Sun's Solaris operating system. The site-operator decided that this "unusual" event in the system log indicated a hack-attempt, and the police broke down the donor's door and arrested him. From a mailing list:

    For donating to a Tsunami appeal using Lynx on Solaris 10. BT [British Telecom] who run the donation management system misread an access log and saw hmm thats a non standard browser not identifying it's type and it's doing strange things. Trace that IP. Arrest that hacker.

    Armed police, a van, a police cell and national news later the police have gone in SWAT styley and arrested someone having their lunch.

    Out on bail till next week and preparing to make a lot of very bad PR for BT and the Police....

    So just goes to show if you use anything other than Firefox or IE and you rely on someone else to interogate access logs or IDS logs you too could be sitting in a paper suit in a cell

http://www.boingboing.net/2005/01/27/jailed_for_using_a_n.html

Wow the shear ignorance of some supposidly knowlagable people baffles me. :confused:  :nothappy:  :rolleyes:

[Duo Maxwell]

Oh yeah, I remember this, what became of this incident?

[Aloone_Jonez]

I haevn't heard anything since, I've just found it to day while researching text-only browsers.

[H_TeXMeX_H]

Holy shit man ... that's fucking retarded ... I mean is it safe to use text-based browsers considering this nonsense. I use Lynx once in a while ... it's really neat I think ... but the thought of police busting down my door and arresting me doesn't sound too pleasing ... especially considering the fact that I'm very paranoid and am likely to try to run for it ... to Mexico ... they'll probably shoot me

[Orethrius]

Holy shit man ... that's fucking retarded ... I mean is it safe to use text-based browsers considering this nonsense. I use Lynx once in a while ... it's really neat I think ... but the thought of police busting down my door and arresting me doesn't sound too pleasing ... especially considering the fact that I'm very paranoid and am likely to try to run for it ... to Mexico ... they'll probably shoot me

 Yeah, nobody would ever think to sue for false arrest.  Nobody.  EVER.  

[Aloone_Jonez]

But I thought text only browsers were the safest option - no chance of any spyware or malware infection.

[H_TeXMeX_H]

They are ... aren't they ... no images = no webbugs, cookies are easily controlled, and many other good things.


In order to sue anyone you need a good lawyer and lawyers cost money ... good lawyers cost lots of money ... and if you want to win you need a good lawyer and lots of money ... and if you don't have money ... well you take it up the ass like a good citizen

[Jack2000]

... or you can get the judge to dissmiss the case
as ... uh ... lame ... duno what was the word

[Orethrius]

By all means, his source SHOULD go public.  Otherwise, we have to rely on this:
the article in question
which only states that a hack attempt was blocked by British Telecom.