Virtual theft vs traditional theft

["Chen, Xiaotian" <chen@bumail.bradley.edu>]

It was very interesting to read OPEN PROXY HELPS LIBRARIAN TURN HACKER FOR
DAY.  I tried to copy what Melissa Belvadi of Maryville U did by looking
for open proxy lists via Google.  Instead of finding a working list of
open proxies, I found an open proxy related site warning that it is a
class II felony to list open proxies or to use an un-authorized server.

So my point is that though libraries and their institutions have the
responsibility to do whatever they can/should to secure their network, we
will probably have to live with "virtual thieves", just as stores have to
live with shoplifters and banks have to live with robbers. While banks and
stores have done whatever they can to secure and to prosecute, no bank or
store can say they are 100% secure.  In other words, to ask campus/library
network 100% secure is probably asking too much.

On the other hand, the felony awareness should be raised in the virtual
world.  It should be illegal for someone to either list open proxies or
use open proxies, just as it is for someone to teach which bank is easier
to rob or for someone to shoplift.  One best way to raise the awareness is
to have influential legal cases. If JSTOR et al could successfully
prosecute the "virtual" shoplifters, it should widely raise the awareness.

My guess is that if the felony awareness were there in the virtual world,
no librarians would even try if it is easy to hack.  Do we have
law-abiding citizens trying to shoplift just to show how easy it is?

My final point, only the increased security measure plus increased legal
awareness could reduce "virtual" theft. But, hey, database vendors, do not
expect libraries will be hacker free, since no stores expect they are
shoplifting free.

---
Xiaotian Chen
Electronic Services Librarian
Bradley University
Peoria, IL 61625
Phone: 309-677-2839
Fax: 309-677-2558
http://hilltop.bradley.edu/~chen/