
A hacker’s marginal security helps return stolen computer - rick_2047
http://hackaday.com/2010/12/25/a-hackers-marginal-security-helps-return-stolen-computer/
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xuhu
I guess stolen laptops with OS X are a lot more likely to be recovered simply
because there are fewer (pirated) OS X install disks laying around, so the
thieves eventually cave in and just let them boot up.

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rick_2047
But there is this one thing which is bugging me and my sister. We haven't
actually used a Mac system so this may be a stupid question. The laptop was
stolen right? and everybody (excluding me) sets a password to their logins.
How did the thief get the password?

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woodall
The article in question is about a stolen desktop that booted into single user
mode.

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wwortiz
It's not actually single user mode but autologin, that is why the stolen
computer user was still using the same browser and keychain as he didn't have
access to admin rights.

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vacri
Seen this elsewhere but:

a) There is no point in the video where the guy that started using his
computer /after two years/ is confirmed as the theif, even after the police
finally got involved, and;

b) The speaker violates the concept of privacy that is supposed to be a
'hacker value' but not only posting everything he can on this unconfirmed
thief (including dick size jokes) but also by posting naked pictures of
uninvolved third parties.

This hacker is an arsehole, no two ways about it. The BOFH is funny... when
it's fiction.

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killedbydeath
Buying stolen goods is not very ethical either. And it should have been pretty
obvious that the computer was stolen. But I personally would not be able to be
that angry at someone buying my stolen computer.

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forgotusername
I'd love to hear your foolproof means for determining if some used product is
stolen, or if some reseller is not about to sell you some stolen product.

~~~
killedbydeath
The computer you bought boots into someone else's personal desktop?

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joeguilmette
Despite the ethical discussion as to how to this hacker should have treated
the guy using his stolen computer, it seems that as with anything there are
some important lessons worth paying attention to.

Interestingly and counter intuitively, the fact that it booted into single
user mode and had ssh/vnc installed were the keys to getting his computer
back.

I know I'm definitely going to go install some software with this in mind :)

