My love of computers began when I purchased my first computer, a Timex Sinclair 1000. I was hooked and there has never been a day where I have not owned at least one computer. From there I upgraded to a TI-99 from Texas Instruments and then to the Tandy 256 Color computer. My first "real" computer was an IBM XT which I still own for nostalgic reasons.
Eventually, my hobby became a livelihood. I graduated with a degree in digital electronics and supervised service operations for a computer firm headquartered in Tempe, AZ.
Eventually, I found my way to law enforcement, where my computer experience got me scooped up by the Computer Crimes Squad in the Special Investigations unit of the Detective Bureau and is from where I retired.
My responsibilities included forensic examinations, data recovery, data interception and bank & wire fraud.
Computer security and vulnerability are real world problems. They should be taken seriously when we think about how interconnected we are as a global community.
After so many years in the industry, what was once an enjoyable hobby became work. And upon retirement, I turned my attention to other, more relaxing endeavors.
After being away for such a long time, I came to rediscover my passion for computers and began tinkering again. But there is much at which I am very far behind, and on the recommendation of many associates, Tom's Hardware was one of the places to go if I wanted to get up to speed.
I recently posted a hardware inquiry as I felt a strong desire to roll up my sleeves and build a new computer for myself, something I have not done in about 30 years.
But my post was met with judgement, prosecution and conviction because I correctly stated the use for this machine in order to get correct guidance on the hardware required for my project.
For those of you who go back in the computer industry as far as I, and are security minded, I am certain that old discarded computers which you put to the curb did not include the hard drive. And if it did, I am certain you wiped the drive first.
I've always pulled my drives, placed them in a box and said: "I'll get to it later". Decades later, I have about 70 drives that include MFM, IDE, SCSI and SATA.
I have posted twice with the completely honorable and legitimate question of bypassing passwords on spreadsheets and word documents of which I authored twenty years ago. Is it so inconceivable that I've forgotten the passwords of documents I authored twenty or more years ago?
And as I read the responses, I couldn't help but feel, judged and falsely accused of unethical behavior by people who don't know me. To accuse me of nefarious activity because I mentioned that the system I was building would be used to recover the passwords of these documents.
One user responded: "spending thousands to build a system that would operate 24/7 to brute force passwords is suspicious and I would close the thread".
You don't have the luxury to spend thousands on a new computer, but because I do, I'm Dr. Evil?
I've tried to discuss this with the moderator via PM, but they didn't even due me the courtesy of a reply.
I certainly hope the Lord doesn't judge you as harshly as all of you have judge me here today.
Eventually, my hobby became a livelihood. I graduated with a degree in digital electronics and supervised service operations for a computer firm headquartered in Tempe, AZ.
Eventually, I found my way to law enforcement, where my computer experience got me scooped up by the Computer Crimes Squad in the Special Investigations unit of the Detective Bureau and is from where I retired.
My responsibilities included forensic examinations, data recovery, data interception and bank & wire fraud.
Computer security and vulnerability are real world problems. They should be taken seriously when we think about how interconnected we are as a global community.
After so many years in the industry, what was once an enjoyable hobby became work. And upon retirement, I turned my attention to other, more relaxing endeavors.
After being away for such a long time, I came to rediscover my passion for computers and began tinkering again. But there is much at which I am very far behind, and on the recommendation of many associates, Tom's Hardware was one of the places to go if I wanted to get up to speed.
I recently posted a hardware inquiry as I felt a strong desire to roll up my sleeves and build a new computer for myself, something I have not done in about 30 years.
But my post was met with judgement, prosecution and conviction because I correctly stated the use for this machine in order to get correct guidance on the hardware required for my project.
For those of you who go back in the computer industry as far as I, and are security minded, I am certain that old discarded computers which you put to the curb did not include the hard drive. And if it did, I am certain you wiped the drive first.
I've always pulled my drives, placed them in a box and said: "I'll get to it later". Decades later, I have about 70 drives that include MFM, IDE, SCSI and SATA.
I have posted twice with the completely honorable and legitimate question of bypassing passwords on spreadsheets and word documents of which I authored twenty years ago. Is it so inconceivable that I've forgotten the passwords of documents I authored twenty or more years ago?
And as I read the responses, I couldn't help but feel, judged and falsely accused of unethical behavior by people who don't know me. To accuse me of nefarious activity because I mentioned that the system I was building would be used to recover the passwords of these documents.
One user responded: "spending thousands to build a system that would operate 24/7 to brute force passwords is suspicious and I would close the thread".
You don't have the luxury to spend thousands on a new computer, but because I do, I'm Dr. Evil?
I've tried to discuss this with the moderator via PM, but they didn't even due me the courtesy of a reply.
I certainly hope the Lord doesn't judge you as harshly as all of you have judge me here today.
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