Governor vows criminal prosecution of reporter who found flaw in state website (missouriindependent.com)

Article summary

A reporter from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch discovered a flaw in a Missouri state website that made teacher Social Security numbers vulnerable to exposure. The reporter notified the state, which fixed the issue, but the governor is now seeking criminal prosecution, labeling the reporter a 'hacker'. The reporter had accessed the information by viewing the HTML source code of the website. The governor's actions have been met with criticism from experts and lawmakers, who argue that the reporter's actions were responsible and did not constitute hacking.

Main themes

• responsible disclosure
• computer security
• journalism and free speech
• government accountability
• technological literacy
• prosecution of journalists

What commenters say

• The governor's attempt to prosecute the reporter is misguided and demonstrates a lack of understanding of computer security and responsible disclosure.
• The reporter's actions were necessary to expose the flaw and protect the personal information of teachers.
• The governor's response is an example of a broader trend of intolerance towards knowledge and criticism of those in power.
• Prosecuting the reporter could have a chilling effect on journalism and the discovery of security vulnerabilities.
• The use of terms like 'hacker' to describe the reporter is inaccurate and misleading.
• The governor's actions may be motivated by a desire to deflect attention from the state's own failures to secure its website.
• The incident highlights the need for greater understanding and cooperation between lawmakers, journalists, and security experts.