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Did the BBC break the law?
Surely what the BBC did was in contravention of the UK Computer Misuse Act?

They made unauthorised changes to people's computers without their permission.

Sophos has been asked many times by the media to take part in TV programmes like this, and has always made clear that we believe their legality to be questionable. Moreover, to our mind, the dubious ethics of such experiments are without question.

The BBC might argue that it was making this TV show in the public's interest, but surely there are ways of raising awareness of threats without breaking the law? Isn't there enough spam around without journalists being given free license to take over botnets to generate more unwanted email traffic?
Posted by: gcluley   Posted on: 03/12/09 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Did the BBC break the law?  gcluley | 03/12/09
With all due respect: stop already.  ejhonda | 03/12/09
Bad analogy...  techboy_z | 03/12/09
So what you are saying is that were actually using a stolen gun.  Been_Done_Before | 03/12/09
Who said that?  ejhonda | 03/12/09
Excellent point!  MGP2 | 03/12/09
Ecxactly. And after this the allready EXISTING botnet  hkommedal | 03/13/09
Doiesn't matter what anyone said  mdsock@... | 03/13/09
Nothing wrong  croberts | 03/12/09
No, it sounds like they did indeed infect the machines  GuidingLight | 03/12/09
I believe "the programme"...  MGP2 | 03/12/09
Nothing wrong?  d.s.williams | 03/13/09
Well done, BBC.  johnhaverysamuel | 03/12/09
True investigative journalism?  d.s.williams | 03/13/09
Heisenberg  reziol | 03/13/09
Quite  d.s.williams | 04/14/09
Rule one...  amunar@... | 03/13/09
RE: BBC team buys a botnet, DDoSes security company Prevx  jtwaldo | 03/12/09
Good stuff... ethical or not, botnets exist and are trouble.. but...  Been_Done_Before | 03/12/09
By buying a botnet they have helped hackers make money  malcarada | 03/12/09
The authorities do it all the time...  MGP2 | 03/12/09
The authorities do it all the time...  gazzerjay@... | 03/13/09
Except  mdsock@... | 03/13/09
It's not unusual  d.s.williams | 03/13/09
On a side note, ISPs could shut them all down.  TripleII | 03/12/09
Some have the will......  middle of nowhere | 03/12/09
Awesome!  TripleII | 03/12/09
I agree with TripleII  davagain | 03/18/09
RE: BBC team buys a botnet, DDoSes security company Prevx  catmedia | 03/13/09
Fw: 000webhost.com  catmedia | 03/13/09
Interestingly  therealbigb | 03/13/09
Couple of points  wkeneipp@... | 03/13/09
Phished into reading this story...  M.W.H. | 03/13/09
Prostitution  Quigs | 03/13/09
RE: BBC team buys a botnet, DDoSes security company Prevx  hoxco94@... | 03/13/09
RE: BBC team buys a botnet, DDoSes security company Prevx  Bill F. | 03/13/09
RE: BBC team buys a botnet, DDoSes security company Prevx  DurbanDon | 03/13/09
How has the BBC done the PC owners a favour?  gazzerjay@... | 03/13/09
If it helps get the message across  tony@... | 03/13/09
A "Technical Transgression" is still "Breaking the LAW!"  gazzerjay@... | 03/13/09
All laws are't equal and nor is their application  pvandck | 03/16/09
RE: BBC team buys a botnet, DDoSes security company Prevx  Mike Bear | 03/13/09
Great Idea, fine tune it  T Mike | 03/14/09
RE: BBC team buys a botnet, DDoSes security company Prevx  pvandck | 03/16/09
Good Work BBC. Sorry for articles trying to make a buck off of it -  softwareFlunky | 03/16/09

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