The Madigan Incident

[protogenxl]

I believe Michelle Madigan should be awarded the first ever Safety Orange "Corporate Tool" badge for her recent actions at D15. She shouldn't be banned for life just marked for her indiscretion. NOOBS always deserve a second chance.

[skroo]

Re: The Madigan Incident

She and her ilk need to go eat a large bag of shit without the benefit of utensils.

I didn't even make it out this year, but from what I've been able to gather she felt that she was above having to obtain press credentials (on four separate occasions) despite representing her employer while at the conference.

This is in addition to her apparently having been attempting to solicit individuals to commit crimes on hidden camera, something that reinforces the idea in my mind that Dateline has ZERO objectivity, preferring instead sensationalism over balanced reporting. It also makes me wonder how much of an accessory she'd be if they actually did get the proverbial 13-year-old to 0wn Russia on a PSP for them, but that's getting off-track a bit.

In all likelihood, this is probably a non-issue. I'm sure that since it's now Monday morning she's in her Executive Producer's office, having to explain to him exactly how she managed to bring yet another embarrassment down on the programme while figuring out if she'll still have a job by this afternoon. My guess is she probably won't get fired, but has just done some severe damage to her career. In any event, I really doubt they or she will be back next year as a result.

[blobpet]

Re: The Madigan Incident

The picture on Michelle Madigan's new wikipedia entry was the only decent one I could find to whip up the following: http://www.cafepress.com/cp/customize/product.aspx?clear=true&number=%20157505352.
I modified a "to catch_a reporter" banner image from MSNBC's website to create the text.

Note: I just realized that there are probably legal ramifications to selling something with another's likeness, so to be on the safe side, I changed the link to point to a non-store page. Click on the "make changes" button to get a better view of the picture.

[xwred1]

Re: The Madigan Incident

I think it would have been funny if people had known about her and gone on to talk with her and just feed her 100% bullshit stories about hacking gibsons or stealing garbage files, sort of like the Dr David Thorpe interview for SomethingAwful on G4. Get them to air something totally ridiculous like that Anonymous video that was online last week.

I guess thats kind of a fantasy though, because most viewers would still take the show seriously. Plus, if a big deal hadn't been made about her at the con, she would have been able to eventually find someone she didn't know and get them recorded admitting crimes, doing crimes, etc.

[goathead]

Re: The Madigan Incident

From the 3.5 Defcon section on Dateline's wiki:

"DEFCON says their own mole at Dateline alerted them to Madigan's plans."

[Deviant Ollam]

Re: The Madigan Incident

I guess thats kind of a fantasy though, because most viewers would still take the show seriously.

yes, they would. remember the KTLA pieces where folks were being interviewed in the parking lot and the news station chose to air quotes like "yes, hackers can blow up your computer via telephone lines or remotely download bags of heroin to your hard drives from the internet... so watch out!" and then they cut back to the news anchors in the station who reacted to the quotes as if they were legit.

[hevnsnt]

Re: The Madigan Incident

Guys, I have to admit it.. I was undercover this year too..

I was the undercover Jager assasin. Sorry if I winged anything at ya. :P

[TheCotMan]

Re: The Madigan Incident

I didn't even make it out this year

Yeah, I am sorry you didn't make it, and also sorry that the shout-out to you on the last page was improperly spelled. "scroou" instead of "skroo" or "skrooyou" etc.

This will be in the "sorry" portion of my thank you and sorry post, but I wanted to say this now too. :-)

Separate from my reply to skroo...

As for this incident. I've had time to read news reports on both sides, and see the following:
A: "She deserved it"
B: "You are just into nerd revenge for having been [mistreated|turned down|*]

A: "I [would|wouldn't] (something sexual) with her"
B: You're just being [Sexist|misogynist|prejudiced]

A: She has no integrity as a jouranlist.
B: She was only doing her job trying to show what hackers really do.
A: Just like with other NBC Dateline, "journalistic," expose?
B: You're just unhappy that she was trying to break the same rules that "hackers" (inferring "computer criminals" here) break all the time.


Yeah. Whatever.

I really don't care what happens to her, but I would like to make this point:
Whenever anyone decides to break the rules, or laws, there are risks.
These risks include consequences and penalties if or when someone is caught.
If an alleged computer criminal is found to have committed a crime, and is sent to jail, they face consequences.

I say bullshit to any claims that there is no ethical ground for "hackers" (either definition) to cry foul when someone is *caught* breaking rules or laws. If hackers (either definition) face penalties when they are caught breaking rules, then why shouldn't other's face penalties when breaking rules too?

Do the crime? Get Caught? Hey! This is the real world! There are penalties for "hackers" (either definition) when they break the rules too.

Somehow, this claim that "hackers" (either definition) are somehow less than human and ethically not allowed to make and enforce rules is an excellent form of prejudice.

As for perceptions that she was at risk to injury, I say bullshit again, as security goons are here to help everyone enjoy a significant level of safety. A few years back, when the Hacktivisim issue came up with the presentation about what one person claimed should be done to do to the RNC, the security goons escorted the presenter to a safe place and did protect this person. I do not doubt that these same security goons would work to protect an alleged journalist if there really was a risk or threat. Security goons have a history of helping to make sure people, even unpopular people, are able to avoid harm while at the convention. (Obviously, there are no guarantees, but I've never seen them fail.)

Cheers to the Security team at Defcon. Cheers to the reporters that documented a lack of physical interaction between Defcon attendees and this alleged journalist.

I am not a goon, and these opinions are my own, and are not in any way any official comment from Defcon and are unrelated to any standing I may or may not have at Defcon.

[LosT]

Re: The Madigan Incident

I'll make a 'special' mystery box for the press next year....


LosT

[xwred1]

Re: The Madigan Incident

Somehow, this claim that "hackers" (either definition) are somehow less than human and ethically not allowed to make and enforce rules is an excellent form of prejudice.

It makes me think of alignments in D&D. Hackers being chaotic good/neutral/evil.

[Exist]

Re: The Madigan Incident

yes, they would. remember the KTLA pieces where folks were being interviewed in the parking lot and the news station chose to air quotes like "yes, hackers can blow up your computer via telephone lines or remotely download bags of heroin to your hard drives from the internet... so watch out!" and then they cut back to the news anchors in the station who reacted to the quotes as if they were legit.

Haha, that was my plan to tell them you can take over bank of america by connecting a car battery to the cpu and plugging a line next to an 18" sat reciever and typing in cmd "net override bankofamerica.com $money command" haha. Another was cleaning out tracks with ajax .

[Exist]

Re: The Madigan Incident

We need to party more Ollam, it was nice having several drinks with you .

[BlackOrchid]

Re: The Madigan Incident

There are rules to every society. (online or otherwise.)

There are rules to DEFCON and Dateline/reporter chose to ignore the simplest of rules.

Rules:

1. do not talk about defcon
2. defcon is canceled
3. do not talk about a canceled defcon
4. there is no defcon.

umm.. wait.. that's fight club and the matrix.. NM.. there are no rules to defcon?

Seriously, she was offered a press badge. The point (of Dateline) was to tie a federal agent to working with hacker. *ruin a lot of lives and garner points for the media?*

She received greater mercy than we'd have gotten from Dateline had anyone been recorded by this pathetic leech.

[Synapse]

Re: The Madigan Incident

. Seriously, she was offered a press badge. The point (of Dateline) was to tie a federal agent to working with hacker. *ruin a lot of lives and garner points for the media?*

She received greater mercy than we'd have gotten from Dateline had anyone been recorded by this pathetic leech.

She was offered a press badge, and refused it? thats a story in itself she could have promoted...mysterious electronic badge . . . ;p
The press is generally use to having to wear a badge or ID during events if its required.

Then again, dateline likes to be the little rogue among rogues

[AcidicA]

Re: The Madigan Incident

I was most impressed by how quickly word spread of her being there.
How quickly people mobilized to protect our little underground society, and
that she made it to her car, and drove off with out a single act of violence, not even a piece of paper was thrown at her. (yay for running sentences! Woot!)
We handled our self as a whole very well. We heckled her in our own way of course but in the end she was able to leave safely and we took a moral high ground that at least we can recognize.
Why would anyone be surprised the government hires hackers to learn how to protect the nation form computer attacks? Who else is gonna teach them?