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Yes. You made it so easy.

I’ve dabbled in computer programming back when C language was the thing on Unix. I read the book “Teach Yourself C.” I studied it really, because I was already doing some of it just to make my work easier. In the beginning chapter they taught me a strategy in code, in the end of the book…in the last chapter, they taught another strategy and if you hadn’t been paying attention you would’ve missed it. It completed a strategy taught in the first chapter. But because I was actually studying it I recognized the potential. I put it to use and created a worm that would steal super user (root) passwords and email them and the login and the computer address too me. I didn’t comprehend it would go outside my workplace…didn’t even think about that. The next day when I showed up to work the Secret Service detained me. They took me in and questioned me for a couple of hours. They told me I was fired and the reason was that I was a threat to world trade security. The company I worked at was the Gleason Works in Rochester NY. They make bevel and hypoid gears for the world’s auto industry so their systems are connected to the world. My worm stole overnight over 64,000 super user (root) passwords and associated login information for all these VAX systems and emailed them to me. It really sucked because I was just trying out my new programming skills. Had no intent of doing anything with the passwords other than maybe doing some local network things they lock you out of. I was very young then and thought programming was wonderful and yet discreet. Boy was I wrong. Since then I just stuck with my true niche of mechanical engineering now specializing in satellites and satellite communication. I’m lazy now, regarding programming. That’s somebody else’s niche.