Steve Jackson Games, Inc. v. United States Secret Service
Encyclopedia
Steve Jackson Games, Inc. v. United States Secret Service, 816 F.Supp. 432
(W.D.Tex., 1993), is a legal case that resulted from a raid by the United States Secret Service
on the Austin
headquarters of Steve Jackson Games
in 1990. Along with Operation Sundevil
, the Steve Jackson Raid was one of a series of independent law-enforcement operations that were influential in the foundation of the Electronic Frontier Foundation
.
, who was writing the role playing game supplement GURPS Cyberpunk
for the company, was a target of a crackdown. Blankenship, known in hacking circles as The Mentor
, was a former member of the Legion of Doom
hacker group. He had run a Bulletin board system
(BBS) from his home called The Phoenix Project, which had helped distribute the popular underground ezine Phrack
. In 1989 it published the contents of a text file, stolen from BellSouth
, containing information about the E911
emergency response system. The file only contained administrative contact information, and Bell South later had to admit in court that they sold copies to the public for $13. However, the government agents feared that the stolen document could be used to teach crackers how to compromise the E911 system (a claim that is disputed due to the non-technical nature of the document), and Bell South claimed that the dissemination of the data caused thousands of dollars in monetary damages.
. The judge also reprimanded the Secret Service, calling their warrant preparation "sloppy", suggesting that they needed "better education" regarding relevant statutes, and finding that they had no basis to suspect Steve Jackson Games of any wrongdoing.
Although the Steve Jackson Games raid was not a part of Operation Sundevil
, this law enforcement effort, which spanned two years, has a tarnished image due to lack of successful prosecutions and questionable procedures. To this day, the GURPS Cyberpunk book lists "Unsolicited Comments: The United States Secret Service" on its credits page.
Case citation
Case citation is the system used in many countries to identify the decisions in past court cases, either in special series of books called reporters or law reports, or in a 'neutral' form which will identify a decision wherever it was reported...
(W.D.Tex., 1993), is a legal case that resulted from a raid by the United States Secret Service
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
on the Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
headquarters of Steve Jackson Games
Steve Jackson Games
Steve Jackson Games is a game company, founded in 1980 by Steve Jackson, that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games, and the gaming magazine Pyramid.-History:...
in 1990. Along with Operation Sundevil
Operation Sundevil
Operation Sundevil was a 1990 nation-wide United States Secret Service crackdown on "illegal computer hacking activities." It involved raids in approximately fifteen different cities and resulted in three arrests and the confiscation of computers, the contents of electronic bulletin board systems ,...
, the Steve Jackson Raid was one of a series of independent law-enforcement operations that were influential in the foundation of the Electronic Frontier Foundation
Electronic Frontier Foundation
The Electronic Frontier Foundation is an international non-profit digital rights advocacy and legal organization based in the United States...
.
Raid
Steve Jackson Games was raided ostensibly because Loyd BlankenshipLoyd Blankenship
Loyd Blankenship has been a well-known American computer hacker and writer since the 1970s, when he was a member of the hacker groups Extasyy Elite and Legion of Doom....
, who was writing the role playing game supplement GURPS Cyberpunk
GURPS Cyberpunk
GURPS Cyberpunk is a genre toolkit for cyberpunk-themed role-playing games set in a near-future dystopia, such as that envisioned by William Gibson in his influential novel Neuromancer...
for the company, was a target of a crackdown. Blankenship, known in hacking circles as The Mentor
Loyd Blankenship
Loyd Blankenship has been a well-known American computer hacker and writer since the 1970s, when he was a member of the hacker groups Extasyy Elite and Legion of Doom....
, was a former member of the Legion of Doom
Legion of Doom (hacking)
The Legion of Doom was a hacker group active from the 1980s to the late 1990s and early 2000. Their name appears to be a reference to the antagonists of Challenge of the Superfriends...
hacker group. He had run a Bulletin board system
Bulletin board system
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, a user can perform functions such as uploading and downloading software and data, reading news and bulletins, and exchanging...
(BBS) from his home called The Phoenix Project, which had helped distribute the popular underground ezine Phrack
Phrack
Phrack is an ezine written by and for hackers first published November 17, 1985. Described by Fyodor as "the best, and by far the longest running hacker zine," the magazine is open for contributions by anyone who desires to publish remarkable works or express original ideas on the topics of interest...
. In 1989 it published the contents of a text file, stolen from BellSouth
BellSouth
BellSouth Corporation is an American telecommunications holding company based in Atlanta, Georgia. BellSouth was one of the seven original Regional Bell Operating Companies after the U.S...
, containing information about the E911
Enhanced 911
Enhanced 911, E-911 or E911 in North America is one example of the modern evolution of telecommunications based system meant as an easy way to link people experiencing an emergency with the public resources that can help. The dial-three-digits concept first originated in the United Kingdom in 1937....
emergency response system. The file only contained administrative contact information, and Bell South later had to admit in court that they sold copies to the public for $13. However, the government agents feared that the stolen document could be used to teach crackers how to compromise the E911 system (a claim that is disputed due to the non-technical nature of the document), and Bell South claimed that the dissemination of the data caused thousands of dollars in monetary damages.
Trial
In 1993, Steve Jackson Games vs. The Secret Service finally came to trial. Steve Jackson Games was represented by the Austin firm of George, Donaldson & Ford. The lead counsel was Pete Kennedy. Steve Jackson Games won two out of the three counts. Steve Jackson Games was awarded $50,000 in damages and $250,000 in attorney's fees. The third count dealing with interception of e-mail was turned down in October 1994 by the Fifth Circuit Court of AppealsCourt of Appeals
A court of appeals is an appellate court generally.Court of Appeals may refer to:*Military Court of Appeals *Corte d'Assise d'Appello *Philippine Court of Appeals*High Court of Appeals of Turkey*United States courts of appeals...
. The judge also reprimanded the Secret Service, calling their warrant preparation "sloppy", suggesting that they needed "better education" regarding relevant statutes, and finding that they had no basis to suspect Steve Jackson Games of any wrongdoing.
Although the Steve Jackson Games raid was not a part of Operation Sundevil
Operation Sundevil
Operation Sundevil was a 1990 nation-wide United States Secret Service crackdown on "illegal computer hacking activities." It involved raids in approximately fifteen different cities and resulted in three arrests and the confiscation of computers, the contents of electronic bulletin board systems ,...
, this law enforcement effort, which spanned two years, has a tarnished image due to lack of successful prosecutions and questionable procedures. To this day, the GURPS Cyberpunk book lists "Unsolicited Comments: The United States Secret Service" on its credits page.
See also
- GURPS CyberpunkGURPS CyberpunkGURPS Cyberpunk is a genre toolkit for cyberpunk-themed role-playing games set in a near-future dystopia, such as that envisioned by William Gibson in his influential novel Neuromancer...
- Electronic Frontier FoundationElectronic Frontier FoundationThe Electronic Frontier Foundation is an international non-profit digital rights advocacy and legal organization based in the United States...
- See Bruce SterlingBruce SterlingMichael Bruce Sterling is an American science fiction author, best known for his novels and his work on the Mirrorshades anthology, which helped define the cyberpunk genre.-Writings:...
's book The Hacker CrackdownThe Hacker CrackdownThe Hacker Crackdown: Law and Disorder on the Electronic Frontier is a work of nonfiction by Bruce Sterling first published in 1992.The book discusses watershed events in the hacker subculture in the early 1990s...
(ISBN 0-553-56370-X) for a detailed account of these events.
External links
- SJ Games vs. the Secret Service from Steve Jackson Games website
- Text of the District Court opinion, Steve Jackson Games, Inc. v. United States Secret Service, 816 F.Supp. 432 (W.D.Tex. 1993).
- Text of the appeal decision, Steve Jackson Games, Inc. v. US Secret Service, 36 F. 3d 457 - Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit 1994.