Boo to a complete and total shutdown of the ASURITE network and ASU online services. After a security breach in which an unnamed hacker(s) downloaded an encrypted document that may or may not have contained usernames, passwords, social security numbers, or some other form of pertinent student, faculty, financial or university information, the university issued an alert that the system had been “compromised.” Twenty-four hours later, we’re back up and running, our passwords have been reset and we can take a collective sigh of relief. Phew! Now, get your homework done.
Bravo to the IT Department at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, as well as those on the other campuses. The members of the IT Department worked diligently throughout the evening to help students figure out what was wrong, and even helped your student newspaper come out with an issue while all ASU computers were inaccessible. We cannot thank them enough.
Boo to the double shooting on Wednesday at Hayden Lane Apartments in Tempe possibly being drug-related. Both the victims and the gunmen were reported as being in their early 20’s. One of the victims, 22-year-old Allen Philip Cropper, was rushed to an area hospital and died shortly after arrival. It’s always disappointing to hear about this type of violence so close to the Tempe campus.
Bravo to The Cornish Pasty Co.’s plans to expand their Tempe location into the neighboring building. We can’t really think of a better way to escape the desert sun or to kick back after a long week than indulging in one of Britain’s greatest delicacies. Don’t forget to bring your dog either. The restaurant hopes to have more outside seating on a dog-friendly patio. It will be a afternoon of puppies and Pasties.
Boo to MegaUpload — a digital hub where users can store, share and stream files — being shut down for piracy on Thursday. After being indicted on federal charges of conspiracy, racketeering and conspiracy to commit copyright infringement, amongst others, federal authorities seized 18 domain names, including the popular Megavideo.com, and an estimated $50 million in assets, including servers run in Washington D.C. and Virginia. In retaliation to the government actions, hacktivist group, “Anonymous” successfully disrupted activity on the websites for the Department of Justice, the U.S. Copyright Office, Universal Music Group, the Recording Industry Association of America and Motion Picture Association of America simultaneously. If nothing else, the headlines this week have proven just how near and dear the Internet is to our hearts and how vital it is to daily life in this global economy. This is interesting, scary and humbling, but most of all, telling of a future where staying connected means so much more than just being, “online.”
Want to join the conversation? Send an email to opiniondesk.statepress@gmail.com. Keep letters under 300 words and be sure to include your university affiliation. Anonymity will not be granted.
Follow The State Press on Twitter or like us on Facebook.
