HACKED: Police data network closed for now

Twin Cities Pioneer Press
November 1, 2003

A computer network used to share police files among more than 175 law enforcement departments in Minnesota has been closed after a state lawmaker learned "beyond a shadow of a doubt" someone had hacked into the system to demonstrate its vulnerability.

"A security breach was alleged. We take that extremely seriously. We've taken the system off line in this particular case," Bob Johnson, director of the state's CriMNet program, said Friday.

He said he does not know how long the file sharing system — known as the Multiple Jurisdictional Network Organization — will be down.

Johnson said an investigation is under way to confirm whether and how MJNO was breached. He stressed that any breach did not compromise parts of CriMNet, the umbrella term describing various efforts to link different criminal justice data systems in the state.

Johnson announced the possible breach at a criminal justice information task force meeting Friday morning after state Rep. Mary Liz Holberg, a Republican from Lakeville, first made the allegation.

Holberg, who already planned to hold hearings on MJNO, said in an interview she was approached by a person who is not supposed to have access to the network and who showed her information the system had on her.

"It was proven to me that an individual that was not law enforcement, beyond a shadow of a doubt, had access to the system," she said.

She said she contacted Gov. Tim Pawlenty's office about the flaw and subsequently verified the information was from the system by seeking a copy of her own MJNO file from a local police agency.

Police agencies who participate in the system use a password-protected Internet site to access more than 8 million police records, including the names of suspects, witnesses and people who have sought handgun permits in addition to the names of people who have been arrested or convicted of a crime.

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Scott Chapman may have been one of the first people outside of law enforcement to become aware of the reach of MJNO. He said the experience left him feeling violated.

Last March, Chapman, a computer systems administrator, was at a political rally outside U.S. Rep. John Kline's office. He was carrying a sign reading "Freedom is not free," to balance people protesting the war in Iraq, he said.

As the rally neared an end, a Burnsville police sergeant asked to search his fanny pack. Chapman protested but eventually handed it over. Finding nothing unusual, the officer allowed him to leave.

Chapman said the experience left him shaken and curious why he'd been singled out.

The answer came from a friendly file clerk and the police report on the incident. Chapman learned that the officer was suspicious in part because he'd searched the MJNO and found Chapman had requested but been denied a concealed carry permit. (Chapman had since been granted a permit, though that wasn't in the records)

"Here I've done nothing wrong. I've done everything right. I applied for a legal permit and followed the process," Chapman said. "Now I find out that my name is commingled with all of the felons and arrestees and everyone else? It just seems wrong.

"I'm a white guy from the 'burbs and I was stopped and illegally searched. Can you imagine what it must be like for a guy who's not a white guy from the 'burbs?"

His attorney, gun-rights activist David Gross, says he is exploring a possible lawsuit over the incident.

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