Sign in / up

back to article Fraught 'naut who sought consort's report says: I was up to naught, I will thwart fault tort

A NASA astronaut has been accused of breaking into her wife's bank account while working aboard the International Space Station. Anne McClain, a veteran NASA flyer and one of the presumed frontrunners for the next manned lunar missions, is the subject of a complaint by her former spouse who claims that, while in orbit on the …

COMMENTS

Post your comment
House rules Send corrections
Add to 'My topics' unstar *
  1. Inventor of the Marmite Laser Silver badge
    Pint

    Don't you just love El Reg headlines?

    Have a beer

    28 0 Reply
    1. GnuTzu
      Reply Icon

      Well, of course. But wait, is this the first hacking from outer space, or did I miss something? If this is, in fact, a first, then I would have expected it be highlighted as such. And, if it's a first, could somebody please point me to a relevant article?

      1 0 Reply
      1. Michael Wojcik Silver badge
        Reply Icon

        When someone already knows the credentials, calling it "hacking" is a bit of a stretch.

        Not too much of a stretch for some prosecutors, of course, but for people who know what they're talking about I don't think this would qualify.

        4 0 Reply
    2. Sitaram Chamarty
      Reply Icon
      Thumb Down

      generally, yes (for example the limerick about bitbucket was awesome).

      This particular headline... not so much! Looked a little desperate; did not "flow" as smoothly as some of the others I have seen before.

      0 1 Reply
  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I would say that giving somebody your password and not bothering to change it is giving somebody authorization. It would have taken maybe 30 seconds to fix? I can re-key my house locks in less time than it takes to worry about whether or not somebody is using a copy of my key.

    There's a lot of financial transparency required during a divorce. There's little privacy until it's done (and you have changed the passwords you have shared).

    19 0 Reply
    1. Mark 85
      Reply Icon
      Pint

      Upvote and a beer for that. Why didn't the passwords get changed? Sheeesh... I've been through the divorce bit and the first thing the lawyer told me at our first meeting was "change all your passwords and don't give them to anyone.".

      8 0 Reply
      1. The Nazz
        Reply Icon

        Divorced here too (surprise, surprise) but the first thing the lawyers said was to make a will.

        I said I know the Mrs is evil (and a psycho) but she's not that evil.

        8 1 Reply
        1. Anonymous Coward
          Reply Icon
          Anonymous Coward

          but she may have a brother or father - that your lawyer may have represented prior :o

          3 0 Reply
  3. The Nazz

    Parental rights issue

    Fascinating to know how this works out, presumably Worden is the biological mother? Or maybe not.

    0 1 Reply
    1. Michael Wojcik Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: Parental rights issue

      It's not the first case of its type, and yes, it's a complicated legal and ethical area, and the result is an ugly mess that's likely to leave everyone unhappy.

      So pretty much like a more conventional custody battle.

      Unfortunately, I don't think there are any easy answers in these situations. Sometimes things are better if parents (biological, legal, or simply de facto) split up, but where there are sincere positive relationships with the children it can be very difficult in some cases to come to any mutually satisfactory arrangement.

      1 0 Reply
  4. Kernel

    Will no-one think of the children?

    I hope both parties bear in mind that whatever decisions they will make in this divorce process have the potential to have a huge impact on the life of a young person who in all probability has no wish to get involved in any of this.

    Please try to settle this amicably for the sake of your child, ladies.

    8 0 Reply
  5. swm

    Jurisdiction?

    I wonder what jurisdiction the case will be tried in. What court has jurisdiction over someone in orbit?

    2 0 Reply
    1. James 51
      Reply Icon

      Re: Jurisdiction?

      Now I know why there were stories on the BBC about space law over the last few days (they didn't make any mention of this story in them). As a US citizen, it falls under US jurisdiction. Beyond that, not a clue (federal, criminal, civil etc etc).

      3 0 Reply
      1. MonkeyBob
        Reply Icon

        Re: Jurisdiction?

        The BBC did have the main story on there, the last section describes how the law currently works in space.

        https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-49457912

        2 0 Reply
    2. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Jurisdiction?

      "What court has jurisdiction over someone in orbit?"

      Space Court. It's like 'The People's Court' only in SPAAAAAACE.

      1 0 Reply
  6. Anonymous South African Coward Bronze badge

    A case of she said/she said.

    So glad I'm not the judge who have to preside over this matter.

    4 0 Reply
  7. big_D Silver badge
    Paris Hilton

    Sorry?

    and that she did not have permission to use the password to check on activity.

    If the wife knew that she knew what the password was, why the f* didn't she change her password as her first act? It would be the first move any sane person would make in such a situation.

    8 0 Reply
    1. Evil Auditor Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: Sorry?

      That is a good point. But can someone please tell me: is there still online banking out there that doesn't require two factor authentication?

      0 0 Reply
      1. MJB7
        Reply Icon

        Re: Online Banking without 2FA

        My German bank allows login to online banking without 2FA (but you will need 2FA to make a payment). That would allow this to happen.

        0 0 Reply
      2. Michael Wojcik Silver badge
        Reply Icon

        Re: Sorry?

        is there still online banking out there that doesn't require two factor authentication?

        In the US? Good lord, yes. None of my banks require 2FA. I don't even think any of them have implemented it as an option.

        1 0 Reply
  8. Tigra 07
    Devil

    The first lesbian in space committed the first crime in space...There's probably a good joke in there somewhere...

    3 7 Reply
    1. Flightmode
      Reply Icon

      Actually not quite, as someone pointed out when someone made the same comment on another site.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Ride#Personal_life

      3 0 Reply
      1. Tigra 07
        Reply Icon
        Thumb Up

        RE: Flightmode

        Bugger. Thanks for the clarification.

        0 0 Reply
  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    McClaine

    Come up to the Space Station, get together, have a few laughs.

    Also...

    Being on the ISS, she now knows what a TV dinner feels like.

    2 0 Reply
  10. Imhotep

    Time To Obsess In The Isolation Chamber

    Being stuck in the ISS for six months while you're going through a divorce?

    1) I think you have to allow someone a pass for minor mental abberrations.

    2) Why would you clear someone for a 6 month mission in those circumstances?

    3 0 Reply
  11. Prst. V.Jeltz Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    An inaugural occasion...

    First crime committed off planet!

    1 0 Reply
    1. Imhotep
      Reply Icon

      Re: An inaugural occasion...

      The first Non-Perfect crime committed off the planet.

      Suspicious how the search for Jimmy Hoffa has been focused solely on Earth.

      Almost like they don't want him to be found.......

      2 0 Reply
  12. RunawayLoop

    A quick out?

    Not sure how it works in the good ol but here in Ozstraya you can elect to have your crime heard in the location where it was alleged to have occurred. Not sure this applies to all crimes but if US has anything similar it could be a quick out for el astronatay.

    0 0 Reply
  13. Armus Squelprom
    Pint

    Headline of the Year

    Why are we talking about passwords and laws, there's nothing new or interesting in this case from a legal POV. It matters only as the vehicle for one of El Reg's finest headlines.

    0 0 Reply
  14. disgruntled yank

    Nothing like preparation

    "because the space agency didn't think to pack enough gear to kit two women at the same time"

    Did NASA model its ordering policies on Uber's?

    0 0 Reply

POST COMMENT House rules

Not a member of The Register? Create a new account here.

Forgotten password ?

  • Enter your comment

  • Add an icon

Anonymous cowards cannot choose their icon

Other stories you might like