HP spied on journalists

Apparently HP agents got the records by pretending to be hacks from the Wall Street Journal, CNET.com and other news organisations.

HP has admitted that other journalists had their records improperly accessed, but would not say how many. The outfit is desperately trying to distance itself from the sleazy antics of its investigators claiming that it was all done without HP's knowledge. This is despite the fact that the investigation was ordered by the board chairman Patricia Dunn.

So far CNET.com and the Wall Street Journal have indicated their hacks were victims of the HP spooks.

CNET is incandescent with rage over the actions which it says violated the privacy rights of the hack, but also the rights of all reporters to protect their confidential sources.

But more reporter's names are expected to appear on the list. HP has admitted it has only told the Californian Attorney General's Office of some of them.

It appears that HP may have had a long history of using nefarious tricks to get similar information. The WSJ claims that one of its hacks, Pui-Wing Tam, broke an important story about former CEO Carly Fiorina and her disagreements with board members and suffered a similar treatment.

California's attorney general Bill Lockyer said that HP's investigation of its own board members violated two California laws related to identity theft and illegal access to computer records.

Lockyer said he hadn't decided what action to take against the maker of printer ink. He has a choice of civil or criminal charges and can put HP, or individuals in the dock.

The first thing he had to work out was if a crime was committed. Lockyer said that it is fairly clear that one had been.

He said it was likely if evidence continues to come in the way it has that there will be a prosecution.

More here and and here. µ