University website security failure

Canterbury University's online services were shut down last night after a computer glitch made the private records of thousands of students available to anyone with a user code and password.

Looks like the Christchurch Press were tipped off about a Canterbury University computer problem.

"A Press reporter with a current student identification number yesterday logged on to the university's student web system and accessed several other students' details."

Isn't this a bit like admitting to looting. Has the reporter "stolen" information just because he or she could? Does it really matter when any of the other 12,000 students could have done the same?

The Varsity were very slow to shut down the system.