Re:Poly Network hacker returns $258M after stealing $600M
by spullara on Thursday August 12, 2021 @01:03PM
(#28158787)
If you find a software bug in an ATM that gives you all the money from the machine it absolutely would be considered theft. A bad lock on a door (or even no lock) doesn't give you the right to steal things behind that door. IMHO this is how the law would look at it and not care a wit about whether or not there was a flaw in the software. IANAL but have seen this kind of argument play out ever since computer bugs were exploited by unauthorized individuals.
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Re:Poly Network hacker returns $258M after stealing $600M
by joe_the_user on Thursday August 12, 2021 @01:40PM
(#28159203)
The thing about that is smart contracts are intended to not operate this way. The aim of a smart contract is that whatever happens is the ultimate rule - the contract enforces itself.
Such an intention doesn't cause laws and courts to stop existing or make things so courts won't interpret certain actions as theft. But it complicates things.