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SCOTT JAGOW: California believes the methods Hewlett Packard used to investigate a board member’s media leak were criminal.

Yesterday, the state’s attorney general filed charges against five people involved in spying on board members and journalists. HP’s former chairwoman Patricia Dunn was charged. So was the company’s former ethics officer, plus three private investigators.

Rob Douglas is an information security consultant in Colorado.

ROB DOUGLAS: Well, I think this sends an important signal that the attorney general is willing to indict from the chairwoman of the board, who directed the investigation, right down to the individuals who stole the phone records. That’s an important signal to the corporate community that they shouldn’t be engaging in these types of investigations and to the information thieves that steal our records.

All the people charged face four counts, including identity theft and unauthorized access to computer data. They could get three years in prison for each count.

CEO Mark Hurd was not charged.