Computer Crime - Arrests and Convictions
NOTE: A large number of US DoJ cases have been recently prosecuted
under 18 USC §1030 (the computer crime statute.) Information on many, many of these
cases can be found at http://www.cybercrime.gov/cccases.html
Legion of Doom (LOD) (members: Franklin Darden
a.k.a The Leftist, Adam Grant a.k.a The Urvile and Necron 99, Robert Riggs
a.k.a The Prophet)
| Arrested: |
July 21, 1989 |
| Charged: |
1989 |
| Convicted: |
1990 |
| Crime: |
Hacking into Bell South's Telephone (including 911)
Networks - possessing proprietary BellSouth software and information, unauthorized
intrusion, illegal possession of phone credit card numbers with intent to defraud, and
conspiracy. From the Government's Sentencing Memorandum: "BellSouth spend
approximately $1.5 million in identifying the intruders into their system and has since
then spent roughly $3 million more to further secure their network." |
| Sentences: |
Frank Darden, 24: 14 months ; Adam Grant, 22: 14
months ; Robert Riggs, 22: 21 months
Collectively ordered to pay $233,000.00 in restitution. |
| More: |
http://www.textfiles.com/news/leftist.txt
http://www.textfiles.com/magazines/CUD/cud0216.txt
http://www.eff.org/pub/Legal/Cases/SJG/Case_Docket_B/ |
Masters Of Deception (MOD) (members: Mark Abene
a.k.a Phiber Optik and Il Duce, Eli Ladopoulos a.k.a. Acid Phreak, Paul Stira
a.k.a. Scorpion, John Lee a.k.a Corrupt and John Farrington, Julio Fernandez
a.k.a. Outlaw )
| Arrested: |
1992 |
| Charged: |
July 1992 |
| Convicted: |
July 1993 |
| Crime: |
Multiple computer hacking related charges including
conspiracy, wire fraud, unauthorized access to computers, unauthorized possession of
access devices, and interception of electronic communications. Institutions involved
included Southwestern Bell, BT North America, New York Telephone, ITT, Information
America, TRW, Trans Union, Pacific Bell, the University of Washington, New York
University, U.S. West, Learning Link, Tymnet, Martin Marietta Electronics Information and
Missile Group, AT&T, Bank of America, and the US National Security Agency. The
crime was widely publicized, and resulted in at least one book being
written, chronicling the events. |
| Sentences: |
Mark Abene: 12 months + probation and 600
hours of community service; John Lee: 6 months + probation; Eli
Ladopoulos: 6 months + probation ; Paul Stira: 6 months + probation ;
Julio Fernandez cooperated and received no sentence. |
| More: |
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/2.12/hacker_pr.html
http://www.textfiles.com/magazines/CUD/cud0430.txt
http://www.textfiles.com/magazines/CUD/cud0431.txt
http://www.ncs.gov/n5_hp/n5_ia_hp/html/eitr/thrat2_1.htm
http://www.ticl.co.uk/securityCD/docs/legal/cook1.pdf |
Mitnick, Kevin David (alias: Glenn Case)
| Arrested: |
February 15, 1995 |
| Charged: |
September 26, 1996 |
| Convicted: |
March 18, 1999 |
| Crime: |
From the September 26, 1996 court record: "obtaining
unauthorized access to computers belonging to numerous computer software and computer
operating systems manufacturers, cellular telephone manufacturers, Internet Service
Providers, and educational institutions; and (b) stealing, copying, and misappropriating
proprietary computer software" from "Motorola,
Fujitsu, Nokia, Sun, Novell, and NEC." |
| Sentence: |
After being incarcerated, awaiting full trial for 4
years, Kevin served 10 additional months and was released on conditional probation - He
may not use a computer, cellular phone, or any other Internet device until 2003, nor
profit from his crimes in any way. Total time spent in prison for this offense was 4
years, 11 months, and 6 days. |
| Release Date: |
January 21, 2000 |
| Previous Convictions: |
|
| Arrested: |
1989 |
| Charged: |
1989 |
| Convicted: |
1989 |
| Crime: |
Stealing $1 million worth of software
from Digital Equipment Corporation, and theft of long distance codes from MCI |
| Sentence: |
1 year imprisonment with conditional probation
thereafter, stating that he could not use a computer or associate with other computer
criminals |
| More: |
http://www.kevinmitnick.com/news.html |
Morris, Robert Tappan
| Arrested: |
1989 |
| Charged: |
1990 |
| Convicted: |
1990 |
| Crime: |
On November 2, 1988, 22 year old Robert Morris
released a self-replicating experimental worm program onto the Internet, which crippled
nearly 6,000 systems within a few hours. The worm was estimated to have
caused $15 million to $100 million in damages, as it shut down nearly 10%
of the Internet. |
| Sentence: |
3 years probation, 400 hours community service, a fine
of $10,050, and the costs of his supervision |
| More: |
http://www.google.com/search?q=%2B%22Robert+Morris... |
Peterson, Justin Tanner (alias: Agent Steal and Eric Heinz)
| Arrested: |
1991, 1993, August 23, 1994 |
| Charged: |
1991, 1993 |
| Convicted: |
1995 |
| Crime: |
From Wired News: "Agent
Steal, as the fast-car and bondage-loving scammer Justin Petersen was known in the hacker
community, was arrested in 1993. He pleaded guilty to computer fraud charges for his
efforts in rigging the same "Win a Porsche by Friday" radio contest as Kevin
Poulsen, and digitally pick-pocketing US$150,000 from a Glendale, California, financial
services company.
Petersen, then 32, agreed to rat on Poulsen and help prosecutors hunt other hackers in
exchange for lenient treatment. He even helped agents bust Kevin Mitnick on a parole
violation. But Petersen fled when the FBI caught him hacking again -- he was illegally
tapping into banks while working with prosecutors.
When he was finally convicted in 1995, he was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in
prison, three years probation that allowed him to use computers only at work, and ordered
to pay more than US$40,000 restitution. Petersen returned to jail this summer for parole
violations." |
| Sentence: |
3 1/2 years in prison, $40,000 fine, and conditional
probation allowing him to access computers at work only |
| More: |
http://www.dlxguard.com/sepnews.htm |
Poulsen, Kevin (alias: Dark Dante)
| Arrested: |
April 11, 1991 |
| Charged: |
1990 |
| Convicted: |
1991 |
| Crime: |
Charged with various computer crimes, espionage, and
telephone fraud. He also evaded arrest for 17 months. While on the run,
Poulsen seized control of an LA radio station in order to win a Porsche and multiple trips
to Hawaii. |
| Sentence: |
4 years in prison, with conditional probation
thereafter, stating that he could not use a computer for 3 years, plus a $58,000.00 fine. |
| More: |
http://www.well.com/user/jlittman/watchman/index.html
http://sc2.usc.edu/sc2/pdf/thomas.pdf |
Other Computer Crime News
From The Register, 11 April, 2001, http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/5/18252.html
A 41 year old, Radomir Lukic, was arrested in the UK after defrauding BT Cellnet and
Telewest of an estimated £3,000,000. For quite some time, Lukic had been selling
"hacks" for popular UK based cellular phones and cable TV services. In
addition to confiscating several computer systems, when police searched Lukic's residence,
they found 200 cellular phones, 400 devices used to "turn-on" cable TV channels,
and nearly £22,000 in cash.
From Wired News, 29 March 2000, http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,35264,00.html
A 19-year-old Houston cracker agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy for
teleconferencing fraud and computer cracking in one of the government's most notorious
cybercrime cases, court documents show. GlobalHell, the hacker group that the teen
belonged to, is said to have caused at least $1.5 million in damages to various U.S.
corporations and government entities, including the White House and the U.S. Army.
From The Hamilton Spectator, 24 October 1998, http://www.efc.ca/pages/media/spectator.24oct98.html
A 15 year old plead guilty to hacking into US military computers - a crime he committed
when he was merely 13.
|
. |
Trends: "CERT/CC Overview
Incident and Vulnerability Trends", 8/17/2000
"Infosec
Year in Review '99", ICSA.Net, 1999
More...
Security Spending:
"Security breaches cause
$15 billion in damages", Datamonitor, Nov. 2000
More...
Defacements:
"8071 Web Sites Hacked - 56.67% ran
Windows NT, 8.25% ran Solaris", Attrition,
Jan 2001
More...
Don'ts :
"The Seven Worst Security Mistakes
Senior Executives Make", SANS, May 1999
*Information Security Magazine |
