Alleged hackers consider pleas

[William Knowles <wk () C4I ORG>]

http://fl.mlive.com/news/index.ssf?/news/stories/20001128f28b4hacki.frm

By Jerry Ernst
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
Tuesday, November 28, 2000

CORUNNA - Plea agreements reportedly are being considered in the case
of two teenagers charged with trying to hack into the Corunna School
District's computer system.

A preliminary examination for the pair - Corunna High School senior
William G. "Greg" Lulham, 17, of Corunna and Lloyd S. Dilley, 18, of
Davison Township - was suspended Monday to allow attorneys and their
clients to continue negotiations on possible plea bargains, said Sara
L. Edwards, Shiawassee County assistant prosecutor.

The cousins are each charged with two felonies that could net up to 10
years in prison. The first count alleges the pair attempted to gain
access to the computer network in order to damage, alter, or acquire
information or otherwise misuse information valued at more than
$20,000. Count two alleges conspiracy to commit the first offense.

Edwards said the case is the first of its type in Shiawassee County.

Dilley, a 1999 Mt. Morris High School graduate, dismissed the charges
as showboating by school and law enforcement officials.

Meanwhile, Lulham's attorney said his client may have committed
actions in "overexuberance" to impress the computer system
administrator for the school system.

Corunna Police Chief Mark W. Hetfield has said computer security
measures may have protected the network from heavy damage.

"Fortunately for the schools, they just updated their system and it's
probably one of the most secure systems you can find," he said.

Hetfield said the school district's computer system holds academic,
financial, personnel and other school records.

He said the attempts to penetrate the system began Sept. 13 and
continued for at least three days.

During interviews both defendants made confessions, Hetfield said.

Dilley said the only action that took place was a brief attempt by
Lulham to seek passage out of the school's computer system to a
computer game operated by Dilley. Even if Lulham had succeeded, Dilley
said, he would not have had access to school records and would not
have "opened a door," as charged, for others to gain access to the
computer system.

Lulham helped to establish the security system, Dilley said.

"Greg helped to set it up. There's no reason to tear it down," he
said.

Dilley said he initially was not aware his cousin tried to reach his
game computer site. He said they later discussed how to circumvent the
barrier to unauthorized access, but neither made an effort to do so.

"They have no foot to stand on," Dilley said. "They're standing on
quicksand," he said of the prosecution case.

"I'd laugh if I saw (another) case similar to this. So would every
other computer-literate person."

Superintendent John Smith said no loss was sustained in the situation
other than staff members' time in tracking down the alleged computer
hacking.

Edwards said the amount of damage or losses is "one of the things that
we're settling."

Dilley, a computer specialist for a local Internet service provider,
said Lulham is an Eagle Scout, and both were straight-A students.

Lulham's attorney, David J. Nickola of Flint, said - without detailing
what Lulham did - that his client was "wanting to impress somebody he
looked up to. If he was able to breach the firewall, that would ...
expose the system as not infallible."

Nickola said Lulham has been "a model student."

Judge Terrance P. Dignan continued the teens' $1,000 bond. The court
staff said the hearing is likely to be rescheduled for early January.


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