Teens arrested for hacking NASA

[InfoSec News <isn () C4I ORG>]

Forwarded By: Bronc Buster <bronc () attrition org>

http://www.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/07/13/bc.nasahackers.ap/index.html

July 13, 2000
Web posted at: 6:35 AM EDT (1035 GMT)

NEW YORK (AP) -- Two New Yorkers, one of them a 15-year-old high
school student on Long Island, have been arrested and accused of
hacking into NASA computers. It was unknown whether the cases were
linked.

The teen surrendered to police Tuesday for allegedly hacking into two
NASA computers in Hampton, Virginia, and a third computer in Bethpage,
New York.

Raymond Torricelli, 20, of New Rochelle was arrested Wednesday at his
home and charged with using his personal computer to break into two
computers belonging to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena,
California. The lab is the lead center for exploration of space with
robotic spacecraft, have launched missions to every planet in the
solar system except Pluto.

The teen-ager allegedly broke into the NASA computers in November. The
youth, charged with computer tampering, was released into his father's
custody. His name was not released by Suffolk County police.

The Rocky Point teen allegedly defaced the NASA Web site by adding the
message "SSH is coming." Suffolk police said he used the hacker
acronym "Sesame Street Haxorz."

Police said the youth replaced system files with various images they
termed computer graffiti, including an image of Elmo, a character on
the "Sesame Street" television program.

Though he did not gain access to sensitive or classified information,
the teen caused about $5,000 in damage, said Special Agent James
Jackson, of the NASA Office of the Inspector General.

Police said they were investigating whether the teen, who said he was
being tutored by another hacker online, committed any other crimes,
Newsday reported Thursday.

In the Torricelli case, investigators said they found 76,000 passwords
on Torricelli's computer, including usernames from computers owned by
San Jose State University and Georgia Southern University.

Prosecutors said in court papers that Torricelli installed a program
on a computer used by NASA to perform satellite design and mission
analysis concerning future space missions. He then allegedly used the
program in chat-room discussions with other hackers.

Mary Beth Murrill, a spokeswoman for the Pasadena lab, declined to
comment on the case but said security has since been improved.

"We have a computer security system like any other large organization
but we don't discuss it," she said.

Torricelli was released on $50,000 bail. If convicted of the most
serious charge, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

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