Teen charged for hacking into NASA Web site

[InfoSec News <isn () C4I ORG>]

http://www.nandotimes.com/technology/story/0,1643,500463211-500706718-503874142-0,00.html

By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (March 13, 2001 5:42 p.m. EST http://www.nandotimes.com) -
A 15-year-old Michigan boy has been arrested on felony hacking charges
after allegedly breaking into at least three NASA computer systems and
altering their Web sites.

The teen-ager posted images on the sites related to a hacking group
called Electronic Souls, authorities said.

Stephen Nesbitt, who investigates computer break-ins at NASA's Office
of Inspector General in Washington, said the teen-ager never got
access to any sensitive information.

The boy, whose name was not released because of his age, allegedly
broke into NASA systems at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena,
Calif., and the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., twice
in January. Authorities say he also broke into a U.S. Department of
Energy system at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, N.M.,
that same month.

The boy is charged with unauthorized access to computers, a felony
punishable by up to five years in prison. He is being detained in a
juvenile facility until a March 28 pretrial hearing at the Family
Division of the 27th Circuit Court in Newaygo County, Mich.

Authorities from the Newaygo County prosecutor's office and sheriff's
department did not return calls for comment on Tuesday.

Nesbitt would not discuss details of the case for fear of tipping off
other hackers.

Brian Martin of Attrition.org, which monitors Web security issues,
said his site had recorded 32 defacements by Electronic Souls since
February. Members identifying themselves as part of the group also
defaced commercial sites, he said.

"Often times they are doing it for the same reason that someone spray
paints the side of a building," he said. "Or they might be doing it to
feel powerful or show off their technical prowess."

Martin said these hackers usually do not get access to sensitive
information.

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