Documents: Hopkins youth hacked other firms

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

Forwarded from: William Knowles <wk () c4i org>

http://www.startribune.com/stories/789/4630324.html

Randy Furst
Star Tribune 
February 26, 2004

The Hopkins student accused of infecting computers last summer with a
version of a worm that attacked Microsoft computers has said that he
launched attacks against other companies, including the Motion Picture
Association of America and the Recording Industry Association of
America, according to court documents.

Federal prosecutors also said Jeffrey Parson, 18, admitted he that
gained access to a group of computers on which he stored pirated
software movies, games and music, besides using those computers to
launch attacks.

The documents filed by prosecutors in U.S. District Court in Seattle,
where Parson is scheduled to go on trial in May, claim that he had a
"long history of causing damage over the Internet." The government
alleged that "the admissions are confirmed by evidence (including
Internet chat logs) found on various seized computers, including his
own."

Prosecutors also accused Parson of causing a "back door" to be
installed in about 1,200 computers, which allowed him "unfettered
access" to download information including credit card numbers, medical
or other personal records.

The documents do not say he downloaded the data.

"We don't have any comments on this case at this point," said Nancy
Penney, a federal public defender representing Parson.

The allegations were contained in unsealed documents that had been
filed earlier, but were also attached to documents that had been
sealed.

U.S. District Judge Marsha J. Pechman of Seattle ordered them opened
Tuesday.

Pechman issued her order after three news organizations - The Star
Tribune, the Seattle Times, and the Associated Press - asked that the
documents be opened. The sealed papers included a request by Parson's
attorneys to move his trial to the Twin Cities and the prosecutors'
opposition to the request. Pechman had denied the motion for a change
of venue, then sealed her denial.

Pechman opened all those documents, but ordered small portions blacked
out. Pechman also left sealed details from the defense on Parson's
parents' finances.

"This was the right result, but it took too long and it shouldn't have
been required in the first place," said Seattle attorney Michele
Earl-Hubbard, who represented the media groups.

Parson was arrested in August, accused of having sent a worm that
infected about 7,000 computers.

Randy Furst is at rfurst () startribune com.


 
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