List of computer criminals

Convicted computer criminals are people who are caught and convicted of computer crimes such as breaking into computers or computer networks.[1] Computer crime can be broadly defined as criminal activity involving information technology infrastructure, including illegal access (unauthorized access), illegal interception (by technical means of non-public transmissions of computer data to, from or within a computer system), data interference (unauthorized damaging, deletion, deterioration, alteration or suppression of computer data), systems interference (interfering with the functioning of a computer system by inputting, transmitting, damaging, deleting, deteriorating, altering or suppressing computer data), misuse of devices, forgery (or identity theft) and electronic fraud.[2]

In the infancy of the hacker subculture and the computer underground,[3] criminal convictions were rare because there was an informal code of ethics that was followed by white hat hackers.[4] Proponents of hacking claim to be motivated by artistic and political ends, but are often unconcerned about the use of criminal means to achieve them.[5] White hat hackers break past computer security for non-malicious reasons and do no damage, akin to breaking into a house and looking around.[6] They enjoy learning and working with computer systems, and by this experience gain a deeper understanding of electronic security.[6] As the computer industry matured, individuals with malicious intentions (black hats) would emerge to exploit computer systems for their own personal profit.[6]

Convictions of computer crimes, or hacking, began as early as 1983 with the case of The 414s from the 414 area code in Milwaukee. In that case, six teenagers broke into a number of high-profile computer systems, including Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Security Pacific Bank. On May 1, 1983, one of the 414s, Gerald Wondra, was sentenced to two years of probation.[7] As of 2009, the longest prison term for computer crimes—nearly five years—was handed down to Jeanson James Ancheta, who created hundreds of zombie computers to do his bidding via giant bot networks or botnets.[8] He then sold the botnets to the highest bidder who in turn used them for Denial-of-service (DoS) attacks.[9]

Contents

Computer criminals

Name Handle Nationality Conviction(s) Sentencing date(s) Penalty
Abene, MarkMark Abene Phiber Optik United States Misdemeanor theft-of-service for a free-call scam to a 900 number[1]

One count of computer trespass and one count of computer conspiracy[10]

 1991

1993		 35 hours of community service[1]

One-year jail sentence[10][11]
Ancheta, Jeanson JamesJeanson James Ancheta Gobo United States Pled guilty to four federal charges of violating United States Code Section 1030, Fraud and Related Activity in Connection with Computers, specifically subsections (a)(5)(A)(i), 1030 (a)(5)(B)(i) and 1030(b)[9] May 8, 2006 57 months in prison, forfeit a 1993 BMW and more than US$58,000 in profit
Restitution of US$15,000 to the U.S. federal government for infecting military computers[12][13]
Botbyl, AdamAdam Botbyl — United States Conspiracy to steal credit card numbers from the Lowe's chain of home improvement stores[14] December 16, 2004 Two years and two months imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release[15]
Calce, MikeMike Calce MafiaBoy Canada Pled guilty to 56 charges of "mischief to data"[16][17] September 12, 2001 Eight months "open custody," by the Montreal Youth Court, one-year of probation, restricted use of the Internet and a small fine[17][18]
Davis, ChadChad Davis Mindphasr United States Intentionally hacking a protected computer and wilfully causing damage[19] March 1, 2000 Six months in prison, US$8,054 in restitution and three years probation[19]
Even-Chaim, NahshonNahshon Even-Chaim Phoenix Australia 15 charges including trespassing on the University of Texas computer network, altering data at NASA and the theft of the ZARDOZ file[20] 1993 One-year suspended sentence: AU$1,000 good-behaviour bond and 500 hours community service[20]
Assange, Julian PaulJulian Paul Assange Mendax Australia 31 charges of hacking and related charges. Pled guilty to 25 charges, the remaining 6 were dropped.[21] 5 December 1996 A recorded conviction on all counts, a reparation payment of AU$2,100 to ANU (to be paid in 3 months time) and a AU$5,000 good-behaviour bond.[22]
, unknownunknown Prime Suspect Australia 26 charges of hacking and related charges. Pled guilty to all charges and turned witness against fellow hackers, Mendax and Trax.[23] 21 July 1995 A recorded conviction on all counts, a reparation payment of AU$2,100 to Australian National University (to be paid in about 12 months time),a AU$500 three-year good-behaviour bond and forfeiture of the Apple computer seized during a police raid on his residence.[22]
, unknownunknown Trax Australia 6 counts of hacking and phreaking. Pled guilty to all charges.[23] 20 September 1995

20 September 1995		 (Due to a history of mental illness) no recorded conviction and a AU$500 three-year good-behaviour bond[24]
Gray, RaphaelRaphael Gray Curador United Kingdom Pled guilty to theft and hacking offenses which fall under the Computer Misuse Act and six charges of intentionally accessing sites containing credit card details and using this information for financial gain[25] July 6, 2001 Three years of psychiatric treatment after evidence emerged that he was suffering from a mental condition which needed medical treatment rather than incarceration[26]
Heckenkamp, JeromeJerome Heckenkamp MagicFX United States Admitted the hacking and pleaded guilty to two felonies in 2004.[27] 2004 Sentenced to Time Served after spending 7 months in prison.[27]
James, JonathanJonathan James c0mrade United States Two counts of juvenile delinquency[28] September 21, 2000 Six-month prison sentence and probation until the age of eighteen[28]
Jones, RichardRichard Jones Electron Australia Trespassing on the University of Texas computer network and theft of the ZARDOZ file[20] 1993 One year and six months suspended sentence, 300 hours of community service and psychiatric assessment and treatment[20]
Kamkar, SamySamy Kamkar samy United States Pled guilty to violating California Penal Code 502(c)(8) for creating the "Samy is my hero" XSS worm that spread across the MySpace social networking site[29] 2007 Three years of formal probation, 90 days of community service, restitution paid to MySpace, restrictions on computer use[29]
Lacroix, CameronCameron Lacroix cam0 United States Pled guilty to hacking into the cell-phone account of celebrity Paris Hilton and participated in an attack on data-collection firm LexisNexis Group that exposed personal records of more than 300,000 consumers[30] September 13, 2005 11 months in a Massachusetts juvenile detention facility[30]
Lamo, AdrianAdrian Lamo — United States One-count of computer crimes against Microsoft, LexisNexis and The New York Times[31] July 15, 2004 Six months detention at his parent's home plus two years probation and roughly US$65,000 in restitution[31]
Mitnick, KevinKevin Mitnick Condor United States Four counts of wire fraud, two counts of computer fraud and one count of illegally intercepting a wire communication[32] August 9, 1999 46 months in federal prison[32]
Moran, DennisDennis Moran Coolio United States Misdemeanor charges of hacking[33] March 9, 2001 Nine months in jail and US$5,000 in restitution to each victim[33]
Morris, Robert TappanRobert Tappan Morris rtm United States Intentional access of federal interest computers without authorization thereby preventing authorized access and causing a loss in excess of US$1,000[34] May 16, 1990 Three years probation and 400 hours of community service in a manner determined by the Probation Office and approved by the Court[34]
Basset, RouabahRouabah Basset Al Hack Algeria Access to the Department of Intelligence and Security computers without authorization and causing a loss in excess of US$ 129,117.00, access to 1312 personal computer in Algeria and damage all of them (virus called "AL_HUWARI"), stopping internet service for 1 hour 17 minutes in B.B.A. city.[35] May 3, 2010 No jail, there is no law in Algeria against computer crime (waiting for a new law in january 2012 from the Algerian minister of law and justice)[35]
Parson, Jeffrey LeeJeffrey Lee Parson T33kid United States Pled guilty on August 11, 2004 to one count of intentionally causing or attempting to cause damage to a protected computer via his version of the Blaster computer worm[36] January 1, 2005 18 months in prison and 100 hours of community service[37]
Poulsen, KevinKevin Poulsen Dark Dante United States Pled guilty to seven counts of mail, wire and computer fraud, money laundering and obstruction of justice[8] June 1, 1994 51 months in prison and ordered to pay US$56,000 in restitution[8]
Rose, LeonardLeonard Rose Terminus United States Illicit use of proprietary software (UNIX 3.2 code) owned by AT&T[1] and 2 counts of computer fraud and three counts of interstate transportation of stolen property.[38][39] June 12, 1991 One-year jail sentence[38][40]
Smith, David L.David L. Smith Kwyjibo United States Pled guilty to knowingly spreading a computer virus, the Melissa virus, with the intent to cause damage[41] May 1, 2002 20 months in federal prison, US$5,000 fine and 100 hours of community service upon release[41]
Tenenbaum, EhudEhud Tenenbaum Analyzer Israel Admitted to cracking US and Israeli computers, and pled guilty to conspiracy, wrongful infiltration of computerized material, disruption of computer use and destroying evidence[42] June 15, 2001 Six months of community service, one-year of probation, a two-year suspended prison sentence and fined about US$18,000[42]
Craycroft, JamesJames Craycroft Suspect United States Admitted to Hacking into high priority Game Servers in the United Kingdom, Pled guilty but claimed it was for a Joke. April 26, 2011 12 Months Community Service.
Vallor, SimonSimon Vallor Gobo United Kingdom Writing and distributing three computer viruses[43] January 21, 2003 Two-year jail sentence[43]
Wondra, GeraldGerald Wondra The 414s United States Unauthorized access to computers at the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and a Los Angeles bank[7] and two counts of "making harassing telephone calls"[44] May 1, 1983 Two years probation[7]
Wit, Jan deJan de Wit OnTheFly Netherlands Spreading data into a computer network with the intention of causing damage as the creator of the Anna Kournikova virus[45] September 27, 2001 150 hours community service[45][46][47]
, unknown (reportedly goes by Adam)unknown (reportedly goes by Adam) Decayer United States Spreading data into a computer network with the intention of causing damage

Misdemeanor charges of hacking		 N/A Suspect has not been found

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Bruce Sterling (1993). The Hacker Crackdown—Law and Disorder on the Electronic Frontier (January 1994 ed.). Project Gutenberg. p. 336. ISBN 055356370X. 
  2. ^ Paul Taylor. Hackers: Crime in the Digital Sublime (November 3, 1999 ed.). Routledge; 1 edition. p. 200. ISBN 0415180724. 
  3. ^ Steve Mizrach (2009). "The electronic discourse of the computer underground". Florida International University. http://www.fiu.edu/~mizrachs/cudisc.html. Retrieved May 10, 2009. "Gordon Meyer, a sociologist who has since left academia but continues to be involved in the computer industry (and to publish the Computer Underground Digest), wrote in his seminal paper The Social Organization of the Computer Underground that the "computer underground consists of actors in three roles - computer hackers, phone phreaks, and software pirates."" 
  4. ^ "Interview with Chris Davis". Public Broadcasting Service. 2001. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/hackers/interviews/davis.html. Retrieved May 9, 2009. 
  5. ^ Brian Blomquist (May 29, 1999). "FBI'S web site socked as hackers target feds". New York Post. http://archive.nypost.com/fbi%27s-web-site-socked-as-hackers-target-feds/475198.html. Retrieved May 8, 2009. 
  6. ^ a b c Andrew Brandt (April 2, 2001). "Hacker Speak". PC World (magazine). http://www.pcworld.com/article/44370/hacker_speak.html. Retrieved May 10, 2009. 
  7. ^ a b c "Computer User Sentenced". The New York Times. May 1, 1983. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F01E2D71338F932A35756C0A962948260. Retrieved September 11, 2008. 
  8. ^ a b c pg 26—Richard Gissel. Digital Underworld (August 23, 2005 ed.). Lulu. p. 222. ISBN 1411644239. 
  9. ^ a b Robert Vamosi (January 27, 2006). "Cybercrime does pay; here's how". CNET Reviews. http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-3513_7-6427016-1.html. Retrieved September 11, 2008. 
  10. ^ a b "Phiber Optik Goes to Prison—Issue 2.04". Wired. April 1994. http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/2.04/eword.html?pg=5. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
  11. ^ Elinor Mills (June 23, 2009). "Q&A: Mark Abene, from 'Phiber Optik' to security guru". CNET Networks. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10270582-83.html. Retrieved June 28, 2009. 
  12. ^ "American owns up to hijacking PCs". BBC News. January 24, 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4642566.stm. Retrieved June 22, 2009. 
  13. ^ Debra Wong Chang - United States Attorney (May 8, 2006). ""Botherder" Dealt Record Prison Sentence for Selling and Spreading Malicious Computer Code". United States Department of Justice. http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/cybercrime/anchetaSent.htm. Retrieved June 22, 2009. 
  14. ^ Kevin Poulsen (2009). "Michigan Wi-Fi hacker jailed for nine years". The Register. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/12/16/long_prison_term_for_lowes_hacker/. Retrieved June 22, 2009. 
  15. ^ "Judgement in a Criminal Case, 5:03CR53-02, Western District of North Carolina" (PDF). timmins. December 16, 2004. http://www.timmins.net/court/503cr00053.30.smj.pdf. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
  16. ^ Tony Long (February 7, 2007). "February 7, 2000: Mafiaboy's Moment". Wired. http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/02/72573. Retrieved May 23, 2009. 
  17. ^ a b "Mafiaboy given eight months". The Register. September 13, 2001. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/09/13/mafiaboy_given_eight_months. Retrieved May 23, 2009. 
  18. ^ "FBI Facts and Figure 2003". Federal Bureau of Investigation. April 2003. Archived from the original on March 26, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070326115414/http://www.fbi.gov/libref/factsfigure/factsfiguresapri2003.htm. Retrieved March 27, 2007. 
  19. ^ a b "Chad Davis, "Global Hell" Hacker, Sentenced to Six Months in Prison, Three Years Probation., For Air Force Network Hacks". United States Department of Justice. March 1, 2000. http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/cybercrime/davis.htm. Retrieved May 11, 2009. 
  20. ^ a b c d "Hack to the future". The Age. May 25, 2003. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/05/24/1053585748340.html. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
  21. ^ Dreyfus, Suelette (1997). Underground: Tales of Hacking, Madness and Obsession on the Electronic Frontier. pp. 48–49. http://www.xs4all.nl/~suelette/underground/Underground.pdf. 
  22. ^ a b Dreyfus, Suelette (1997). Underground: Tales of Hacking, Madness and Obsession on the Electronic Frontier. pp. 48–49. http://suelette.home.xs4all.nl/underground/Underground.pdf. 
  23. ^ a b Dreyfus, Suelette (1997). Underground: Tales of Hacking, Madness and Obsession on the Electronic Frontier. pp. 43–45. http://suelette.home.xs4all.nl/underground/Underground.pdf. 
  24. ^ Dreyfus, Suelette (1997). Underground: Tales of Hacking, Madness and Obsession on the Electronic Frontier. pp. 45–46. http://suelette.home.xs4all.nl/underground/Underground.pdf. 
  25. ^ John Leyden (July 6, 2001). "‘Bill Gates’ hacker escapes jail". The Register. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/07/06/bill_gates_hacker_escapes_jail/. Retrieved September 11, 2008. 
  26. ^ "Teen hacker escapes jail sentence". BBC News. July 6, 2001. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/1424937.stm. Retrieved September 11, 2008. 
  27. ^ a b Poulsen, Kevin (April 6, 2007). "Court Okays Counter-Hack of eBay Hacker’s Computer". Wired News. http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2007/04/court_okays_cou/. Retrieved April 21, 2010. 
  28. ^ a b Michael Newton (2004). The Encyclopedia of High-Tech Crime and Crime-Fighting (November 2003 ed.). Checkmark Books, an imprint of Facts on File Inc.. p. 416. ISBN 0816049785. 
  29. ^ a b "MySpace speaks about Samy Kamkar's sentencing". TechSpot. January 31, 2007. http://www.techspot.com/news/24226-myspace-speaks-about-samy-kamkars-sentencing.html. Retrieved December 27, 2010. 
  30. ^ a b Brian Krebs (February 27, 2007). "They'll Always Have Paris". The Washington Post. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2007/02/theyll_always_have_paris.html. Retrieved May 9, 2009. 
  31. ^ a b George V. Hulme (July 15, 2004). "Hacker Lamo Sentenced To Home Detention". Information Week. United Business Media, Inc. http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=23901163. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
  32. ^ a b "Kevin Mitnick sentenced to nearly four years in prison". United States Department of Justice. August 9, 1999. http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/cybercrime/mitnick.htm. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
  33. ^ a b "Hacker sentenced, must program jail computers". Associated Press. USA Today. February 6, 2002. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2001-03-09-coolio.htm. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
  34. ^ a b Ronald B. Standler (August 14, 2002). "Judgment in U.S. v. Robert Tappan Morris". rbs2. http://www.rbs2.com/morris.htm. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
  35. ^ a b "News came from echoroukonline.com". echoroukonline. May 7, 2010. http://www.echoroukonline.com/. Retrieved May 7, 2010. 
  36. ^ "Teen Pleds Guilty in Blaster Worm Attack". CRN Magazine. August 12, 2004. http://www.crn.com/security/28700075;jsessionid=GD1P1VZBBVIF0QSNDLOSKHSCJUNN2JVN. Retrieved May 11, 2009. 
  37. ^ "Blaster-B worm author sentenced to 18 months in jail - but bigger villain remains free, Sophos reports". Sophos Plc. January 28, 2005. http://www.sophos.com/pressoffice/news/articles/2005/01/va_parsonsentence.html. Retrieved May 11, 2009. 
  38. ^ a b Henry Weinstein (March 23, 1991). "Hacker Enters Guilty Plea in Theft of Computer Data". Business; PART-D; Financial Desk: Los Angeles Times. p. 2. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/61150772.html?dids=61150772:61150772&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+23%2C+1991&author=HENRY+WEINSTEIN&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&edition=&startpage=2&desc=Hacker+Enters+Guilty+Plea+in+Theft+of+Computer+Data. Retrieved May 9, 2009. 
  39. ^ Rodney Hoffman (March 27, 1991). "Legion of Doom's "Terminus" sentenced". RISKS Digest. http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/11.35.html. Retrieved May 9, 2009. 
  40. ^ Rodney Hoffman (March 31, 1991). "Correction Re: Terminus". RISKS Digest. http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/11.36.html#subj4. Retrieved May 9, 2009. "Under the plea agreements, ... Rose ... will serve a year in prison." 
  41. ^ a b "Creator of Melissa Computer Virus Sentenced to 20 Months in Federal Prison". United States Department of Justice. May 1, 2002. http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/cybercrime/melissaSent.htm. Retrieved May 11, 2009. 
  42. ^ a b Kevin Poulsen (June 15, 2001). "Solar Sunrise hacker ‘Analyzer’ escapes jail". The Register. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/06/15/solar_sunrise_hacker_analyzer_escapes/. Retrieved September 11, 2008. 
  43. ^ a b "Two years jail for UK virus writer who infected 27,000 PCs, Sophos reacts". Sophos Plc. January 21, 2003. http://www.sophos.com/pressoffice/news/articles/2003/01/va_vallorjail.html. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
  44. ^ "Two who raided computers pleading guilty—Late City Final Edition, Section 1, Page 6, Column 1, 383 words". The New York Times. March 17, 1984. http://www.nytimes.com/1984/03/17/us/two-who-raided-computers-pleading-guilty.html. Retrieved May 9, 2009. 
  45. ^ a b Robert Blincoe (September 27, 2001). "Kournikova virus kiddie gets 150 hours community service". The Register. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/09/27/kournikova_virus_kiddie_gets/. Retrieved May 10, 2009. 
  46. ^ John Leyden (September 14, 2001). "Anna Kournikova virus author stands trial". The Register. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/09/14/anna_kournikova_virus_author_stands/. Retrieved June 22, 2009. 
  47. ^ Joris Evers (September 28, 2001). "Kournikova Virus Writer Found Guilty". PC World. http://www.pcworld.com/article/63746/kournikova_virus_writer_found_guilty.html. Retrieved May 23, 2009. 

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