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In 2003, 19 year old hacker Jeffrey Lee Parson
downloaded a copy of the MS Blaster Internet worm, and modified it to give
himself backdoor access to computers. He then proceeded to infect nearly 48,000
and cause about $1.2 million in damage. This was not his first
successful attempt to wreak Internet havoc, as he was already a veteran
hacker.
Parson could have faced 10 years in prison
for this act, if he had not pleaded guilty. But the judge gave him only 18
months in jail. I can't help thinking that if it were me standing in front
of that judge, I would not be so lucky to receive that kind of leniency. Are Hackers Who Cause Problems Criminals?
Should hackers, virus / worm creators, and others out to cause problems
on the Internet be treated like any other
criminal? The fact is, millions upon millions of dollars are lost each year
because of computer compromise by hackers, worms, and viruses. Not to
mention how much money is lost and how many peoples lives are destroyed
because of online fraud or scams.
Personally, my opinion goes back to the old
saying, "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime". I know there are
many grey areas when it comes to cyber-crime, believe me, I deal with this
all the time in my line of work. Internet crimes should be treated
seriously, and those who commit them should pay the price. If they don't,
what type of deterrent is there to stop the next attack?
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