Hacker Faces Prison
APRIL 27, 2006 (REUTERS) - To the U.S., he is a seriously dangerous man who put the nation's security at risk by committing "the biggest military computer hack of all time." But Briton Gary McKinnon says he's just an ordinary computer nerd who wanted to find out whether aliens and UFOs exist. During his two-year quest, McKinnon broke into computers at the Pentagon, NASA and the Johnson Space Center, as well as systems used by the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force.
APRIL 27, 2006 (REUTERS) - To the U.S., he is a seriously dangerous man who put the nation's security at risk by committing "the biggest military computer hack of all time."
But Briton Gary McKinnon says he's just an ordinary computer nerd who wanted to find out whether aliens and UFOs exist.
During his two-year quest, McKinnon broke into computers at the Pentagon, NASA and the Johnson Space Center, as well as systems used by the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force.
U.S. officials say he caused $700,000 worth of damage and even crippled vital defense systems shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
The unemployed computer programmer is now battling extradition to the U.S., where, if found guilty, he faces up to 70 years in jail and fines of up to $1.75 million. His lawyer fears he could even be sent to Guantanamo Bay.
It's all a far cry from how he first got into hacking: watching a film about a teenage boy who breaks into a military central computer and almost starts World War III.
"I had seen the film War Games, and I do remember clearly thinking at the time, that's amazing – a great big military computer system and a young, spotty teenager," the soft-spoken 39-year-old told Reuters in an interview.
A decade later, McKinnon, armed with information gleaned from the book The Hacker's Handbook, began snooping.
During 2000 and 2001, from his home in Hornsey, North London, he turned his sights on the American government and military – using a computer with just a 56K dial-up modem.
"My main thing was wanting to find out about UFOs and suppressed technology," he said, insisting his intention was not to cause damage. "I wanted to … find out stuff the government wouldn't tell you about." you can read more about it here:
ghost
Mr_Cheese 18 years ago
he didnt actually break them. thats just media bullshit. the most he did was leave text files on their desktop with silly messages.
Mr_Cheese 18 years ago
he didnt actually break them. thats just media bullshit. the most he did was leave text files on their desktop with silly messages.
ghost 18 years ago
He was caught almost a year ago wasnt he? His trial is just coming up soon i think…
ghost 18 years ago
What an idiot, he blatantly hadn't a clue what he was doing by the sound of it, (deleting 1300 user accounts? wtf?! yeah way to get caught, retard, he may as well have phoned them up and said "hi, im hacking your computers") he was probably just lucky to get in in the first place (or unlucky depending how you look at it). And now he gets his ego stroked by the media making it out to be "the biggest military computer hack of all time". Give me a break….
ghost 18 years ago
sorry i submitted it with out putting source sry its: http://www.computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/hacking/story/0,10801,110937,00.html you can read more about it
ghost 18 years ago
ugh, dumbasses, we need natural predators to take care of people like that. not even I am taht dumb. im not taht far in hacking, but i mean…come on…
Mr_Cheese 18 years ago
lucid_dream - any reports of damage that was caused is bullshit. he did no such thing and simply got - got info - got out. the furthest he went in distrupting their systems was leaving text files on the desktop stating he had hacked that computer. its true he is no skilled hacker, i could teach my grandma to do what he did without too much trouble. he also stated he sniffed several other hacker communications whilst inside ther networks. however he was the only one stupid enough to download a program with his true personal details. hence why he got caught.
ghost 18 years ago
Lol i love people that can't take other people's achievements for what they are, and needa flame em to hell to boost their own egos… :|
ghost 18 years ago
Oh I'm sorry, did he achieve something? Aside from probably getting a long-term jail sentence in Guantanamo Bay I mean… No, you're right, I'm sorry, i take back what I said, he clearly surpasses all of our inferior knowledge put together, he managed to break into some computers and get caught for it… looking for proof regarding aliens no less… he's a GENIUS :P
He's got balls, I'll give him that. To attempt it in the first place takes balls, but the real skill in hacking lies not in breaking in, it's in leaving no trace behind you, an area where, quite clearly, he failed.
Mr_Cheese 18 years ago
LASTEST UPDATE: the UK courts have decided he should be extrodited to the USA which means… he's in the shit. The Home Secretary has the final say, but its likely he will agree with the courts.
ghost 18 years ago
Its ironic he will spend more time in prison than a 40yr old raping a little child. Laws are more fucked up than the people they convict.
ghost 18 years ago
dang that guy is soo down, but he just wanted some info …thats down …..yeah but like the_flash said the punishment really doesnt fit the crime ….(or no crime)
…i wonder how he feels now about the goverment and shit :o:o:(:)
ghost 18 years ago
dang that guy is soo down, but he just wanted some info …thats down …..yeah but like the_flash said the punishment really doesnt fit the crime ….(or no crime)
…i wonder how he feels now about the goverment and shit :o:o:(:)
ghost 18 years ago
putting him in jail will only exacerbate the problem that he got inside. US have to assume he saw what he wanted to see and if he did they are more likely to employ him then imprison him.
ghost 18 years ago
the US g'ment are screwed anyway, they are a disease. This man is freakin idol, hes like god. well..nearly…you wanna know the US is so scared? cos of what lexr3000 said, he saw something, soemthnig big and they know if hes in their little concerntration camp he cant speak. The truth is coming out one day. he should be given a medal not a sentence
ghost 18 years ago
But think about it, if it isn't password protected. it's not a breach of the data protection act as it is not hidden files. Im gussing he would have a decent lawyer, i can't imagine him being put away for that long