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Teenager charged over "Blaster" worm
AP - An American teenager known online as "teekid" was arrested and placed on electronic monitoring for allegedly unleashing a version of the "Blaster" computer worm that infected thousands of computers.
US Magistrate Judge Susan Richard Nelson told Jeffrey Lee Parson, of Minnesota, not to access the internet or any other network connection as a condition of his release.
He did not enter a plea during his initial court appearance.
Parson, 18, admitted during an interview with the FBI and Secret Service agents that he had modified the original "Blaster" infection earlier this month and created a version known by a variety of different names, including "Blaster.B.," court papers said.
At least 7,000 computers were affected by Parson's worm, prosecutor Paul Luehr said.
Collectively, different versions of the virus-like worm, alternately called "LovSan" or "Blaster," snarled corporate networks worldwide, inundating more than 500,000 computers, according to Symantec Corp, a leading anti-virus vendor.
Experts consider it one of the worst outbreaks this year.
All the Blaster variants took advantage of a flaw in Microsoft Corp's flagship Windows software.
Parson is the first person arrested in connection with the attack. Investigators would not say whether any other arrests were imminent.
Parson's next hearing was scheduled for September 17 in Seattle, where the case was being investigated.
He faces one federal count of intentionally causing damage to a protected computer.
If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $US250,000 ($A391,358).
Tom Heffelfinger, the US attorney for Minnesota, said the case will be turned over to a grand jury to decide whether more charges will be filed.
"This kind of prosecution should be a warning shot across the bow of hackers," Heffelfinger said.
"We're serious about it, and we're coming after you."
In court, the high school senior wore a T-shirt that read "Big Daddy" on the front and "Big and Bad" with a grizzly bear on the back.
He sported a metal stud under his lip and his hair was dyed blond on top and shaved close around the sides and back.
Parson's public defender for the hearing, Lionel Norris, argued for putting him on home monitoring. He is allowed to leave home only for doctor visits and school.
Parson was told he would be assigned a permanent public defender after he said he had no income, no assets and only $3 in a savings account.
His mother, Rita Parson, seated in the back row of the courtroom, sighed heavily and wiped tears from her face before the hearing. Neither she nor Parson's father, Robert, would comment afterwards.
Luehr told the judge the Blaster variants caused $5 million to $US10 million ($A7.83-$15.65 million) worth of damage to Microsoft alone.
FBI and Secret Service agents searched Parson's home in the Minneapolis suburb of Hopkins on August 19 and seized seven computers, which are still being analysed. One remaining computer will also be removed.
Authorities said Parson told the FBI he built into his version a method for reconnecting to victim computers later.
Investigators said the worm allowed him to access individual computers and people's personal communications and finances.
It wasn't immediately clear how he might have used that information.
Parson apparently took few steps to disguise his identity.
As a byproduct of each infection, every victim's computer sent signals back to the "t33kid.com" website that Parson had registered in his own name, listing his home address.
The computer bug also included an infecting file called "teekids.exe" that experts quickly associated with Parson's website. Hackers routinely substitute "3" for the letter "e" in their online aliases.
After Parson's arrest, professional virus-hunters across the internet were chagrined.
"It's kind of embarrassingly simple," said Nick Fitzgerald of New Zealand, a widely recognised expert.
"I guess we should praise the Lord for stupid people, right?"
Parson's website, which was operated from computers physically in San Diego, contained software code for at least one virus and a listing of the most damaging viruses circulating on the internet.
In Washington state, US Attorney John McKay praised the work of federal agents and of Microsoft, saying their collaboration helped quickly track the source of the worm.
©AAP 2003
AP - An American teenager known online as "teekid" was arrested and placed on electronic monitoring for allegedly unleashing a version of the "Blaster" computer worm that infected thousands of computers.
US Magistrate Judge Susan Richard Nelson told Jeffrey Lee Parson, of Minnesota, not to access the internet or any other network connection as a condition of his release.
He did not enter a plea during his initial court appearance.
Parson, 18, admitted during an interview with the FBI and Secret Service agents that he had modified the original "Blaster" infection earlier this month and created a version known by a variety of different names, including "Blaster.B.," court papers said.
At least 7,000 computers were affected by Parson's worm, prosecutor Paul Luehr said.
Collectively, different versions of the virus-like worm, alternately called "LovSan" or "Blaster," snarled corporate networks worldwide, inundating more than 500,000 computers, according to Symantec Corp, a leading anti-virus vendor.
Experts consider it one of the worst outbreaks this year.
All the Blaster variants took advantage of a flaw in Microsoft Corp's flagship Windows software.
Parson is the first person arrested in connection with the attack. Investigators would not say whether any other arrests were imminent.
Parson's next hearing was scheduled for September 17 in Seattle, where the case was being investigated.
He faces one federal count of intentionally causing damage to a protected computer.
If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $US250,000 ($A391,358).
Tom Heffelfinger, the US attorney for Minnesota, said the case will be turned over to a grand jury to decide whether more charges will be filed.
"This kind of prosecution should be a warning shot across the bow of hackers," Heffelfinger said.
"We're serious about it, and we're coming after you."
In court, the high school senior wore a T-shirt that read "Big Daddy" on the front and "Big and Bad" with a grizzly bear on the back.
He sported a metal stud under his lip and his hair was dyed blond on top and shaved close around the sides and back.
Parson's public defender for the hearing, Lionel Norris, argued for putting him on home monitoring. He is allowed to leave home only for doctor visits and school.
Parson was told he would be assigned a permanent public defender after he said he had no income, no assets and only $3 in a savings account.
His mother, Rita Parson, seated in the back row of the courtroom, sighed heavily and wiped tears from her face before the hearing. Neither she nor Parson's father, Robert, would comment afterwards.
Luehr told the judge the Blaster variants caused $5 million to $US10 million ($A7.83-$15.65 million) worth of damage to Microsoft alone.
FBI and Secret Service agents searched Parson's home in the Minneapolis suburb of Hopkins on August 19 and seized seven computers, which are still being analysed. One remaining computer will also be removed.
Authorities said Parson told the FBI he built into his version a method for reconnecting to victim computers later.
Investigators said the worm allowed him to access individual computers and people's personal communications and finances.
It wasn't immediately clear how he might have used that information.
Parson apparently took few steps to disguise his identity.
As a byproduct of each infection, every victim's computer sent signals back to the "t33kid.com" website that Parson had registered in his own name, listing his home address.
The computer bug also included an infecting file called "teekids.exe" that experts quickly associated with Parson's website. Hackers routinely substitute "3" for the letter "e" in their online aliases.
After Parson's arrest, professional virus-hunters across the internet were chagrined.
"It's kind of embarrassingly simple," said Nick Fitzgerald of New Zealand, a widely recognised expert.
"I guess we should praise the Lord for stupid people, right?"
Parson's website, which was operated from computers physically in San Diego, contained software code for at least one virus and a listing of the most damaging viruses circulating on the internet.
In Washington state, US Attorney John McKay praised the work of federal agents and of Microsoft, saying their collaboration helped quickly track the source of the worm.
©AAP 2003
