- A computer hacker from east London who exploited the
vast power of a nuclear laboratory's computer network to download films
and music from the internet is being sued for £21,215 by the American
government.
-
- Joseph McElroy, 18, an Exeter University student from
Woodford Green, broke into 17 computers at the Fermi National Accelerator
Laboratory near Chicago, which deals with research into high energy sub-atomic
particles.
-
- His intrusion triggered a security alert and caused officials
to "press the panic button", Bow Street magistrates' court was
told yesterday.
-
- "The United States took this matter very seriously
because of the nature of the laboratory. It deals with both classified
and non-classified networks," Sean Larkin, prosecuting, told the court
at an earlier hearing.
-
- The network was shut for three days while the US Department
for Energy, which controls the nuclear arsenal, alerted Scotland Yard's
computer crime unit, which tracked McElroy to his bedroom. He admitted
breaking into the network. At a previous hearing he admitted unauthorised
modification of the contents of a computer.
-
- Stuart Sampson, prosecuting yesterday, said the American
government estimated the cost of repairs, as a result of the hacking, at
£21,000 in lost manpower hours.
-
- Due to the large amount of compensation sought, District
Judge Daphne Wickham referred the case to Southwark Crown Court, where
McElroy will face a sentencing hearing in the New Year.
-
- © Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2003.
-
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news
- /2003/12/19/nhack19.xml&sSheet=/news/2003/12/19/ixhome.html
|
