January 13, 2009
UK NASA Hacker Update
Nasa hacker: I'll plead guilty in the UK, ZDNet
"Self-confessed hacker Gary McKinnon has told UK prosecutors he will plead guilty to charges in the UK, a move that could help him avoid extradition to the US. Show related articles McKinnon has been accused by US prosecutors of "the biggest military hack of all time", after entering Nasa and Pentagon systems."
NASA Hacker May be Tried in UK, PC World
"While McKinnon says his exploits did not cause any damage, the U.S. allege that McKinnon stole 950 passwords and deleted files at a naval base in New Jersey, responsible for replenishing munitions and supplies for the Atlantic fleet. They also maintain the intrusions disrupted computer networks used by the military that were critical to operations conducted after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The U.S. estimates the damage caused by McKinnon at $700,000."
Posted by kcowing at January 13, 2009 10:02 AM
I keep telling those guys in the UK press that it's NASA, not Nasa.
Somehow they just don't get it even when I send them the NASA web link.
Posted by: Mark S. at January 13, 2009 12:05 PMLike ram (random access memory) and radar NASA/Nasa has been promoted to a word.
p.s. My spelling checker wants NASA in all capitals.
Posted by: Andrew Swallow at January 13, 2009 5:41 PMI really don't understand the US government's attitude about this guy.
Firstly, there was no malicious intent to his actions. He was looking for evidence that aliens were behind the UFO phenomenon. That makes him a kook, not Osama bin Laden's CIO.
Secondly, there is the issue of the guy's reported learning difficulties. This raises the question as to the degree that he can be held criminally liable for his actions.
Finally... this guy broke into the Pentagon's computer systems and apparently made it look easy. Throwing him in prison is simply an unconscienable waste of resources. The CIA, NSA and MI6 should have him paying off whatever damage he caused by hacking for THEM!
Editor's note: he has admitted that he purposefully attacked my country's defense cyber infrastructure. In so doing he did considerable damage. In this country you go to jail for that. But I guess in the UK if you cry and moan enough you do not have to be held responsible for your actions.
Posted by: Ben the Space Brit at January 14, 2009 4:27 AM
As an information security manager at an international bank, I love this story.
This type of hacker is a true anachronism. These days it's all card fraud and extortion. Getting hacked by a good old fashioned looser (sorry Gary) for no good reason at all is genuinely heart warming.
Still, nostalgia isn't what it used to be and the cost to an organisation in investigating the extent of penetration, assessing the potential impact and then re-instating control can be quite considerable, so I have full sympathy for NASA and DoD.
However they should be very, very embarrased and very, very, keen to fix their problems which, in case it isn't obvious, are definitely not rocket science.
Hacking and even the mere possession of hacking tools in most circumstances are criminal offences in the UK and both carry custodial sentence.
Whether personal inadequacy is a defence, I really could not say. But really, if you hack the Pentagon what can you possibly expect? Forgiveness? Understanding? An invitation to tea?
LOL.
Posted by: Ed, another Brit at January 14, 2009 6:58 AM