Teen Pleads Not Guilty to Cyberattack

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26930-2003Sep17.html

By GENE JOHNSON
The Associated Press
September 17, 2003

SEATTLE - A high school senior pleaded innocent Wednesday to a federal
charge alleging he crippled more than 7,000 computers by modifying a
version of the "Blaster" worm.

Jeffrey Lee Parson, 18, of Hopkins, Minn., appeared briefly before
U.S. Magistrate Mary Alice Theiler in jeans and a T-shirt and left the
courthouse without speaking to reporters.

He was arrested Aug. 29 and faces one count of intentionally causing
damage to a protected computer. The maximum sentence is 10 years in
prison.

Parson said little in court, other than to acknowledge his identity
and tell the judge "Good afternoon."

A trial was tentatively set for Nov. 17 in Seattle. Parson has been
placed under home detention, but is allowed to attend school.

Authorities said Parson admitted during an interview with federal
agents that he modified the original "Blaster" infection last month
and created a version known by a variety of names.

Parson has said the government overstated its case to try to make an
example of him.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Floyd Short disputed that following
Wednesday's hearing, saying "we're just trying to hold him
accountable.

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 antivirus vendor. Experts consider it one of the worst
outbreaks this year.



-
ISN is currently hosted by Attrition.org

To unsubscribe email majordomo () attrition org with 'unsubscribe isn'
in the BODY of the mail.