Arrested Teen in Internet Attack a loner with 7 computers

ya lol crackers who don't cover their tracks.

I think that an example needs to be made of this kid. Writing graffiti on walls is one thing. Writing a virus that messes up businesses and individuals is quite another. Indict the SOB!

well really if the biz would have covered the problem on there own then there would be no problem.....it was targeted toward microsoft a company who social engineers new comp buyers into thinking they are the only OS on the market. The question is why should the kid go to jail for writing code that exploited a bad line of code in a product? I guess Microsoft should cover their ass a lil better and not ignore the security problems. Forgive me but I fail to see what it messed up on indavidual comps or in general really. "Government and industry experts had anticipated such an outbreak since July 16, when Microsoft acknowledged the flaw" it was public....ppl could have protected themselves...they didn't. It only infected ppl who didn't keep themselves protected and at that ppl who use windows lol.

safecracker,

I am having trouble not only with what you posted but also understanding what could lead you to even say that.

It's tantamount to saying a burgular is not at fault for breaking into a house of there is a window close to the door. Why didn't they bar up the window?

And furthermore your comment about the worm not having "messed up" computers is ludicrous. This worm has cost millions of dollars in damages. What the heck are you talking about?

It costs businesses time (which is money), I spent 4 hours doing tech support for infected users around the US for my company. It costs millions of dollars in data loss. It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars in bandwidth when it tries to DDoS.

Did you really mean what you said? Because it's not reflected in the reality I see.

it cost them money because they didn't protect themselves from a known hole...they had a false sense of security ....it's not just the kids fault.....I was working on Kev's server today I patched a hole that is not public...they didn't even patch a hole that was.

Did you see this kid? He looked like he couldn't get a date with Janet Reno to an outdoor barbecue.

Oh I'm with you in that prevention is better than a cure. And I also sympathyze with the curiosity that leads people to toy with viruses.

But to take malicious code, improve it to make it more dangerous and intentionally release it is simply criminal.

Basically, what I'm saying is that it comes down to stupidity versus criminality. Sure those who don't take preventative measures are acting in a foolhardy way, but thr kid was not just being daft, he was being criminal.

BTW, Kev from this site?

I know a lot of Windoze admins from my workplace that would like to get their hands on him.

And it's not like it just affects unpatched boxes. A company whose site I made spent a few thousand to upgrade their routers because of all the scanning this worm was doing.

guess they didnt do there job cj...and no kev as in my buddy kev mitnick...was just kind of looking over some things for him and seen it his admin said fix it so I did. I agree writing the type of virus code that involves PC's is wrong and having malicious intent is wrong but it goes both ways. On the other hand ppl who just explore to understand inner workings of systems better should never be prosiquted if they do not harm things. I'm playing devils advocate here because it really is a 2 sided arguement that I see points on both sides of.

cjsha
cjsha, on what are you basing your comment re his ability to get a date?
And what is its relevance?

BumbleBeeBoogie

Just that he looks like a typical recluse. If he hadn't done this it may have been another Columbine instead. Hard to say.

poor kid

safe,

If I remember correctly Kevin Mitnick is barely allowed to touch a computer. And you are fixing them FOR him? Makes him sound even more overrated.

his probation is up but he is not over rated he just doesn't admin his network the site is on he's a busy man. read his book Art Of Deception he's no slouch and I'm not exactly bad with network security either lol. The man just don't got time.

You are batting two for two so far. You know the most famous Jiu Jitsu fighter and the most famous hacker and both are from different countries.

You appear to be very well connected.

Apparently his name is Jeffrey Lee Parsons, from Hopkin Minnesota.

Aug 30, 2003
Teenager Arrested for Launching Version of Worm a Loner With Seven Computers, Neighbors Say
By Joshua Freed
Associated Press Writer

HOPKINS, Minn. (AP) - A high school senior accused of launching a damaging version of a computer virus is a loner who drives too fast, neighbors said.
Bill McKittrick called 18-year-old Jeffrey Lee Parson "a computer genius," but not a criminal.

"He's smart on the computer, but I cannot believe he was doing any hacking," McKittrick said.

Another neighbor, Curtis Mackey, said the teen has few friends and drives too fast in their neighborhood.

"He's just got one kid he hangs with typically," he said. "He speeds up our street and it really ticks me off."

Parson, known online as "teekid," was arrested Friday. Court papers said FBI and Secret Service agents searched Parson's Hopkins home on Aug. 19 and seized seven computers, which are still being analyzed.

In an interview with FBI Special Agent Eric Smithmier, Parson admitted modifying the original "Blaster" infection and creating a version known by a variety of different names, including "Blaster.B.," court papers said.

Parson nearly always wears baggy jeans with T-shirts and sports constantly changing hair cuts and colors, neighbors said. Last time Mackey saw him, he had long, blond hair and spikes on the top.

He never saw Parson with a computer and was surprised he'd developed a computer virus.

"I didn't think he had the smarts for it myself," he said, adding, "The profile kind of fits. He kind of liked to be alone a lot."

Parson operated the t33kid.com Web site, according to Internet registration records. The site appeared Friday not to have any content on it but previously contained software code for at least one virus and a listing of the most-damaging viruses circulating on the Internet.

The FBI said in court documents that at least 7,000 computers were infected by Parson's software.

Parson told investigators he built into his version of the Blaster worm a method for reconnecting to victim computers later, according to court papers. Infected computers automatically registered themselves with Parson's Web site so he could keep track of them.

Next-door neighbor Rick Peterson said he and his family were grilling a week ago Tuesday when about 30 federal agents swooped down on Parson's apartment and seized the computers. They forced Peterson's family into their garage.

As Parson awaited his first court appearance Friday, a red curtain was drawn across a window at the family's home and no one answered the door. Callers were greeted only by a black cat silhouetted in the window.

Different versions of the virus-like worm, alternately called "LovSan" or "Blaster," snarled corporate networks. Symantec Corp., a leading antivirus vendor, said the worm and its variants infected more than 500,000 computers worldwide. Experts consider it one of the worst outbreaks this year.

All the Blaster virus variants took advantage of a flaw in Microsoft Corp.'s flagship Windows software.

AP-ES-08-30-03 0125EDT

This story can be found at: http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGA9QB17ZJD.html

My terminology may be faulty, but the Tender Years Doctrine argues that because of youth and inexperience and lack of sophistication a 15-16-17-18 year old can't comprehend the chaos (and/or heartbreak) that his actions may cause.

I doubt that any hacker is unaware of potential damage.

Safecracker argument seems to be that mugging the "undefended" is not particularly reprehensibile if the "undefended" are not "defenseless". Because Microsoft's programming was flawed (undefended) and because Microsoft is a corporate giant (not defenseless) that they are fair game.

Suppose the owners of infected computers are equated with rape victims. No real crime was committed because the computer owners were asking for it.

Foolish doesn't mean "fair game".