Posted: March 19th, 2009 | Author: Catherine | Filed under: Privacy / Security | Tags: definitions, hacker, malware, patches, security | 2 Comments »
There used to be telltale signs when the computer had been infected with malware. The computer might slow down to the point where it would take minutes to load programs and pages on the internet. Another example is the blue screen appearing and indicating that the computer had crashed - and most likely the current work has disappeared too. That was in the old days of malware. Now, malware is much more sophisticated:
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Posted: September 26th, 2008 | Author: Catherine | Filed under: General | Tags: Carleton University, criminal charges, hacker, malware, Mansour Moufid, security, whistle blower | 4 Comments »
As a consequence of exposing a flaw in the university security system, Mansour Moufid is leaving Carleton University:
“A Carleton University student has quit school after being hit with a fine and other sanctions for hacking into a university computer to steal identification and financial data from 32 student cards, then sending a report to the victims and the university detailing how he did it.
Mansour Moufid, 20, a second-year math student who used the alias Kasper Holmberg in his report, said he made his decision Thursday after receiving a letter from the university detailing his punishment.”
link: Student hacker drops out of Carleton
Mr Moufid may face criminal charges. Some in the university community considers Mr Moufid as a ‘whistle blower’ who exposed an unacceptable flaw in security. Obviously, Carleton University disagrees.
Catherine Forsythe
Posted: September 13th, 2008 | Author: Catherine | Filed under: General | Tags: Carleton University, criminal, hacker, keystroke logger, malware, Mansour Moufid, security | 2 Comments »
A university student faces criminal charges for exposing a school security flaw:
“A Carleton University student is facing criminal charges, accused of stealing user names, passwords, financial information and other data from 32 other students to expose security flaws in the university’s student card system.
Mansour Moufid, 20, is charged with mischief to data and unauthorized use of a computer, Ottawa police said Thursday in a release.”
link: Alleged Carleton hacker faces criminal charges
The means by which the security flaws were exposed are characteristic of a sophisticated hack. There is the malicious software - and the keystroke recordings. The argument is that the data gathered were not used in an exploitive manner. The security issue was revealed to the university and the victims by the hacker.
It is the ‘means-justify-the end’ argument. Is this hacker a criminal?
Catherine Forsythe
Posted: July 16th, 2008 | Author: Catherine | Filed under: General | Tags: career, court ruling, crime, hacker, New Zealand | 1 Comment »
An eighteen year old hacker had charges dropped because he had a “potentially bright career”. Owen Walker was charged as a teen and it was not for a small crime:
“…Investigators called Mr Walker’s programme one of the “most advanced” they had seen, prosecutors said.
He did not take money from people’s accounts, but he was paid nearly $31,000 (£15,500) for software he designed that gave the cyber-ring access usernames, passwords and credit card details.”
link: NZ teenage hacker charges dropped
It seems that Owen Walker used his computer skills for criminal purposes. This ruling sets a horrible precedent. He had financial gain from his activities. The people who were victimize by this teenager’s program may think that this ruling minimizes the crime.
Catherine Forsythe
