Military Hacker Wins Right to Appeal Against US Extradition

[Fronken]

The USA certainly wouldn't extradite to the UK if the situation were reversed so I say charge him here in the UK, he didn't intend to cause any damage and the money spent repairing the damage was probably spent upgrading security to prevent further attacks - which is probably money well spent, better a conspiracy nut then someone actually capable of doing some real damage with that sort of information.

Couldn't agree more.

This guy didnt do any real harm, he exposed security flaws without using them to cause harm, yeah, its illegal, but he did the american government a favor by doing so, if someone else who had something against america would've had the ability to hack NASA, Defence Department and the Army, we could all be fucked, the information he could have stolen could have been sold to countries who wish to destroy USA.

So my verdict on the case: Minimum penalty followed by employment by the american government, having such a "leet" hacker on your side would greatly increase their ability to find flaws in their security.

 

[Dark Crusader]

...But what if he had done more damage, regardless of intent?

I mean, he was messing with the American government.
I don't know about other people, but I'm shocked that people aren't taking this as an affront to America itself.

The point being, he didn't, to pursue him so greatly on the point that he could have done more damages is like suing someone who just about broadsided your car, because he could have done you damage.
Besides, although America shouldn't be thanking him, and he should be punished, it shouldn't be for 70 years. That's a little extreme, they are only doing it to make a point out of him, "Don't hack us, or we'll put you in jail for seventy years", which is more than a little un-just, and the exact opposite to what they should do. They should offer him a few years in jail, IF he shows them how he did it, either that or they should re-design their security systems, because unless my memory is playing tricks with me, the Pentagon and whatnot has been hacked before. To be able to hack into one computer shows major problems with security, let alone 97 from different networks, who's to say some-one who is just as skilled, but less clumsy hasn't already used the same securty hole?

 

[BobisOnlyBob]

Maybe not seventy years no. But 4-5 years is what we give repeat illegal parking offenders who don't pay their tickets.

And you don't see a systematic flaw in your criminal offence law?

 

[bad rider]

I'd think he needs a bit more than community service, don't you?

Well its a bit of a slap round the face, hey your going to do some community service, oh nevermind your going to do 70 years in prison....

 

[bad rider]

Whoops double post.

 

[mokes310]

The USA certainly wouldn't extradite to the UK if the situation were reversed so I say charge him here in the UK, he didn't intend to cause any damage and the money spent repairing the damage was probably spent upgrading security to prevent further attacks - which is probably money well spent, better a conspiracy nut then someone actually capable of doing some real damage with that sort of information.

Yup, agreed.

 

[Dommyboy]

How did he cause the damage anyway?

 

[Logan Westbrook]

How did he cause the damage anyway?

Apparently he deleted more than a thousand user names as well as critical system files.

 

[Dommyboy]

How did he cause the damage anyway?

Apparently he deleted more than a thousand user names as well as critical system files.

Well that's a bit odd for searching for UFO's. Though this whole scenario is odd.

 

[Skrapt]

How did he cause the damage anyway?

Apparently he deleted more than a thousand user names as well as critical system files.

Even if he deleted those would that really cause all the monetary damage they claim? Accounts lost - couple of weeks to replace them, certainly not the $800,000-$1,000,000 the US claim, the costs were more likely incurred in beefing up the security after the attacks (as Mckinnon has apparently already told them exactly how he did it) and as many have said, the costs were pretty much required anyway if some conspiracy nut could break in, and better him then someone who could do some real damage.

 

[n64link]

IIRC, he was "hacking" (he guessed passwords) into the department of defense systems for a few years, 98-02 I think. He did cause several federal emergency response systems to be down for three months before during and after 9/11/01. Intentinal or not, he rubed salt on the 9/11 wound, for the US governmet. Hence why the would press for the 70 years. I think he should be extodited, and given 20-30 years in a low security jail. I don't wish for him to worry about droping th soap. Also, no internet for the sentence duration plus five years.

The damages are for the critical system files, ever delete a bunch of random system files on your computer? HDD wipe and reinstall, just mutiply that by the 98 computers. I'm sure atlest a few of those were servers.

I talked about this a few months ago on another fourm. I need to find the articles that give the timeline of how ling he was hacking, I can't remember.

 

[johnman]

...But what if he had done more damage, regardless of intent?

I mean, he was messing with the American government.
I don't know about other people, but I'm shocked that people aren't taking this as an affront to America itself.

Yes but people see that as a good thing.
I read about this in a paper. He said how surprised he was by how easy it was, some computers had no protection at all and he left messages on them telling them to actaully protect their network after he had hacked it.

 

[silentsentinel]

Still, I wonder what he found in there... there's got to be some interesting information in there, even if the info doesn't pertain to UFOs.

 

[stompy]

First of all, if he's offering his method to the US government, they should take it. Hell, give him a reduced sentence in return for the information. As for where he should be charged, it should be the UK... the US would not extradite a US citizen to the UK, so why should the UK?

 

[Brotherofwill]

I say we send Bruce Willis after him!

 

[Kevvers]

Can't we just recruit the guy into the A-Team or something? Set him to work on all those Chinese and Russian computer system, see what he can dig up there. He can keep any 'UFO info' he finds.

 

[asamoah19]

So in summary: I don't care that he has AS. The "robbing a story" analogy is prety valid imo. The fact is that he broke the law, and knew what he was doing.

Not, targeting this post, but using it as an example, of where I reckon some people are not getting this guys case. A friend of mine has AS, he's one of the funniest, most out going guys I know, and you'd probably not know something was up at first glance.

The problem is thus, my friend has little or no empathy, which as most will know is the ability to understand or sympathise with other emotions or emotional states, this has led to on numerous occasions my friend going to far with a joke, or simply not understanding what he is doing, or has done has caused, hurt, anger or even joy in some cases, so whilst AS does not stop someone from being able to tell if what they are doing is write or wrong, it does stop them from being able to understand full the consequences of their actions. At the end of the day someones desire to prosecute another individual is merely a way of channeling, and exercising negative emotion.

 

[footloose4]

Latest! Boris Johnson (Mayor of London) has joined the fight to keep McKinnon in UK. See www.theregister. Common sence is at last is appearing.