A botnet of 1.3 million PCs skimmed an estimated £10m from bank accounts
Teenager admits to million-PC botnet scam
/v3-uk/news/1947247/teenager-admits-million-pc-botnet-scam
01 Apr 2008, Iain Thomson , V3
A teenager has pleaded guilty to running a botnet of 1.3 million PCs from his home in New Zealand.
Owen Thor Walker used the botnet to skim an estimated £10m from the bank accounts of internet users as part of an online gang.
The 18 year-old was caught in November during the FBI's Operation Botroast II, which is trying to track down virus writers and botnet owners.
Walker wrote the code that allowed others to bypass anti-malware filters and install a Trojan that specifically harvested bank account details.
It is unclear whether he significantly profited from accessing the bank accounts, but he did sell his code to others.
Using the online name 'Akill', Walker wrote the code while still a minor. But after pleading guilty to six charges of accessing a computer for dishonest purposes, interfering with computer systems, possession of software for committing crime and accessing computer systems without authorisation, he could face up to seven years in prison.
However, Judge Arthur Tompkins said in court that, because of Walker's youth and his affliction with Asperger's Syndrome which can result in deficiencies in social skills, he would not be considering a custodial sentence.
Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, said: "In some ways he is a young guy so why ruin his life with a jail sentence that would cast a shadow over his whole life.
"If he didn't make a lot of money doing this then he probably won't do this again. At the same time there are a lot of young people out there with the skills who may be tempted to give it a try."
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Do you agree?
If he didn't make a lot of money?
"Owen Thor Walker used the botnet to skim an estimated £10m from the bank accounts of internet users as part of an online gang."
Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, said: "If he didn't make a lot of money doing this then he probably won't do this again. "
TEN MILLION? not a lot of money? Nah let him off and send the right message to online crooks.........
Posted by C WILLIAMS, 01 Apr 2008
He should be horsewhipped
This shows that the judiciary in New Zealand is about as soft as that in the UK. Although the UK judge would have sent him on an expensive foreign holiday as well. Do any of them take into account the mental anguish of the people scammed by this guy's actions?. Regardless of his mental problems he should have been given a custodial jail sentence and banned for life from using a computer if for no other reason than to deter others. These nerds, and those that create malware, should be made to learn that just because you can do it is no reason to prove how clever you are by causing pain and distress to others.
Posted by Bring back Hanging, 02 Apr 2008
EXEcute
No tolerence, if any crook knows its wrong to do what they are doing, EXEcute
Posted by JD, 01 Apr 2008
A crime is a crime
It is time to put some teeth in ecrime enforcement, end the free ride for the havoc they create in others lives. We need to send a strong message to the criminals at large. The punishment should match the crime and act as a detterent to others. If for no other reason, consider the suffering of the families affected by these crimes.
Posted by Beverley Nash, 04 Apr 2008
Is this how we teach our kids to be responsible ?
If this is the trend, Become a hacker ruin peoples lives and have no fear because you won't be punished. At least have him work to pay back the people he has hurt and see the damage to others peoples lives he has caused and is still causing because his code is still out there. My father taught me I am responsible for my own actions and I have to stand up and be accountable for
my actions,no ifs and or buts.
Posted by Sean T. Donnellan, 02 Apr 2008
The world has got it all wrong
The world has got it all wrong,if only people who do physical harm go to jail then the jails should only be half full and the other poor blighters who steal money, cars etc, rob people by skimming the credit cards and leave the victims in financial difficulties ,break into houses and steal the contents,the poor bankers who made a couple of hundred million pounds in dodgy share dealing should be given a brush and told to sweep the street for week or 2 and not to be a bad boy (or girl).
Posted by Jake, 02 Apr 2008