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Russian Student Arrested For Revealing DirecTV Secrets

Posted by timothy on from the all-over-again dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The Associated Press is reporting the arrest of Igor Serebryany, 19, of Los Angeles for industrial espionage under the Economic Espionage Act of 1996. Serebryany is accused of providing details of DirecTVs 'P4' card technology to a number of websites."

4 of 459 comments (clear)

  1. How did he get the docs? by Zachary+Kessin · · Score: 1, Redundant

    What I want to know is how did he get the information in the first place. It sounds like he broke into the company's computer or he worked for them and released stuff that was not suposed to. If he broke in I have no sympathy for him. And if he worked for them and he realesed docs that he should have *KNOWN* were private then his name should be mud.

    --
    Erlang Developer and podcaster
  2. Re:Sounds about right. by schwart · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Ah, common sense prevails. What this guy did is no different than stealing plans from a company and giving them away. Why wouldn't that be a crime (and why shouldn't it be)?

  3. This is good by aridhol · · Score: 2, Redundant
    OK, this guy "acquires" design documents for DirecTV's system. How did he get them? He probably acquired them illegally. Then, holding documents that were probably labelled as "Internal Use - Do Not Distribute", he distributes them to warez sites. Then we make a big deal 'cause he gets busted.

    Listen people. You do the crime, you do the time. Would we be whining if he was arrested for stealing DirecTV's CEO's car? How about their money? Why are these documents any different?

    --
    I can't say that I don't give a fuck. I've just run out of fuck to give.
  4. Fry him by Uhh_Duh · · Score: 4, Redundant


    Since he obtained the documents working for a law firm, and I have a hard time believing a law firm wouldn't make an employee sign an NDA, this guy should fry.

    No sympathy for those that distribute trade secrets. Intellectual property is far too valuable to ignore cases like this.

    My 2.5 cents.

    --
    -- People who hate Windows use Linux. People who love UNIX use BSD.