Spyware Maker Indicted on Hacking Charges

An anonymous reader writes "The San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting that Carlos Enrique Perez Melara, the author of an investigative tool called 'Lover Spy,' has been indicted on 35 counts of federal hacking violations. This begs the question: if you develop and sell a software product, are you responsible for what your users choose to do with it?" From the article: "Perez, a native of El Salvador, probably is in the Los Angeles area, said Stewart Roberts, the second highest-ranking agent at the San Diego FBI office. Crime Stoppers has offered a $1,000 reward. Perez is charged with 35 crimes, each of which carries a potential five-year prison sentence if he is convicted. "

Comments

sue soup

[hostyle]

If they are suing the people who use the spyware against others and the peson who wrote the spyware, why are they not suing the company who wrote the software that makes it so easy for spyware to exist?

THOUSANDS DEAD, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS LOST!

[Anonymous Coward]

Hurricane Katrina is going to hit this nation with historic destruction and you idiots are talking about spyware? Get some priorities!!!

Use of Hacker

[Anonymous Coward]

I hate this constant use of the word "hacker" when the correct usage of the word should be "cracker". A hacker is someone who is curious about computers(but not necessarily computers) and constantly searches for knowledge. Cracker is one who breaks into computers. It is the media that is poisoning the word "hacker" I think the use of the word in that context should stop. Didn't RMS send a letter to some media company a while ago about this?

Re:Why should you not be responsible?

[ZeroExistenZ]

If you're a caveman...

I stopped reading there man...

Re:Grrr.. That "hacking" term-abuse again

[E8086]

I didn't realize it was this bad, from m-w.com
hack
4 a : to write computer programs for enjoyment b : to gain access to a computer illegally
that's 4 a&b almost implying a connection: "to write computer prograams to gain access to a computer for enjoyment"

dictionary.com is a little better
2 Informal.
      a. To write or refine computer programs
skillfully.

should be:
hack, v
1 to (skillfully) modify

to someone somewhere at some time this would be illegal: "I hacked my friend's computer to install another 5.25" floppy drive"

the definition of "hack" should be split into "hack" and "haxor" with "hack" getting the good parts and "haxor" getting the bad parts, the script kiddies.