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MySpace Worm Creator Sentenced

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the wear-the-hat-and-sit-in-the-corner dept.

Aidan Steele writes "Remember Samy? The creator of the infamous worm was unfortunate enough to be the the target in MySpace's latest litigation. As was said in the earlier story, the script was "written for fun" and caused no damage. The source and technical explanation for the "attack" was not even released until after MySpace had patched the vulnerability. Apparently this was enough to get the 20 year old (19 at the time of writing the worm) three years of probation, three months of community service, pay restitution to MySpace and is also banned from the Internet. Clearly, disclosing security vulnerabilities doesn't pay."

3 of 387 comments (clear)

  1. Summary is wrong... by TubeSteak · · Score: 5, Informative

    "The creator of the infamous worm was unfortunate enough to be the the target in MySpace's latest litigation."

    AFAIK, a civil court (which is where MySpace would have to sue Samy) doesn't ban people from the internets or sentance them to community service. And TFA says he pleaded guilty in LA Superior Court... you don't plead guilty in civil court.

    Here's a better article

    Samy Kamkar (aka 'Samy is my Hero') plead guilty yesterday in Los Angeles Superior Court to a violation of Penal Code section 502(c)(8) as a felony and was placed on three years of formal probation, ordered to perform 90 days of community service, pay restitution to MySpace, and had computer restrictions placed on the manner and means he could use a computer - he can only use a computer and access the internet for work related reasons.

    Undoubtedly, the prosecutor had MySpace's cooperation, but MySpace certainly didn't "target him" in court.

    P.S. of the 3 articles on Google News submitter picked the least informative one.

    --
    [Fuck Beta]
    o0t!
  2. Re:How can anybody be banned from internet? by TubeSteak · · Score: 5, Informative

    How do you ban someone from the internet? What if he leaves the country? What if he tries to download movie times on his cell phone? I do not think any governing power would have the ability to ban someone from the internet.
    Samy is on probation.
    He now has a probation officer.
    If Samy violates the terms of his probation, he can go to jail.
    This is how they enforce the internets banhammer.

    If Samy leaves the country, much less leaves the state, he has violated the terms of his probation and probably goes to jail. If Samy downloads movies on his cellphone, for non-work related reasons, he has violated the terms of his probation and could go to jail.

    Being banned from the internet is no different than being banned from driving, or from going into [place of business] or going near schools, or from possessing [item X], etc.

    Judges have this type of power and use it frequently.
    --
    [Fuck Beta]
    o0t!
  3. Re:Idea by jamshid · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's insane that he is getting in this much trouble, myspace should instead be thanking him for making their site more secure.

    His explanation of how he overcame a series of lame myspace.com attempts at security (http://fast.info/myspace/) should be mandatory reading for anyone writing a web application.