15-Year-Old Arrested For Hacking 259 Companies

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15-Year-Old Arrested For Hacking 259 Companies

Posted by samzenpus on Wednesday April 18, 2012 @08:04AM from the needs-more-homework dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Austrian police have arrested a 15-year-old student suspected of hacking into 259 companies across the span of three months. Authorities allege the suspect scanned the Internet for vulnerabilities and bugs in websites and databases that he could then exploit. As soon as he was questioned, the young boy confessed to the attacks, according to Austria's Federal Criminal Police Office (BMI)."

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Not hacking by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:06 · Score: 4, Informative

nerd voice
Excuuuuse me. The term is 'cracking'.
/ nerd voice
1. Re:Not hacking by SJHillman · 2012-04-18 08:10 · Score: 1
  
  2600 would disagree
2. Re:Not hacking by Tarlus · 2012-04-18 08:15 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  The teenager used various hacking tools widely available on the Internet, including software that helped him remain anonymous.
  Nothing more than a script kiddie.
  
  --
  /* No Comment */
3. Re:Not hacking by jellomizer · 2012-04-18 08:21 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  A real hacker would break into 256 companies, not 259... What was he thinking?
  Unless he actually broke into 512 or 1024 companies.
  
  --
  If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
4. Re:Not hacking by mcgrew · 2012-04-18 08:34 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Citation? because the AC is correct. I understand how muggles confuse nerd terms, but they've taken OUR word for modifying hardware or writing quick-and-dirty single-use code and we let the muggles mangle the meaning of OUR word! As someone already pointed out, he's not a "hacker", he's a script kiddie. The hackers wrote the code he used for his cyberburglary and cybervandalism.
  I never thought I'd see the day when we would be acceptable, let alone the day normal people pretend to be us.
  
  --
  Free Martian Whores!
5. Re:Not hacking by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:44 · Score: 0
  
  Are you suggesting that serious black hats eschew the use of nmap, ethereal, netcat, telnet, and numerous other useful tools? Instead, they implement all of these themselves? Did they write they own compiler? Build their computer out of sand?
  "Script kiddie" doesn't mean the use of scripts, it's about the attitude embodied in the attack. If the tools are nothing but a means to an end (draining a bank account, blackmailing an executive, etc.) then you're looking at a script kiddie. The fact that tools were used, on its own is not enough to make that call.
6. Re:Not hacking by Nrrqshrr · 2012-04-18 08:45 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  He was probably aiming for 1337 companies...
7. Re:Not hacking by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:46 · Score: 0
  
  Based on the description, I think he was using sqlmap. Good program, for skiddie stuff. Gets the job done. IMHO if you're not hacking for political/leaking reasons, you shouldn't use automated programs.
8. Re:Not hacking by betterunixthanunix · 2012-04-18 08:48 · Score: 1
  
  He is saying that some people say that "hacker" only refers to people who like to illegally break computer security systems, by referring to 2600, a hacker group known for that sort of thing. I say that anyone who is curious can read 2600 magazine and see that while there are a lot of articles about breaking security systems, there are other articles that are within the scope of the old school meaning of the word "hacker."
  
  --
  Palm trees and 8
9. Re:Not hacking by amRadioHed · 2012-04-18 08:54 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  First, you use a made-up word...
  Care to give an example of a word that is not made-up?
  
  --
  We hope your rules and wisdom choke you / Now we are one in everlasting peace
10. Re:Not hacking by spire3661 · 2012-04-18 08:55 · Score: 0
  
  all words are made up. Muggle is a valid word. It will be in the dictionary someday because people use it.
  
  --
  Good-bye
11. Re:Not hacking by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 09:02 · Score: 0
  
  If the tools are nothing but a means to an end (draining a bank account, blackmailing an executive, etc.) then you're looking at a script kiddie.
  Aren't tools always just that? I'm having a hard time thinking of a time they're not.
12. Re:Not hacking by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 09:02 · Score: 0
  
  The correct word is 'running' a pre-written script. The guy isn't a hacker/cracker, just a script kiddie.
13. Re:Not hacking by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 09:22 · Score: 0
  
  whoooooosh.
  the point GP made was that just because someone uses tools written by others does not make him a script kiddie. It's the purpose he uses the tools for that defines whether he is a script kiddie (not doing anything productive, e.g. blackmailing, etc) or a hacker (doing something worthwhile like programmable toaster).
14. Re:Not hacking by SJHillman · 2012-04-18 09:23 · Score: 1
  
  Go read 2600 - or go buy their Best Of book, a good read. The editors have repeatedly stated that they're against using the term "cracker" to denote a malicious hacker. I never said whether or not cracker is the correct term, just that 2600 disagrees.
15. Re:Not hacking by treeves · 2012-04-18 09:27 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Well, there are only a few of those. That's why they're 1337. Duh.
  
  --
  ...the future crusty old bastards are already drinking the Kool-Aid.
16. Re:Not hacking by naturaverl · 2012-04-18 09:27 · Score: 1
  
  Not anonymous enough.
17. Re:Not hacking by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 09:33 · Score: 0
  
  Dyslexic
18. Re:Not hacking by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 09:34 · Score: 1
  
  Care to give an example of a word that is not made-up?
  Grunt
  It's not made up, because its use predates written languages.
19. Re:Not hacking by DurendalMac · 2012-04-18 09:36 · Score: 2
  
  I'd say it's more the level of understanding that differentiates. If you get the tools, have no idea how they work, don't care how they work, etc, then you're a skiddie. If you do know, understand, try to, maybe tinker with them on the lower levels, then maybe you're something more.
20. Re:Not hacking by SendBot · 2012-04-18 09:37 · Score: 1
  
  Look, I haven't read any Harry Potter books or seen any of the movies, but even *I* know what a muggle is! God forbid you try to look it up yourself:
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muggle
21. Re:Not hacking by DarwinSurvivor · 2012-04-18 09:47 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  all words are made up. Muggle is a valid word. It is in the dictionary because people use it.
  http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/muggle?q=muggle
22. Re:Not hacking by Medievalist · 2012-04-18 09:53 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Bruce Perens was addressing a bunch of geeks once and somebody asked him to use the word cracker instead of hacker when referring to computer criminals. Bruce replied "I refuse to use the word cracker because it's insulting to georgian-americans, and will continue to use the phrase computer criminals". I laughed my ass off, but he was right.
23. Re:Not hacking by Tarlus · 2012-04-18 10:07 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  "Script kiddie" doesn't mean the use of scripts, it's about the attitude embodied in the attack. If the tools are nothing but a means to an end (draining a bank account, blackmailing an executive, etc.) then you're looking at a script kiddie. The fact that tools were used, on its own is not enough to make that call.
  I certainly have no qualm with this. That said, I hold that "script kiddie" perfectly fits the description of a 15-year-old who defaces websites and leaks their back-end to the Internet, with probably limited skills. I could be wrong, maybe he's a technical genius who just needs better guidance. Either way, that is a purely pernicious attitude, and while I agree that most web developers/admins deserve this kind of wake-up call, the kid had no greater motive than the enjoyment of stirring the pot under the shroud of anonymity. And that attitude deserves a derogatory name like "script kiddie."
  
  --
  /* No Comment */
24. Re:Not hacking by MightyYar · 2012-04-18 10:11 · Score: 1
  
  I'm asking this as someone who wouldn't even qualify as a script kiddie...
  If you were hacking into sites (blackhat, whitehat, whatever), would you do so from home? I would think that at the very least, you'd get in your car and look for open WiFi. I imagine that with the high-speed cell networks and prepaid phones you could even afford to hack from anywhere with a cell signal.
  But certainly not from your home network?
  
  --
  W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
25. Re:Not hacking by hellkyng · 2012-04-18 10:28 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Actually I believe he was going for 640 companies broken into, and that really ought to be enough for anyone.
26. Re:Not hacking by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 10:30 · Score: 0
  
  That's not a word its an onomatopoeia
  surely you knew that
27. Re:Not hacking by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 11:18 · Score: 0
  
  The only problem here is with the headline which should read "hacking into 259 companies." Yes a script kiddie "cracks a computer" which is the less common version of "hacks into a computer" which is different from "hacks together a computer." In the same way as a thief "breaks into the house" whereas a tornado "breaks the house apart." It's quite common in English - and some other languages - that the same word is used to convey different meanings based on the accompanying preposition.
28. Re:Not hacking by History's+Coming+To · 2012-04-18 12:46 · Score: 1
  
  One of the connotations "script kiddie" carries is of a certain naiveté. In many cases people will download a ready-made script (hence the term) to, for example, scan for a security hole in an out-dated Wordpress installation, I see them the whole time in my server logs.
  
  You're correct though, doing it from behind your home router is generally a dumb thing to do because it's so traceable. The easy alternative is to go through anonymous proxy servers which don't log the traffic (and they do have legitimate uses, both morally and legally). Or, as you point out, find a different physical network, although this is still traceable in many ways if you're suspected of nefarious japes.
  
  --
  Please consider this account deleted, I just can't be bothered with the spam anymore.
29. Re:Not hacking by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 13:01 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  because you always use the word muggles incorrectly.
30. Re:Not hacking by cffrost · 2012-04-18 14:39 · Score: 1
  
  all words are made up. Muggle is a valid word. It is in the dictionary because people use it.
  http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/muggle?q=muggle
  Haha I love Oxford's example: "she’s a muggle: no IT background, understanding, or aptitude at all"
  
  --
  Thank you, Edward Snowden.
  
  "Arguments from authority are worthless." —Carl Sagan
31. Re:Not hacking by Securityemo · 2012-04-18 14:54 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  For defacement, "asshole" is a much better term regardless of skill level. Moral judgment should be separate from judgment of skill.
  
  --
  Emotions! In your brain!
32. Re:Not hacking by WillHirsch · 2012-04-18 16:09 · Score: 1
  
  When are nerds going to accept that "hacking" has a perfectly legitimate second meaning? It is really really simple. If the object of the hacking is a technology, you can carry on using the maker-hobbyist-anorak definition. But when the object is an individual or a group using some sort of electronic security, hacking means compromising that security in whatever way you want. If the hacking is being done "into" something, there is no ambiguity at all. This has been the understood meaning ever since people who don't know how to hack in any form have had cause to talk about hacking.
33. Re:Not hacking by DurendalMac · 2012-04-18 18:00 · Score: 1
  
  Well, you can be an asshole if you just throw crap for defacement or you can be an asshole if you build your own custom software and find a new exploit to steal a bunch of SSNs for identity theft. Skiddie is almost universally negative, but someone could use such tools for a good cause. Shame that it's so rare.
34. Re:Not hacking by DarwinSurvivor · 2012-04-18 19:21 · Score: 1
  
  Hmm, sounds like an IT-Crowd reference... Must investigate!
35. Re:Not hacking by tehcyder · 2012-04-18 23:31 · Score: 2
  
  First, you use a made-up word...
  Care to give an example of a word that is not made-up?
  God.
  
  Oh, wait...
  
  --
  To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
36. Re:Not hacking by Ash-Fox · 2012-04-19 00:09 · Score: 1
  
  When are nerds going to accept that "hacking" has a perfectly legitimate second meaning?
  Never. You have your answer.
  
  --
  Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
37. Re:Not hacking by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-19 00:18 · Score: 0
  
  No. No. No. No.
  "Script kiddie" referrs to the skillset of the hacker without regard for the toolset in use. Many wanna-be "hackers" only have the skills provided by whatever scripts they happen to collect off of the internet. Meaning, while they can hack, their ability to do so exists soley based on the efforts of real hackers who have written these scripts. Thusly, "script kiddie" is a derogitory term applied to someone who has no real hacking skills of their own, leverages the works of others, while pretending they are a hacker themselves.
  "Attitude" and other imaginary attributes have absolutely nothing to do with this topic.
  Thusly, at the age of 15, its a reasonable assumption he nothing more than a "script kiddie", unless someone can shine additional light on things, which indicates he possed real knowledge and real skills.
38. Re:Not hacking by mcgrew · 2012-04-19 01:05 · Score: 1
  
  Yes, it's a made-up word, but is in common useage. It's simply someone who is normal, not a wizard.
  
  --
  Free Martian Whores!
39. Re:Not hacking by sfhock · 2012-04-19 02:40 · Score: 1
  
  http://bit.ly/IAXJB0 he disagrees
  
  --
  "Let's go find some Turian and beat the shit out of him ... That always cheers you up!!"
40. Re:Not hacking by Myopic · 2012-04-19 04:02 · Score: 2
  
  I disagree. My understanding is that "hacker" predates "cracker", and that some nerds decided they didn't like the pejorative sense of "hacker", so they adopted it as their own (cf. "nigger") and proffered "cracker" as a pejorative replacement. Most nerds, and all non-nerds, rejected this attempt at redefining the word "hacker", and continued to use it with its original meaning. To this day, that minority of nerds, especially the ones who like rhetorical pugilism, continue to make their specious case on Internet forums.
  I offer the Oxford dictionary as a cite: hacker. Note that your preferred definition is given as a secondary, informal definition. Their definition of "cracker" is similar.
41. Re:Not hacking by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-20 12:58 · Score: 0
  
  'Muggle' is a perfectly cromulent word.
42. Re:Not hacking by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-21 12:54 · Score: 0
  
  Depends on how old he really is.
Hacking is not a crime. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:06 · Score: 1

It's a survival trait.
1. Re:Hacking is not a crime. by kelemvor4 · 2012-04-18 08:20 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  It's a survival trait.
  Right. Just like when I was a kid we used to say "skateboarding is not a crime".... until we got in trouble for it.
2. Re:Hacking is not a crime. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:59 · Score: 0
  
  I'm sure he'll remember that when he's gang raped in prison
3. Re:Hacking is not a crime. by Dainsanefh · 2012-04-18 09:48 · Score: 1
  
  He will probably get probation instead. This is Europe, not Amerika, remember...
  
  --
  Twitter: @dainsanefh
4. Re:Hacking is not a crime. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 09:50 · Score: 0
  
  First of all, he'd be going to juvenile hall. Second of all, touching a child (he's 15) is the ONLY well established rule in prison that will get you shanked on the spot.
5. Re:Hacking is not a crime. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 10:26 · Score: 0
  
  raping a woman is a good warranty too !
Not surprised by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:06 · Score: 2, Funny

Austria is a former penal colony. All their citizens are descended from criminals.
1. Re:Not surprised by Dutchmaan · 2012-04-18 08:11 · Score: 0
  
  Let's put another shrimp an the Bahbie!!!! /JimCarrie
2. Re:Not surprised by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:16 · Score: 0
  
  Yeah? Well, your mom's a former penile colony, so there's that.
3. Re:Not surprised by DarwinSurvivor · 2012-04-18 09:51 · Score: 1
  
  Right, because nobody immigrates there...
4. Re:Not surprised by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 10:41 · Score: 1
  
  As this is Austria I would say the correct /idiotic/ reply should have been something like "Thow another strudel in the oven"
script kiddie by rst123 · 2012-04-18 08:08 · Score: 2

Any one else read this as nmap and known vulnerabilities?
1. Re:script kiddie by rsmith84 · 2012-04-18 08:10 · Score: 2
  
  I was thinking the exact thing. That plus good old hacker-target.com
2. Re:script kiddie by sl4shd0rk · 2012-04-18 09:12 · Score: 1
  
  Any one else read this as nmap
  No, Nessus.
  
  --
  Join the Slashcott! Feb 10 thru Feb 17!
3. Re:script kiddie by motd2k · 2012-04-18 10:18 · Score: 1
  
  Almost all the kiddie sweeps we're seeing these days are from acunetix.
Hey by obliv!on · 2012-04-18 08:08 · Score: 1

That's 1507 systems to you and he's 11! ;)
1. Re:Hey by nschubach · 2012-04-18 08:13 · Score: 1
  
  Hell, if it were me... I think I'd stop at popular numbers. Pick a pattern of common computer values like 16 sites, then stop for a while, then 64, then 256, then 1024.
  
  --
  Every time I start to have faith in humanity, I ruin it by driving to work between 7 and 8 am.
2. Re:Hey by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:57 · Score: 0
  
  He was hacking systems, not crashing them. And 1507 would be an ambitious target considering he'd have to do them all in one single day.
System Operator arrested by Ranx · 2012-04-18 08:09 · Score: 5, Funny

System Operator arrested for leaving the computer system of the company he worked for vulnerable for attacks by kids. Oh wait...

--

Me
1. Re:System Operator arrested by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:13 · Score: 0
  
  Yes, that is not an arrestable offense. Just as we don't arrest people who have had their house broken into.
2. Re:System Operator arrested by nschubach · 2012-04-18 08:15 · Score: 2
  
  ...or their lawn gnomes stolen for not chaining them down!
  
  --
  Every time I start to have faith in humanity, I ruin it by driving to work between 7 and 8 am.
3. Re:System Operator arrested by TehZorroness · 2012-04-18 08:18 · Score: 2
  
  But do we arrest bankers who keep confidential client information in their house while they are on vacation and leave the back door unlocked so their neighbor can feed their cat? That seems like a closer analogy.
4. Re:System Operator arrested by noahwh · 2012-04-18 08:20 · Score: 1
  
  Perhaps you mean fired? Or possibly promoted, if it's a government job.
5. Re:System Operator arrested by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:22 · Score: 0
  
  Should have automated it entirely and taught the dog to sit on his space bar.
6. Re:System Operator arrested by Lunix+Nutcase · 2012-04-18 08:26 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  No. We don't arrest bankers, silly. We give them golden parachutes.
7. Re:System Operator arrested by Skapare · 2012-04-18 08:30 · Score: 1
  
  Yes, that is not an arrestable offense. Just as we don't arrest people who leave their house unlocked.
  There, fixed it for ya.
  
  --
  now we need to go OSS in diesel cars
8. Re:System Operator arrested by izomiac · 2012-04-18 08:40 · Score: 1
  
  OTOH, we would probably fire a safe designer if a 15 year old could easily open it without the combination. Similar to how someone in charge of physical security would be terminated if 15 year olds could non-destructively enter the building as they pleased.
9. Re:System Operator arrested by Opportunist · 2012-04-18 08:55 · Score: 1
  
  But at least the insurance refuses to pay if you leave the key under the doormat, or don't even close the door altogether.
  Not so with computer crimes. No matter what a complete idiot you are, you're never to blame.
  
  --
  We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
10. Re:System Operator arrested by Opportunist · 2012-04-18 08:56 · Score: 2
  
  We arrest bankers? Huh? Where? Hell, they're completely exempt from any liability as well, they can ruin whole economies and nobody will bother.
  
  --
  We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
11. Re:System Operator arrested by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:58 · Score: 0
  
  I'm not sure about houses, but in Western Australia at least it is a crime to be more than 3 m away from your car if it isn't locked.
12. Re:System Operator arrested by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:59 · Score: 0
  
  I know a number of 15 year olds who can pick your standard building locks.
  In fact, I met half a dozen at Defcon last year. :-)
  Should we fire all the physical security people now? The problem isn't the people, it's that security isn't the cheapest option, and often the security guys aren't forceful enough with management to point this out and simply let them go with what's cheap.
13. Re:System Operator arrested by ArsenneLupin · 2012-04-18 09:00 · Score: 2
  
  But what if the lawn gnomes then commit mischief elsewhere? Shouldn't the owner be held responsible? Just look at what happened to France, after some sloppy gardener didn't pay attention to his gnome...
14. Re:System Operator arrested by ZeroSumHappiness · 2012-04-18 09:19 · Score: 1
  
  Wow. That's absurd. That's beyond absurd. That's Monty Python level absurdity. I can see it now, a thief informing a cop that he just stole everything from a cop and the cop going off to fine the car's owner.
  I can't wait until a thief unlocks a car, steals everything in it, then leaves it unlocked for the owner to later be fined. I guess that means it's effectively illegal to have broken locks on your car or to lose your door key for older cars that have separate door and ignition keys.
  What is going on here. I don't get it. This is pretty much just victim blaming.
15. Re:System Operator arrested by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 09:34 · Score: 0
  
  But at least the insurance refuses to pay if you leave the key under the doormat, or don't even close the door altogether.
  That's not they way my policy works and according to my searches, requiring forced entry on residential insurance is rare.
16. Re:System Operator arrested by Nikker · 2012-04-18 09:54 · Score: 1
  
  You have to wonder, at what point do these companies start to feel stupid and have to *share* the blame?
  
  --
  A loop, by its nature, continues. If that didn't make sense, start reading this sentence again.
17. Re:System Operator arrested by MightyYar · 2012-04-18 10:21 · Score: 1
  
  If only... gold would make a terrible parachute.
  
  --
  W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
18. Re:System Operator arrested by JonySuede · 2012-04-18 10:43 · Score: 1
  
  then maybe not.
  If the resistance of a nano-wiremade out of gold is acceptable, you could make a parachute constructed out of a few layer of bi-dimensionally woven gold nanowires. But it would be incredibly expensive to do so; so much that at that point that banker's parachute could be made out of unobtainium.
  
  --
  Jehovah be praised, Oracle was not selected
19. Re:System Operator arrested by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 12:05 · Score: 0
  
  We tried concentrating and killing them but they're like cockroaches.
20. Re:System Operator arrested by skine · 2012-04-18 12:19 · Score: 1
  
  Not necessarily.
  For example, the Mythbusters made a lead balloon that flew.
21. Re:System Operator arrested by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 13:18 · Score: 0
  
  I saw that episode and cannot imagine parachuting with thin ductile foil, either lead or gold. They were tearing it just by handling it and it took them forever to assemble the thing. It would shred into a billion pieces as a parachute.
22. Re:System Operator arrested by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 15:15 · Score: 0
  
  See, your problem is that you have an objectively definably baseless opinion. It has a socialist subtext, as well, so congrats--you can be safely disregarded as an idiot.
  Clue in--if you wanna hang with l33ts, get off the st33ts, and get with what is objectively correct. DO IT.
23. Re:System Operator arrested by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 20:01 · Score: 0
  
  this is why my front door lock is password controlled. I have a post-it with the password scrawled on I can leave outside if I fancy replacing my stuff for free
24. Re:System Operator arrested by aaaaaaargh! · 2012-04-18 20:36 · Score: 1
  
  Actually, if you store others confidential personal information, money, credit card info, and so in in your house as a free "cloud service" and then leave the backdoor wide open, you will get arrested if someone gets to know about it.
25. Re:System Operator arrested by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-20 14:52 · Score: 0
  
  Miss the point much?
26. Re:System Operator arrested by MightyYar · 2012-04-21 12:20 · Score: 1
  
  I don't understand... gold doesn't hold a sharp point at all. Terrible material for that.
  You people are crazy - first this talk of using golden parachutes, which would likely kill the poor bankers.
  Then you talk of making gold into points... not only would it cost way too much and add undue weight to the front of your projectile, but if the banker has any kind of body armor on it certainly couldn't pierce it.
  
  --
  W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
Brilliant by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:12 · Score: 0

This troll is brilliant. It's obvious to those of us with a crum of intelligence, and will entice the idiots who want to look smart to correct you.
Of course, I just ruined it, didn't I?
1. Re:Brilliant by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:16 · Score: 0
  
  It's obvious to anyone who has the brainpower to make their fingers type words on a computer. I've shit more subtle trolls.
2. Re:Brilliant by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:19 · Score: 0
  
  words words words crum words words words
  CumB
3. Re:Brilliant by Tarlus · 2012-04-18 08:20 · Score: 1
  
  crumb* of intelligence
  
  --
  /* No Comment */
4. Re:Brilliant by Lunix+Nutcase · 2012-04-18 08:22 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Ha ha! Spelling Nazi fail.
5. Re:Brilliant by delysid-x · 2012-04-18 08:23 · Score: 1
  
  Let's make a scrumb of intelligence
6. Re:Brilliant by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:24 · Score: 0
  
  Interesting comment. You must NOT be new here. ;-) It's a hard line we tow--you, me, and the other l33ts--aint it? Yet we go on.
7. Re:Brilliant by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:44 · Score: 0
  
  I teased out yet another guy who wants to appear smart by correcting a tame typo. Congrats, moron.
8. Re:Brilliant by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 10:06 · Score: 0
  
  By Crom! He's right!
9. Re:Brilliant by Tarlus · 2012-04-19 09:50 · Score: 1
  
  Actually, I was just amused by the irony of that statement.
  
  --
  /* No Comment */
hmm by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:16 · Score: 0

I have no sympathy for script kiddies. If he had used some sort of skill then I'd feel differently but alas he did not.
1. Re:hmm by delysid-x · 2012-04-18 08:27 · Score: 1
  
  Most 15 year olds are too lazy to even run a script if they can't do it with a console controller. The new crop of teens doesn't know anything about computers because they came up on Windows and Mac systems. When I was a teener hacking was pretty cool and got you respect on the BBS scene. These days kids just aren't into that sort of thing. I gotta give this kid props for even trying, even if he was a script kiddie. He knows a lot more than the rest of his school probably.
2. Re:hmm by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 09:13 · Score: 0
  
  ... So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time...
3. Re:hmm by uigrad_2000 · 2012-04-18 10:18 · Score: 1
  
  Who ever brought up sympathy? I think you're in the wrong discussion.
  There's a company with a professionally managed network (let's call it Goliath) that has huge open vulnerabilities. All the adults stand around and point, and discuss it. "I'd take it down, to show how bad this vulnerability is, except that it's too easy. It's not that I'm afraid of being caught... No, no, I'm not chicken. It's just... below me."
  Finally some 15 year old kiddie named David steps up, and says "Why are you so afraid of Goliath? Give me a bash-style sling, and 5 smooth scripts, and I'll take it down!"
  As David is hauled off to prison, the adults observing the matter continue to discuss it: "Well, he deserves prison. I have no sympathy for sling and smooth scripts kiddies."
  
  --
  Free unix account: freeshell.org
4. Re:hmm by tibman · 2012-04-19 00:51 · Score: 1
  
  Already commented so i couldn't mod you up. I like your perspective on this. It's also silly to assume that a skiddie would stay at that level. Most people start with preexisting tools and work their way up. But there is still disdain for it.
  
  --
  http://soylentnews.org/~tibman
Re:Fucking Australians by Mitchell314 · 2012-04-18 08:17 · Score: 1

The the number of Austrians living among Australians isn't that high though, so you can't really blame the latter . . .

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I read TFA and all I got was this lousy cookie
Hey, it's Zer0C00L! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:18 · Score: 1

His youthful adventure is about to begin.
Australian Economists by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:18 · Score: 0

Why do Australian economists always like Ron Paul? Is it because he looks like Paul Hogan's (hypothetical) gimpy brother?
Re:Fucking Americans by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:19 · Score: 1

Always fucking things up, hey dude, go on a geography class? Idiots can't tell the difference between Austria and Australia.
Things like this are why they elected presidents like W Bush...
Re:Fucking Australians by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:20 · Score: 0

Hey look. Buzz Killington came around trying to appear smart by correcting a joke. *golf clap*
Win by jdog90000 · 2012-04-18 08:21 · Score: 1

That child is a beast. Too bad he got caught xD
1. Re:Win by doston · 2012-04-18 08:49 · Score: 1
  
  That child is a beast. Too bad he got caught xD
  That's what I thought. Thought the same about the barefoot bandit. But fear not, they'll get the kid in college, hook him up with a job and turn him into a cubicle drone in no time.
Re:Fucking Australians by Tarlus · 2012-04-18 08:21 · Score: 1

Austria. Not Australia.

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/* No Comment */
Re:Fucking Australians by Lunix+Nutcase · 2012-04-18 08:23 · Score: 1

Yeah, it's almost as if they were making a joke about people who confuse them...
better tools would solve stupid law enforcement by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:24 · Score: 0

It is sad that we actually need to release a tool to protect script kiddies from stupid laws. The Internet is not a safe place and we shouldn't all lower ourselves to lhe least common denomintator just because we live in a country which has stupid laws. The rule of the Internet is YOUR responsible for your own security. If you choose to use an OS or other software which is full of holes or unpatched that is your own damm fault. If you haven't got a backup system, firewall, and other lockdown mesaures where such systems are critical then it is your own damm fault. There is no reason hacker tools (even if used by script kiddies) need be unfit for the less competent and curious. There should be a built-in safe mode that anonymises the source of the 'hacking'. It is easily doable if the russian mafia, drug cartels, hackers, eff, or similar wanted to make the investment. Tor exists and there are bot networks.
1. Re:better tools would solve stupid law enforcement by Securityemo · 2012-04-18 14:50 · Score: 1
  
  Why would any of those care about the fate of 15-year-old script kiddies?
  
  --
  Emotions! In your brain!
2. Re:better tools would solve stupid law enforcement by tibman · 2012-04-19 01:02 · Score: 1
  
  I disagree that it should be made safer for unknowing people to get into hacking. How about more lenience and forgiveness? There are guns laying around (cyber weapons) within reach of teenagers. Some kid is going to shoot a hole in the neighbor's house because he wanted to see what happened when he pulled the trigger. Have the kid do the labor to fix it and forgive him. He'll either take up shooting at a range where it's safe, quit entirely, or start his criminal career. Hopefully one of the first two. Skilled shooters will always be needed though.
  Damnit.. should have used cars in there somewhere.
  
  --
  http://soylentnews.org/~tibman
Re:Fucking Australians by Tarlus · 2012-04-18 08:24 · Score: 1

One can only wonder...

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/* No Comment */
8bit hacking by tom17 · 2012-04-18 08:31 · Score: 3, Funny

See, the problem was that he is only an 8-bit hacker. He should have stopped at 256 companies or upgraded to 16-bit.
It's the overflows that got him :(
Hollywood would disagree by betterunixthanunix · 2012-04-18 08:40 · Score: 4, Insightful

If you actually read 2600 magazine, the scope of the articles fits in with the typical definition of a hacker: someone who likes to tinker with computers and other electronics. There is something of a bias toward computer security, but I have also seen articles about undocumented functions of electronics, technical information about various networking equipment, and so forth.

Hollywood, on the other hand, turned "hacker" into a code word for "computer criminal." No surprises there, given that Hollywood's view of computing is basically the antithesis of what the old school hackers had in mind. Hollywood thinks that computers should only be programmed by licensed professionals, who can be held accountable for the software they write (e.g. deCSS). In Hollywood's view of the world, if you buy a computer that has been programmed to stop you from running your own software (e.g. an iPhone, a PS3, etc.), then defeating those restrictions is criminal behavior -- and they got that codified in the law with the DMCA.

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Palm trees and 8
1. Re:Hollywood would disagree by FingerDemon · 2012-04-18 09:14 · Score: 1
  
  Hollywood thinks...
  Citation needed...
  
  --
  
  "Contrarily the lookaside buffer might not be the panacea... "
2. Re:Hollywood would disagree by SJHillman · 2012-04-18 09:19 · Score: 1
  
  I was referring to the parent poster who (sarcastically) was saying it's cracking, not hacking. The editors of 2600 have repeatedly stated that they don't support segregating cracking and hacking, that malicious acts do fall under "hacking" just as much as non-malicious acts.
3. Re:Hollywood would disagree by Cerium · 2012-04-18 20:28 · Score: 1
  
  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113243/ :D
4. Re:Hollywood would disagree by Ash-Fox · 2012-04-19 00:14 · Score: 1
  
  The editors of 2600 have repeatedly stated that they don't support segregating cracking and hacking, that malicious acts do fall under "hacking" just as much as non-malicious acts.
  It's more to do with the fact they (2600) fall under the 'grey hat' category .
  
  --
  Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
5. Re:Hollywood would disagree by The+Pirou · 2012-04-19 02:31 · Score: 1
  
  I haven't read a fresh copy of 2600 in a very long time, but in picking up a random copy off the shelf (Fall 1998) there is an article on page 15 called 'Back Orifice Tutorial.' The article went on to describe basic social engineering skills and methodology for operating this software. There were are also several other articles of interest such as 'Screwing with Moviefone' and 'Screwing with Radio Shack & Compaq' in the particular issue, all of which seemed like they were aimed at script kiddies. As you mentioned, there are articles about undocumented functions of electronics and old school technical breakdowns, but by and large those articles probably aren't what were driving 2600 sales numbers. (After all, Emmanuel Goldstein did get name dropped by Cereal Killer in Hackers, and there was never a cooler movie than Hackers)
  
  As far as the typical definition of hacker, things change, then CISCO makes it course material so that the next generation believes it.
There go his bragging rights. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:45 · Score: 0

His goal was 420.
Catch him if you can. by InvisibleClergy · 2012-04-18 08:51 · Score: 0

When this kid graduates from college, he ought to get all the job offers ever. EVER.
1. Re:Catch him if you can. by WanQiaoYi · 2012-04-18 08:52 · Score: 0
  
  yup, hope the kid gets a good job out of it!
Re:Fucking Americans by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 08:58 · Score: 0

You mean Obama and his Austrian speaking Austrians?
some of the CIOs at the hacked places tell ceo by Joe_Dragon · 2012-04-18 09:01 · Score: 1

some of the CIOs at the hacked places should tell the ceo. This is what your cost cutting did it got us hacked as you did not give the IT team the funds to upgrade to newer software and hardware.
1. Re:some of the CIOs at the hacked places tell ceo by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 09:52 · Score: 0
  
  Or that would be a good opportunity for the CEO to get a new CIO. "your organization is the one that got us into this mess and now you want us to give you more money and you pinkie swear you will get it right this time"
  The guys at that level are not playing nice. They are looking to fuck each other over so they can be CEO...
2. Re:some of the CIOs at the hacked places tell ceo by danbuter · 2012-04-18 09:53 · Score: 1
  
  Except that would likely get the CIO fired, as CEOs are incapable of making bad decisions.
15 year old exposes idiocy of 259 companies.... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 09:06 · Score: 0

There, fixed that for you.
BEULLER!!!!! by retroworks · 2012-04-18 09:09 · Score: 1

In his defense, the lad said " Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. "

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Gently reply
At least.. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 09:39 · Score: 0

.. it keeps them off the street.
Re:Fucking Australians by Wraithlyn · 2012-04-18 10:00 · Score: 1

Or maybe in his rush for a f1st p0st, this AC actually just misread it as Australia and made a stupid attempt at humour.

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"Mind, as manifested by the capacity to make choices, is to some extent present in every electron." -Freeman Dyson
Hack the planet!!1! by WaffleMonster · 2012-04-18 10:39 · Score: 2

The only thing worse than being hacked by a bored 15 year old is being hacked by someone with an agenda.
I think governments should sponsor public hacking competitions with basic code of ethics rules and immunity from any legal or civil actions. Better than wasting billions "cyber defense".
onomatopoeias ARE words by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 11:09 · Score: 0

Surely is is obvious you didn't know that. You need to re-take kindergarten.
Re:Security blanket by b4dc0d3r · 2012-04-18 11:52 · Score: 4, Interesting

A 15 year old most likely is not mature enough to have that level of understanding.
Disregarding his age, anyone would fall into the same trap. Dip your feet in the water, and don't get caught. Go a little further, and still remain undetected. Maybe you get detected next time, but they can't find you. All from the psychologically safe bedroom/basement instead of getting in your car (which a 15 year old in Austria may not be allowed to do).
Once you truly understand how the network works, and you're writing your own tools, you understand that the safest place you can be is in public, away from anything personal including hotel reservations. But that also has to include CCTV or other surveillance. Until then, the comfort zone of "home" makes you feel you can not get caught. The illusion of safety when you are at your most vulnerable. Especially when repeated attacks come from the same place.
Disclaimer: I'm not a white hat, nor a black hat, nor an any hat. But I have read a lot about people and what makes them do stupid things.
Re:Security blanket by PuZZleDucK · 2012-04-18 12:29 · Score: 1

Thanks b4dc0d3r,
Now I know why i did all those stupid things :p

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Can a person program a new solution to a problem? Why should anyone be able to stop such a thing? -Richard Stallman
About as dangerous as foot fungus by alphatel · 2012-04-18 12:34 · Score: 2

If you look at the screenshots of what he defaced, it was default joomla templates on dead websites. If you read the forum he was in, it has about 50 active members of 2000 registered, and he was ranked the 50th best. This kid is about as dangerous as soap. If they even bother to sentence him it would be a joke. He knows nothing of real hacking and we should be thankful that Darwin has weeded him out early.

--
When the foot seeks the place of the head, the line is crossed. Know your place. Keep your place. Be a shoe.
Pathetic by Steven_M_Campbell · 2012-04-18 14:23 · Score: 1

259 companies aren't terribly embarrassed about implementing systems so badly that a 15 yr kid using cut and paste broke into their systems and viewed our personal information, credit card numbers, the dreaded social security number, etc, etc.
We really need to start taking these companies to task for their pitiful respect of the information we entrust to them. The kids in the wrong, no argument from me there, but couldn't they at least have invested enough effort to prevent point and drool attacks from working?
"Pathetic" -- Chiun
1. Re:Pathetic by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-20 14:57 · Score: 0
  
  Until it is cheaper to secure your networks, than let the odd attack happen businesses will not bother. There is serious lack of knowledge in the people that impose fines on these companies, and serious lack of knowledge in the public that can force change.
Re:Security blanket by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 14:23 · Score: 0

All from the psychologically safe bedroom/basement instead of getting in your car (which a 15 year old in Austria may not be allowed to do).
There is about 15,000km (and a L) difference between Austria and Australia
Re:Fucking Americans by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 15:30 · Score: 0

How do you "go on" a class?
Young Boy by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 16:46 · Score: 0

"As soon as he was questioned, the young boy confessed..."
15-years old is not a young boy. 8-years old is a young boy, though. The author probably has no kids.
over 256? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-04-18 20:32 · Score: 0

an overflow occurred
Not Hacking by alan11 · 2012-04-18 22:13 · Score: 1

Ok no problem, everyone is trying their best to give their best ,in my view boy's career is very bright if follows the + path Granite Worktops
Re:Security blanket by karnal · 2012-04-19 04:28 · Score: 1

And an additional "a" if we really want to be going to specifics.

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Karnal