Five Charged In Largest Hacking Scheme Ever Prosecuted In US

wiredmikey writes "US authorities have charged four Russians and a Ukrainian five on charges of running a global hacking operation that targeted major payment processors, retailers and financial institutions. The charges stem from hacking attacks dating back to 2005 against several global brands, including the NASDAQ exchange, 7-Eleven, JC Penney, Hannaford, Heartland, JetBlue, Dow Jones, Euronet, Visa Jordan, Global Payment, Diners Singapore and Ingenicard. The men allegedly used SQL injection attacks as the initial entry point into the computer systems of global corporations. Once networks were breached, the defendants allegedly placed malware on the systems. According to the indictment (PDF), the malware used created a "back door," leaving the system vulnerable and helping the defendants maintain access to the network. The men face five years in prison for conspiracy to gain unauthorized access to computers; 30 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud; five years in prison for unauthorized access to computers; and 30 years in prison for wire fraud."

Comments

Punishment out of proportions?

[PerformanceDude]

Even though the actions of these low-life, sewer-dwelling misfits angers me, I can't help but wonder why the punishment in the US is on a scale that you wouldn't even get for premeditated murder in most other countries. Aaron Swartz payed the ultimate price for such over the top threats of deprivation of liberty.

At what point does the punishment no longer fit the crime? Sure, confiscate all the profits, bankrupt them, take all their assets and lock them up for a couple of years. But 30-40 years? For real? Why not just send them to Mars or something? Locking them up for 5 years without access to computers would ensure that when they get out their hacking skills would be so redundant they could never do it again.

Isn't the justice system supposed to be about a balance between punishment and reformation - not about revenge?

Re:Punishment out of proportions?

[OhANameWhatName]

At what point does the punishment no longer fit the crime?

When the people controlling money are making the laws.

Re:Punishment out of proportions?

[IamTheRealMike]

Yeah, that's what I thought on reading the summary too. 30 years for wire fraud?

I read an interesting article in the Economist the other week. It suggested that countries where children are spanked tend to have populations that support harsher prison sentences.

People who as children experienced the “powerlessness” of frequent spankings report a disproportionately greater interest later in life to own guns, Mr Pfeiffer says. They also demand more draconian prison sentences, including the death penalty, for convicted criminals. And they seem more prone to violence themselves. In a study of 45,000 ninth-graders Mr Pfeiffer conducted in 2007-08, those kids who had been beaten by their parents were five times as likely to commit repeated crimes or to use cannabis, and missed school four times more frequently for ten days a year or more.

Scandinavian countries, in part inspired by the children’s books of Astrid Lindgren, the author of the popular Pippi Longstocking (pictured) series, were the first to make spanking illegal for teachers in the 1950s and 60s. Between 1979 und 1983, they also outlawed spanking by parents. Crime rates, gun ownership and prison populations have been falling since.

By contrast, spanking is still common in large parts of America, especially in the Evangelical milieus of Southern states. This is also where crime remains relatively high, gun ownership common, and incarceration excessive. (America’s incarceration rate is between eight to ten times that of northern European countries.)

Correlation does not imply causation and all that, but it's still an interesting theory as to why the US is so far out of step with the rest of the world on crime and punishment.

On the other hand

[Anonymous Coward]

The USA has a nasty habit of not submitting its own citizens to foreign laws but sanctions over Edward Snowden might result in Russia playing the same game. For some time Russia has been the cyber-criminal capital so sanctions would result in the USA shooting itself in the foot. Not that it would help these criminals; they were arrested in Holland.

Re:Typo?

[smittyoneeach]

No, this is a Ukrainian copy of the Fox News show, the Five.
"But, Commies have been passing themselves off as MSNBC for years," complained the Ukrainian show.

Snowden Kickback?

[FriendlyLurker]

The indictment is from 2009. Two of the 5 men were arrested last year. The other three men are on the run most likely hiding out somewhere in Russia, and suddenly this is offered up as new "news" for the masses to contemplate. Could we be seeing some Snowden kickback - time to drag the words "Russia"/"Russian" through the dirt as much as possible for not handing over the US whisteblower Edward Snowden. The battle here is all about public opinion, after all - because they sure cant win against him based on morality, or even the law.

The nerve!

[Anonymous Coward]

How DARE they steal all that money before the bankers could steal it!

Hacking is irrevelant when the global economy went to shit. And the people who did THAT will never see the inside of a jail cell.

And now we spent even more finding these 'hackers'.

We are not smart...

Re:Charges Only if You're A Citizen

[Lumpy]

Your fault for Voting Republican/Democrat.

Honestly, Being in Congress should be by lottery and forced servitude. You cant get elected, it's a lottery and compulsory.. Dave Fox of 3124 Main Street, Chester,OH... YOU are the new congressional representative of your district for the next 2 years. An armed caravan will be there momentarily to pick you up.

It is the only way to keep it honest. Because voting for rich assholes is turning out to be a complete failure.