Sysadmin Gets Two Years In Prison For Sabotaging ISP (bleepingcomputer.com)

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Sysadmin Gets Two Years In Prison For Sabotaging ISP (bleepingcomputer.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on Sunday December 4, 2016 @07:39AM from the BOFH dept.

After being let go over a series of "personal issues" with his employer, things got worse for 26-year-old network administrator Dariusz J. Prugar, who will now have to spend two years in prison for hacking the ISP where he'd worked. An anonymous reader writes: Prugar had used his old credentials to log into the ISP's network and "take back" some of the scripts and software he wrote... "Seeking to hide his tracks, Prugar used an automated script that deleted various logs," reports Bleeping Computer. "As a side effect of removing some of these files, the ISP's systems crashed, affecting over 500 businesses and over 5,000 residential customers."

When the former ISP couldn't fix the issue, they asked Prugar to help. "During negotiations, instead of requesting money as payment, Prugar insisted that he'd be paid using the rights to the software and scripts he wrote while at the company, software which was now malfunctioning, a week after he left." This tipped off the company, who detected foul play, contacted the FBI and rebuilt its entire network.
Six years later, Prugar was found guilty after a one-week jury trial, and was ordered by the judge to pay $26,000 in restitution to the ISP (which went out of business in October of 2015). Prugar's two-year prison sentence begins December 27.

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Sounds like ARN.NET in Amarillo, TX by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 07:43 · Score: 0

Sounds like ARN.NET in Amarillo, TX...
Though they were bought out/sold when the admin "left"
1. Re:Sounds like ARN.NET in Amarillo, TX by LordLucless · 2016-12-04 09:11 · Score: 1
  
  The article names it as Pa Online.
  
  --
  Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face
2. Re:Sounds like ARN.NET in Amarillo, TX by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 14:11 · Score: 0
  
  No. Arn.net had THEIR sysadmin do the same when he left. It took them 4 days to partially recover. Several TV stations and local businesses used them had some serious issues.
3. Re:Sounds like ARN.NET in Amarillo, TX by Big+Hairy+Ian · 2016-12-05 01:04 · Score: 1
  
  Why didn't they disable his sign in credentials when they let him go? That's as amateurish as his hack!
  
  --
  Build a Man a Fire, and He'll Be Warm for a Day. Set a Man on Fire, and He'll Be Warm for the Rest of His Life.
4. Re:Sounds like ARN.NET in Amarillo, TX by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-05 06:50 · Score: 0
  
  You think they would, but this happens a lot more than you may think. Heck there's even been places that I've worked that had a universal root password and they never bother to change it after people leave.
You Can't Do The Time by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 07:45 · Score: 0

Then Don't Do The Crime.
1. Re: You Can't Do The Time by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 08:28 · Score: 0
  
  Do the time? LOL. How long do you think he will last? Do you know what becomes of nerds in prison? Human toilets, and not "human" for long, either.
2. Re: You Can't Do The Time by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 08:29 · Score: 0
  
  Someone should have told that to Aaron Swartz.
3. Re: You Can't Do The Time by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 08:39 · Score: 0
  
  true to that
  he should have known better though i guess its how sys admins go postal.
4. Re: You Can't Do The Time by jellomizer · 2016-12-04 09:00 · Score: 2
  
  It would depend on how well the prison is ran.
  Often the jails are just filled with drug offenders. Not the harden criminals. For a nerd it would be like being at high school again.
  However many IT Guys are just as big and tough as any other person who goes into prison. This is 2016 not the 1980's Revenge of the Nerds movies.
  
  --
  If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
5. Re: You Can't Do The Time by haruchai · 2016-12-04 09:15 · Score: 2
  
  "However many IT Guys are just as big and tough as any other person who goes into prison. This is 2016 not the 1980's Revenge of the Nerds movies"
  Quite true. More than a few of the sysadmins I know are outdoorsy types in good shape and a couple are really big fella. The one I know who's most like Prugar is 6-2, 250 lbs. He may not be a streetfighter but he's far from the 1st person you'd think of trying to push around - although you're welcome to try.
  
  --
  Pain is merely failure leaving the body
6. Re: You Can't Do The Time by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 10:09 · Score: 0
  
  I did time. No one tried anything with me. 5'7 at 160 though so not exactly a pushover.
7. Re: You Can't Do The Time by ASDFnz · 2016-12-04 12:57 · Score: 1
  
  And climb to the top of a ntpd tower with a rifle?
  Doesn't quite have the same ring to it.
8. Re: You Can't Do The Time by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 13:59 · Score: 0
  
  Maybe they could smear the clocks a bit.
9. Re: You Can't Do The Time by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 15:00 · Score: 0
  
  Clearly, you're ugly.
10. Re: You Can't Do The Time by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 15:01 · Score: 0
  
  5'7" @ 160lbs? So you're short and overweight. You're exactly the small, weak type that gets preyed upon. You were just lucky and/or subservient.
11. Re: You Can't Do The Time by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 15:03 · Score: 0
  
  Often the jails are just filled with drug offenders.
  Jail is not prison.
  
  However many IT Guys are just as big and tough as any other person who goes into prison.
  LOL!
12. Re: You Can't Do The Time by ArmoredDragon · 2016-12-04 15:21 · Score: 0
  
  No, not overweight. Sure, the WHO standard says BMI of 25 is the maximum for normal weight, and he's 25.1, but the WHO standard isn't as accurate as the NHANES II standard, which says he's of normal weight. This is because the former evens it to make it easy to do napkin math, whereas the later is based on hard math.
  Nonetheless, how big he is would be somewhat relative. Since the average white male is 5'10", he's a little (but not a lot) short, and since his BMI is 25.1 he can't exactly be muscular. So yeah, he may get pushed around a bit.
13. Re: You Can't Do The Time by Joe_Dragon · 2016-12-04 16:22 · Score: 1
  
  kick someone's ass the first day, or become someone's bitch. Then everything will be all right
14. Re: You Can't Do The Time by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 17:10 · Score: 0
  
  Given that in high school the average nerd has to expect to spend much of his time stuck heads down in an unflushed toilet, it's not exactly a walk in the park. Keep in mind that we didn't set out to really hurt them badly, it was mostly for fun. Inmates have different agendas.
15. Re: You Can't Do The Time by dbIII · 2016-12-04 17:47 · Score: 1
  
  I have been told a weedy little guy with a shiv trumps a big guy that believes in fair play every time. It's not a holiday.
16. Re: You Can't Do The Time by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 18:33 · Score: 0
  
  I know you want to deceive yourself into thinking you aren't overweight, but nobody believes your bullshit and in the end you are only hurting yourself.
17. Re: You Can't Do The Time by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 19:48 · Score: 1
  
  I'm an inch taller and a couple of pounds lighter. People call me a rake. I can't see him being overweight.
18. Re: You Can't Do The Time by ArmoredDragon · 2016-12-05 01:57 · Score: 1
  
  Well, define overweight please. I myself weigh 188lbs at 5'10 and have approximately 17% body fat. That is well within military standards, in case you were wondering.
19. Re: You Can't Do The Time by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-05 03:21 · Score: 0
  
  That's disgusting and you're a piece of shit.
20. Re: You Can't Do The Time by DMFNR · 2016-12-05 05:51 · Score: 1
  
  Prison isn't like the movies, especially the medium to minimum security prisons this guy will likely end up in. I've seen some of the nerdiest guys come in to the joint and actually do pretty well. May as well have been the first time in their lives they actually were somewhat accepted in to a group. Sure, if you're the autistic type of nerd that wants to fight and argue over silly shit someone will probably kick your ass, otherwise if you stay out of the bullshit like gangs, drugs, and debt you'll probably do just fine. Most prison rape and shit like that is done for revenge, it's an act of violence and a snow of animalistic dominance. Being a small weak man doesn't make you a target for rape unless they think you're a chomo or something. For sexual pleasure there are more than enough punks around that will gladly suck and fuck. The kind of people that are just relentless predators like that are usually segregated pretty quick, it's doubtful a man doing 2 years for computer crimes would ever even meet someone like that. As long as he keeps his head down his biggest risk will most likely be people trying to borrow ramen noodles and not paying him back.
  
  A long rant for someone who probably was just trying to be funny, but as someone who fucked up royally in his younger years and had to do time it's pretty annpying. I'm pretty honest about my past, and invariably the first question asked by most people after finding out I did time was if I was ever raped. The answer is no. I've seen some violence, I've seen some sex, and even heard about a few rapes, but prison is a vastly different world from what it is portrayed, even at maximum security institutions. I even got the fuck beaten out of me and served three months in the hole on 23 hour lockdown, but that only happened because I thought I was tough and started shjt. Never had the slightest problem until I made my own.
21. Re: You Can't Do The Time by Outta_the_way_peck! · 2016-12-06 02:49 · Score: 1
  
  Why couldn't he be muscular? You are assuming that weight is fat, which is the problem with any metric regard just height and weight. Per BMI, Dwayne Johnson is obese. Would you like to tell him that?
22. Re: You Can't Do The Time by ArmoredDragon · 2016-12-07 13:15 · Score: 1
  
  You misunderstand. Yes, he can be muscular, but the problem is with his 5'7" and a BMI of 25.1, his average fellow inmate would likely be bigger and stronger.
  Just to give you a frame of reference, Tom Cruise is the EXACT same height as the AC poster of 5'7" only Cruise weighs 201lbs, giving him a BMI of 31.5. If you look at Cruise in his movies, he's not really that big of a guy. Now consider that Arnold Schwarzenegger also had a BMI of 31.5 when he was in the first Terminator movie. Given that he is 6'2", that BMI makes a massive difference in terms of appearance, even though Arnold was the same BMI as today's Tom Cruise.
  But again, AC poster is 5'7" with a BMI of 25.1, so think about that for a minute. That should be enough to tell you just how small the AC poster actually is, even if he's all muscle.
  Also if you follow the WHO guidelines, Cruise and Arnold are both obese by definition, hence the problem with BMI.
23. Re: You Can't Do The Time by Outta_the_way_peck! · 2016-12-08 05:11 · Score: 1
  
  Where is your source for Tom Cruise being 201lbs? There is no way he weighs that much. Conor McGregor is 5'9" and 155. There is no way Cruise is packing another 45lbs on a shorter frame. AC poster being 2" shorter, yet 5lbs heavier, is probably not as small as you think.
He would have been better off ... by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 07:45 · Score: 0

... simply telling them he wasn't interested in helping them with the problem. If you're going to do something like this, you have to learn to balance ego and revenge.
1. Re:He would have been better off ... by TechyImmigrant · 2016-12-04 07:47 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  ... simply telling them he wasn't interested in helping them with the problem. If you're going to do something like this, you have to learn to balance ego and revenge.
  And keep a copy of your stuff on hand before you get fired.
  
  --
  I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
2. Re:He would have been better off ... by MightyMartian · 2016-12-04 07:56 · Score: 2
  
  I think his intent was to gain ownership of his scripts in the hops he could hide is tracks or at least obscure his sabotage.
  
  --
  The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
3. Re: He would have been better off ... by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 08:04 · Score: 1
  
  Which I don't get.
  For one it doesn't sound like the company would know any better.
  He could have hit this company up for a couple of grand owe day, did whatever he wanted with his scripts and nobody would have been the wiser.
4. Re:He would have been better off ... by thegarbz · 2016-12-04 08:48 · Score: 1
  
  ... simply telling them he wasn't interested in helping them with the problem. If you're going to do something like this, you have to learn to balance ego and revenge.
  And keep a copy of your stuff on hand before you get fired.
  He wasn't charged with making a copy of the things he had. He was charged with breaking the system.
5. Re:He would have been better off ... by TechyImmigrant · 2016-12-04 09:02 · Score: 1
  
  ... simply telling them he wasn't interested in helping them with the problem. If you're going to do something like this, you have to learn to balance ego and revenge.
  And keep a copy of your stuff on hand before you get fired.
  He wasn't charged with making a copy of the things he had. He was charged with breaking the system.
  Yes. However the article said he deleted the files to cover his tracks while he was trying to get a copy of his code. If he had kept a copy, he wouldn't have had to log in then try to cover his tracks.
  
  --
  I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
6. Re:He would have been better off ... by Kjella · 2016-12-04 09:19 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  And keep a copy of your stuff on hand before you get fired.
  If you were doing it at work on company systems it's probably not "your stuff" anyway, it's probably small utilities he used to make his job easier. If you want to do something for yourself do it on your own time on your own machine, don't use any company resources and try not to do anything that would make them question your loyalty to your day job. Being a consultant or contractor is fine because everyone knows that. Being an employee with a secret double agenda is not.
  
  --
  Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
7. Re:He would have been better off ... by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 13:04 · Score: 0
  
  It's still my stuff, even if I wrote it on company machines and on company time. They may think it's theirs, and I will let them think that. But I have my own copies of it because, after all, it is MY stuff. And if for some reason I do want their stuff then I'll copy that too. I pretty much take whatever I want, no one knows, and there's no problems arising from that.
8. Re:He would have been better off ... by tsotha · 2016-12-04 16:36 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  This kind of thinking is what got him in trouble. It's not your stuff. It's work for hire, and they own the copyright. If your company were to discover you took software with you (written on their time), and they actually cared, they could have you arrested for theft.
9. Re:He would have been better off ... by Z00L00K · 2016-12-04 17:42 · Score: 1
  
  I agree.
  If you think you have the ego of Jupiter you may put down some key stuff on a VeraCrypt partition/drive requiring a password or key file to unlock. Not everything, just some small pesky parts that's an annoyance if it's not in place. Like scripts for automatically mailing key users when stuff goes down. When it's no longer running they have to check everything manually. Such small details that can bug the heck out of people without stalling the operation.
  The point of an effective sysadmin is to keep stuff running without people noticing that stuff has broken down. If your sysadmin looks idle and relaxed then all is good. If he looks stressed out you have a real problem.
  
  --
  If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
10. Re:He would have been better off ... by Z00L00K · 2016-12-04 17:45 · Score: 1
  
  He could have placed them on a password protected VeraCrypt drive requiring a password after a reboot.
  "No, I don't remember any password" is the answer when asked.
  
  --
  If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
11. Re:He would have been better off ... by TechyImmigrant · 2016-12-04 17:54 · Score: 1
  
  And keep a copy of your stuff on hand before you get fired.
  If you were doing it at work on company systems it's probably not "your stuff" anyway, it's probably small utilities he used to make his job easier. If you want to do something for yourself do it on your own time on your own machine, don't use any company resources and try not to do anything that would make them question your loyalty to your day job. Being a consultant or contractor is fine because everyone knows that. Being an employee with a secret double agenda is not.
  I'm aware of the ownership matter. But if you're planning to keep it anyway, it's better to not have to hack your old employer to get it.
  
  --
  I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
12. Re: He would have been better off ... by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 19:56 · Score: 0
  
  Remind me to never hire you.
13. Re:He would have been better off ... by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 22:17 · Score: 0
  
  >It's not your stuff. It's work for hire, and they own the copyright.
  I agree.
  >If your company were to discover you took software with you (written on their time), and they actually cared, they could have you arrested
  Civil court, no arrest.
  > for theft.
  No, not for theft. Copyright infringement, maybe.
14. Re: He would have been better off ... by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-05 01:00 · Score: 0
  
  ,
15. Re:He would have been better off ... by AmiMoJo · 2016-12-05 01:22 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Real pros design their code with subtle flaws that will make it fail a few weeks after they get fired, and then obfuscate it in a way that looks like they are just a plausibly crap programmer. Throw in a few random frameworks for misdirection and convert the odd critical function to COBOL, and you have guaranteed employment for life.
  At least, that's what I assume pros do, based on the code I have to maintain.
  
  --
  const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
  SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
16. Re:He would have been better off ... by houghi · 2016-12-05 02:09 · Score: 1
  
  It is not yours. Unless you bought it, not even the red stapler is yours. And if the scripts are yours, you will have proof that they are yours. If you don't they are not yours.
  So assume they are not yours, unless you have legal proof that they are.
  
  --
  Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
17. Re: He would have been better off ... by luis_a_espinal · 2016-12-05 02:28 · Score: 1
  
  Remind me to never hire you.
  No kidding. At least the OP had the sense of posting that as AC. Sadly the software industry is full of these wackos.
18. Re:He would have been better off ... by ninthbit · 2016-12-05 02:32 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  Arrested for theft? Not really.... they could sue for copyright infringement though.
19. Re:He would have been better off ... by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-05 05:04 · Score: 0
  
  I think that many people do this... I certainly keep a copy of all my scripts. It is super handy as a reference...
  You just open up an SSH tunnel on port 443 to your off site Linux host and copy any files you need.... You can even do port redirection if you wanted to, say, open RDP to a Windows host over the tunnel (complete with local drive redirection). I have never encountered a corporate firewall that disallowed this... as a matter of fact, most companies even whitelist the tools (PuTTY suite).
  I have actually done almost exactly what this guy did once. After being let go, I immediately used my credentials to get back in to the system and download some stuff that I didn't have locally. I didn't delete anything or screw with any systems though.
20. Re:He would have been better off ... by MightyMartian · 2016-12-05 05:10 · Score: 1
  
  I think a real pro doesn't build time bombs in his code. Not only is this idiot going to jail, but good luck finding employment in that field again. He should spend the rest of his sentence practicing "And do you want fries with that?"
  
  --
  The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
21. Re:He would have been better off ... by david_thornley · 2016-12-05 10:11 · Score: 1
  
  Almost everything I do on this job is highly specialized software that would be of no use to me on my own projects. They pay me to do this stuff, and they own it.
  If I do have anything I want to keep, I make sure I've got it while I'm still employed.
  
  --
  "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
22. Re:He would have been better off ... by tsotha · 2016-12-05 14:06 · Score: 1
  
  I think it's a lot more serious than that if you actually take the code.
Smart but foolish by freeze128 · 2016-12-04 07:56 · Score: 3, Funny

You gotta hand it to the guy for negotiating for the rights to the software. He kinda was *TRYING* to do the right thing by making sure he had the proper rights to the software (presumably before he sold it himself). A more unscrupulous man might just have stolen the software and used it to start his own business without any notification at all.
1. Re:Smart but foolish by gravewax · 2016-12-04 07:58 · Score: 1
  
  ummmm the whole point was he did try to steal the software and scripts first, AFTERWARDS he tried to use the damage he caused as a negotiation tactic to gain legal access. Their was no kinda trying to do the right thing here.
2. Re:Smart but foolish by SensitiveMale · 2016-12-04 08:18 · Score: 1
  
  You read it wrong. He wasn't trying to to the right thing. He stole the software and by doing that he inadvertently broke the system.
  A smart man would have copied the software as he wrote it.
3. Re:Smart but foolish by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 08:29 · Score: 0
  
  You're an idiot.
4. Re:Smart but foolish by maestroX · 2016-12-04 08:30 · Score: 1
  
  He kinda was *TRYING* to do the right thing by making sure he had the proper rights
  
  Or it was disaster management to claim the trashing of the ISP as a side-effect. What's the penalty for trashing your former employer?
5. Re:Smart but foolish by ClickOnThis · 2016-12-04 08:47 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  You gotta hand it to the guy for negotiating for the rights to the software. He kinda was *TRYING* to do the right thing by making sure he had the proper rights to the software (presumably before he sold it himself). A more unscrupulous man might just have stolen the software and used it to start his own business without any notification at all.
  There is no way to parse what he did as the "right thing." He stole from his former employer and sabotaged their system. And then tried to extort them for the rights to his software.
  He should have been a professional and just walked away. Or at least he should have talked to a lawyer about his claim to the software he wrote. Although most likely his employment agreement considered it a "work for hire" so he had no claim.
  
  --
  If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
6. Re:Smart but foolish by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 09:00 · Score: 0
  
  >He kinda was *TRYING* to do the right thing by making sure he had the proper rights to the software (presumably before he sold it himself).
  If any of the software was developed while working at his job, or on equipment that his job provided, then it would be considered work product and owned by his employer. The exemption would be is if his employer allowed him to retain the copyright to his work, which did not happen.
  The guy is an extortionist.
7. Re:Smart but foolish by Darinbob · 2016-12-04 09:08 · Score: 1
  
  He sounds typical of the sort of guy who thinks what he rights at work should be his own property. And also typical of a fired-for-cause worker who won't just let things go and try to fix the problems that got him fired in the first place. People like that are why so many people are escorted out by security when there are layoffs.
8. Re:Smart but foolish by RockDoctor · 2016-12-05 08:04 · Score: 1
  
  A smart man would have copied the software as he wrote it.
  Or done some of the development of the scripts on his home machines, on his own time, thus considerably muddying the issue of who actually owns the software.
  E.g. - if you see a need for software at work, then do some developing of ideas at home. Maybe ask around here (under an account you don't use at work) to generate some footprint. Get some preliminary work done. Only then take the idea to work.
  Me, I'm still trying to work out how to get contouring to work for my former employer's data display package. I can generate the contours in an external package but to do it natively ... well since I've worked out how to do it externally, and they've sacked their entire field staff including me ... fuck them.
  
  --
  Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
Lucky he got off so light by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 07:57 · Score: 5, Funny

"Judge Rambo ordered Prugar to pay $26,000 in restitution."
I guess its better than getting sentenced by Judge Dredd.
1. Re:Lucky he got off so light by unixisc · 2016-12-04 08:02 · Score: 2
  
  How do you pay $26k to an entity that's gone out of business? Just do the time - extend it by x months.
2. Re:Lucky he got off so light by gravewax · 2016-12-04 08:10 · Score: 2
  
  you pay it to the owners of the business at that time, sounds like it was a small IS so should be a simple matter. does seem incredibly cheap damages bill for an ISP with 500 business and a few thousand general consumer customers when they were out for a week. Perhaps this conviction will lead to more civil lawsuits down the road.
3. Re:Lucky he got off so light by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 08:12 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  The bankrupt/out-of-business entity will still have a trustee/ownership of some sort, and creditors against that trustee/owner.
4. Re:Lucky he got off so light by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 08:15 · Score: 1
  
  Somebody still owns that ISP's assets. Two things, though...
  1) Good luck getting $26K from an inmate - at a buck or two a day, twenty-six grand will take a lot longer than two years, and
  2) If the courts determined that he only did $26,000.00 worth of damage, I'm guessing this ISP was probably already circling the bowl. After all, if he was solely responsible for breaking this ISP, one would expect a far higher award for damages, regardless of (1), above.
  And just to ask - what about his (now ex-) fellow employees? They were also demonstrably harmed, and seem extremely unlikely to get anything out of this deal.
5. Re:Lucky he got off so light by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 08:16 · Score: 1
  
  >How do you pay $26k to an entity that's gone out of business? Just do the time - extend it by x months.
  Well, the link says ISP, but the linked press announcement on the DOJ site says he only has to provide restitution, presumably to the owner at the time. Secondly, the article kinda makes it sound like the ISP went under because of this guys sabotage, but it really ceased because it has changed its name to Netrepid and discontinued its dialup network services which was under the Pa Online brand.
6. Re:Lucky he got off so light by Kjella · 2016-12-04 08:57 · Score: 1
  
  Somebody still owns that ISP's assets. Two things, though...
  1) Good luck getting $26K from an inmate - at a buck or two a day, twenty-six grand will take a lot longer than two years, and
  Assuming he had zero assets before the trial. Any down payment on a mortgage, a car in good shape and you're pretty close.
  
  2) If the courts determined that he only did $26,000.00 worth of damage, I'm guessing this ISP was probably already circling the bowl. After all, if he was solely responsible for breaking this ISP, one would expect a far higher award for damages, regardless of (1), above.
  Probably. It could also be that it was easy to prove he did at least $26k worth of damage, he has no more assets and the trustee wants the bankruptcy settled and think the practical value of a higher judgement is zero. Except for when the RIAA/MPAA/BSA want big numbers for PR reasons, they're often willing to settle for what you have.
  
  --
  Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
7. Re:Lucky he got off so light by Darinbob · 2016-12-04 09:13 · Score: 1
  
  Or Judge Dread. Rude boys don't cry!
8. Re:Lucky he got off so light by AmiMoJo · 2016-12-05 01:12 · Score: 1
  
  The money goes to the creditors of the defunct company, who likely lost out when it went bankrupt.
  My mum had this happen once. She had an account in credit to the tune of about 3 quid. About six years after the company went bust she got a cheque for 7p. That's about $0.08. I don't know if they subtracted the cost of the envelope, postage and administration from what she was owed.
  
  --
  const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
  SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
What hacking? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 08:09 · Score: 0

Prugar had used his old credentials to log into the ISP's network
What he did after that was wrong, but I'm not seeing any "hacking" going on here. This was legit access that the ISP failed to disable. It's like when you give your SO a key to your place, then forget to change the locks after you both break up.
1. Re:What hacking? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 08:28 · Score: 1, Informative
  
  I agree it's not hacking, but its also not legit. No longer an employee, he had no authorization to access the ISP's internal network even if he had the ability to do so. The CFAA is pretty clear on that.
2. Re:What hacking? by bws111 · 2016-12-04 08:31 · Score: 2
  
  Hacking is just a popular term with no legal meaning. The actual laws would have been against unauthorized access and causing damage. And yes, the access was clearly unauthorized regardless of the method used.
3. Re:What hacking? by mark-t · 2016-12-04 08:44 · Score: 2
  
  Uh. No. legit access stops as soon as he is terminated. Still having an old house key to a place that you used to live does not entitle you to go into that house uninvited at your own discretion
  
  --
  File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
4. Re: What hacking? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 08:55 · Score: 0
  
  by definition its unautherised access to a network and it seem he didnt clean his tracks at all or very well.
5. Re:What hacking? by alvinrod · 2016-12-04 09:09 · Score: 1
  
  You can be charged with breaking and entering a property even if the door is unlocked so this is no different in that he unlawfully accessed a system that he no longer had a right to access. It doesn't matter if he or an ex has a valid key or not if they are no longer welcome on the property. In this case, termination of employment makes that pretty damned clear. It doesn't matter if the ISP was incredibly stupid and negligent in their own actions by not revoking the former employee's access credentials.
  
  If you want to argue whether or not this is "hacking" or not, it's probably not what a computer literate person would consider hacking, but it probably fits in the overly general and vague use of the word by the media and non-technical individuals. The former are going to agree with you that it isn't (though probably not for the reasons you've used) and the latter don't care so the argument is rather pointless.
6. Re:What hacking? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 10:04 · Score: 1
  
  It's like when you give your SO a key to your place, then forget to change the locks after you both break up.
  That's still a B&E, bro.
7. Re: What hacking? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 10:23 · Score: 0
  
  It can be assumed that if the username/password works access is authorized
8. Re: What hacking? by ClickOnThis · 2016-12-04 11:32 · Score: 2
  
  It can be assumed that if the username/password works access is authorized
  Authorized by the computer system, yes. But not authorized by the employer.
  
  --
  If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
9. Re:What hacking? by Xabraxas · 2016-12-04 12:57 · Score: 1
  
  So pretty much in line with most stories about "hacking". Accessing a system that has a blank password is considered hacking to the media.
  
  --
  Time makes more converts than reason
10. Re: What hacking? by Xabraxas · 2016-12-04 12:59 · Score: 1
  
  How did that work out for him? Not so good.
  
  --
  Time makes more converts than reason
11. Re: What hacking? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 13:00 · Score: 0
  
  His "cover my ass by deleting logs" which failed spectacularly was a hack.
12. Re: What hacking? by jezwel · 2016-12-04 15:29 · Score: 1
  
  Your assumption is incorrect.
  You do not have authorised access after you are fired, regardless of whether you can still get into any systems, physical or otherwise.
13. Re: What hacking? by Half-pint+HAL · 2016-12-05 05:13 · Score: 1
  
  It can be assumed that if the username/password works access is authorized
  Can I similarly assume that if your door's accidentally left unlocked I can walk in and leave with your computer?
  
  --
  Got them moderator blues I blieve I walk out the do', With these mod-points I been gettin', I 'most never post no mo'
Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by adosch · 2016-12-04 08:09 · Score: 5, Insightful

As making a living out of being all things 'admin' (sys/network/engineering, ect.), he totally deserves this. This guy is total amateur-hour and quite simply deserves what he got. If it was really about your scripts, then they were probably garbage anyway. Any admin with have a brain keeps copies of their stuff; I actually use version control systems right long with software developers and engineers, so an even bigger reason to manage your domain better.
I'm sure he had a fair bit of perceived egotism and elitism in his attitude and work ethic, which made the situation what it was and resulted into today for him.
Even that, if he was able to log on to absolutely anything after his contract was terminated, then shame on the ISP, too. That's probably why they don't exist anymore. In any fairy constructed IT shop of sys-admins, regardless of how the rest of his co-workers felt about the situation of all of it, his access to everything would have been gone the second he was being walked out the door by security, HR, ect.
1. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 08:38 · Score: 0
  
  > I actually use version control systems
  Using version control doesn't automatically confer on you copyright on things you wrote over and above company policy.
2. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by SumDog · 2016-12-04 08:38 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  They left an account open for him after he left. He should have just taken a copy before he left, or not even bothered with cleaning up the logs (they obviously would have taken the time to notice).
  I don't think the punishment fits the crime here through. A few years in jail for being an idiot. It also kills any chance of employment later with that criminal record. It sounds like a shitty ISP anyway.
  The reality is, code is the collective memory of a programmer. Most software devs always keep copies of their work, usually not to resell or reuse (you can't and shouldn't, unless you're an idiot and want to end up like this guy), but more as a reference (How did I do that? I had an example somewhere).
3. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by thegarbz · 2016-12-04 08:54 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  He should have just taken a copy before he left
  He didn't take a copy. He took them. No copy.
  
  I don't think the punishment fits the crime here through. A few years in jail for being an idiot.
  For being an idiot? How about for maliciously damaging a business both in terms of physical infrastructure and in reputation? How about the knock on effects on the 500 businesses? If you got fired from McDonalds and to get back at them you decided to burn your former store to the ground do you think it should just be met with a slap on the wrist?
  
  It also kills any chance of employment later with that criminal record.
  
  He didn't need a record for that. Just the warning sign "I attempted to destroy my former employer because they fired me" would do it by itself. Even if he didn't have a criminal record, who would hire him?
  
  It sounds like a shitty ISP anyway.
  Based on what? Based on an employee leaving? Or based on taking legal action against someone who (may have actually) destroyed your business?
4. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by don.g · 2016-12-04 09:08 · Score: 2
  
  The reality is, code is the collective memory of a programmer. Most software devs always keep copies of their work, usually not to resell or reuse (you can't and shouldn't, unless you're an idiot and want to end up like this guy), but more as a reference (How did I do that? I had an example somewhere).
  Really?
  I don't have a copy of the software I worked on at my last two employers and would consider taking a copy before I left a gross breach of trust.
  I have a copy of work I've done while self-employed, as I can't expect non-technical customers to carefully look after their source code.
  
  --
  Pretend that something especially witty is here. Thanks.
5. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by phantomfive · 2016-12-04 09:12 · Score: 1
  
  As making a living out of being all things 'admin' (sys/network/engineering, ect.), he totally deserves this. This guy is total amateur-hour and quite simply deserves what he got.
  
  It's a non-violent crime. He wasn't even trying to hurt anyone, that was an accident. Prison doesn't seem excessive to you? He should be forced to pay damages and be done with it.
  
  --
  "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
6. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 09:22 · Score: 1
  
  I always take a copy of the code I've written. Posting anonymously for obvious reasons.
  The code will be interesting to me for much longer than it will be interesting for the company, and probably for long after the company exists.
7. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 09:34 · Score: 0
  
  I work at a university, and we have given my code away to other people whenever they've asked. So, under those circumstances, I don't think it would be wrong for me to keep a copy if I ever left.
  The only potential problem I can see is that we've never declared a license we're releasing it under, other than "you break it, you get to keep both pieces".
8. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by stephanruby · 2016-12-04 09:43 · Score: 2
  
  It sounds like a shitty ISP anyway.
  Based on what? Based on an employee leaving? Or based on taking legal action against someone who (may have actually) destroyed your business?
  No backups. No control version system. No removal of old credentials when employee is let go. That and the fact that the business is now bankrupt.
9. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by amiga3D · 2016-12-04 09:57 · Score: 1
  
  He could have gotten up to 30 years and 250,000 dollars in fines. Fooling with computer systems ranks up there with murder.
10. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 10:17 · Score: 0
  
  Using version control doesn't automatically confer on you copyright on things you wrote over and above company policy.
  No, but while not spending time in jail for sabotaging the companies systems, one would at least still have the option of contacting the company and asking if you could purchase those very rights.
  Sure it likely will cost some money to do so, but directly offering money instead of offering your skills to fix the systems you yourself sabotaged is still the superior and moral thing to do.
  Worst case, you later rewrite the scripts from scratch, ideally in a different language, only using the original scripts as a reference point for the end-goal functionality.
  The company only owns copyright over the scripts contents, not what those scripts actually do.
11. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by phantomfive · 2016-12-04 10:22 · Score: 1
  
  Fooling with computer systems ranks up there with murder.
  Um, seems reasonable.
  
  --
  "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
12. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by newcastlejon · 2016-12-04 10:31 · Score: 0
  
  Posting anonymously for obvious reasons.
  Because you lack the courage of your convictions?
  
  --
  If God forks the Universe every time you roll a die, he'd better have a damned good memory.
13. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 13:32 · Score: 0
  
  When I left my first job in IT I was pretty much the sole developer (my boss sometimes touched the system, but he mostly just read magazines in his office) I just happened to leave with one of the backup tapes of the entire system.
  Now, the funny thing is I have never had a way to even read that tape - I don't even know what you call that kind of tape anymore - By now that technology is over 25 years old.
  Maybe someday I'll find it buy an old tape drive on ebay and take a look.
  On 2nd thought I'm not sure I want to look at my code from 25 years ago.
14. Re: Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 13:42 · Score: 0
  
  No, because he's not an idiot. Courage, courage is for Apple CEO's. Us admins don't get paid enough to have courage. That cost you about tree fiddy.
15. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by sjames · 2016-12-04 17:07 · Score: 1
  
  When I do contract work, I always request that any credentials I might have had be revoked, both to encourage good practice and to make sure I don't get blamed for whatever might happen after I leave.
  Sometimes they do and sometimes (after entering anopther contract with them) I find my old creds still valid.
16. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by AmiMoJo · 2016-12-05 01:17 · Score: 1
  
  I find that often a problem can re-use some open source or personal code I have already written. In that case I keep any non-proprietary changes/improvements, with my employer's permission. They understand that it's better for them that way, as they get a tested and mature bit of code in less time than it would take me to write it from scratch again.
  Most embedded developers I know have personal code libraries like that, and most don't even rise the issue with their employer.
  
  --
  const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
  SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
17. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by cdrudge · 2016-12-05 01:34 · Score: 1
  
  That and the fact that the business is now bankrupt.
  No they didn't. They just shut down the dialup and email service. It's hard to imagine that in the age of broadband and fast cellular data connections covering most of the country that dial up service would be popular and/or profitable. Same would go for email hosting.
18. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by mrchaotica · 2016-12-05 03:03 · Score: 1
  
  sometimes (after entering anopther contract with them) I find my old creds still valid.
  Do you write a penalty (e.g. extra payment) into the contract for when that happens?
  
  --
  "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz
19. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-05 03:39 · Score: 0
  
  I'm sure there's no egotism and elitism in your attitude after you took time out of your day to write two paragraphs bashing the guy while not even being anonymous.
20. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by sjames · 2016-12-05 05:29 · Score: 1
  
  A haven't thus far, but I am considering it seriously.
21. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by thegarbz · 2016-12-05 10:52 · Score: 1
  
  No backups.
  
  We don't know that. What we do know is they were down a malicious system admin.
  
  No control version system.
  
  We don't know that. What we do know is they were down a malicious system admin.
  
  No removal of old credentials when employee is let go.
  This we do know. And if you set your standards by this fact than you're quite the fussy man.
  
  That and the fact that the business is now bankrupt.
  We don't know that. What we do know is that they went out of business. Maybe they sold up. Maybe they were sued into oblivion. Maybe maybe maybe.
  What we do know is that it was a smaller outfit. What we do know is that the admin likely didn't have to deal with rank stacking systems, likely didn't have to battle mountains of shitty paperwork, and quite likely was a much better ISP to work for than most of the major ones based on the fact that it wasn't one.
22. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by LordLucless · 2016-12-06 08:05 · Score: 1
  
  Based on what? Based on an employee leaving? Or based on taking legal action against someone who (may have actually) destroyed your business?
  Because deleting a couple of log files shut them down, and they'd fired their sysadmin while apparently not having anyone with the capacity to diagnose and fix such a problem.
  
  --
  Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face
23. Re:Amateur Sys-admin deserves the time by thegarbz · 2016-12-06 09:56 · Score: 1
  
  Because deleting a couple of log files shut them down,
  
  WTF is it "Base all my knowledge on unknown assumptions that fit my narrative day?
  
  and they'd fired their sysadmin while apparently not having anyone with the capacity to diagnose and fix such a problem.
  You Fortune500 employees really have lost your sense of reality haven't you. But whatever stick with your baseless narrative that includes a small company having a sudden spat with an employee magically having the resources to replace and completely fully train replacement system admins before the old one leaves, let alone have the skills to instantly solve an issue caused by a malicious attack that also attempted to cover its own tracks. I mean they only had the resources to rebuild their entire network infrastructure (something we do actually know from the summary, rather than just guessing to make us look cool), but yeah they must be shit.
  I used to like slashdot since people here had working braincells. I guess Trump killed that too.
LEA NSA FBI CIA warning by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 08:13 · Score: 0

the super club of pedophiles adventures may be using this IP to upload child pornography. there's a freemason or nazi fat shit that's connected with the police enforcement of rio grande do sul.
Snoop on that by XSportSeeker · 2016-12-04 08:30 · Score: 0

For anyone still wondering why the snooper charter is a very very bad idea... and this is only a single problem out of a huge list.
Here's what to expect:
https://www.wired.com/2013/09/...
http://animalnewyork.com/2014/...
http://www.kiro7.com/news/inve...
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news...
http://wncn.com/2016/02/10/nc-...
https://psmag.com/when-your-st...
https://www.techdirt.com/artic...
Most of these are coming directly from security agencies and the police itself, but what do people think will happen once ISPs and multiple governmental agencies are able to log content from Internet users? Be prepared folks. It's not about only about you doing bad and questionable things. It's specially about all the people with access to your private lives willing to ruin it or turn it into a profitable business.
Lowlife is a criminal blackmailer by pigsycyberbully · 2016-12-04 08:44 · Score: 0, Troll

Good job they should of gave him 20 years in prison. He got paid to look after a system and he betrayed the company and he betrayed the trust of all the small businesses that relied on that ISP.
If he tries not to pay up in prison then all his possessions will be confiscated and put up for auction. His bank account will be frozen and his assets shared "to the value of" will be shared out between the ISP and the bailiffs collection fees.
This lowlife attempted to damage all the small businesses and blackmail them and the ISP. This lowlife is a criminal blackmailer. He has done nothing honourable he is not a whistle-blower he is a blackmailing criminal.
Right criminal, wrong crime by sir-gold · 2016-12-04 08:46 · Score: 1

It sounds like most of the punishment was based on the (accidental) disruption to the ISP, rather than the actual hacking and theft of code.
This is a bit like sending someone to prison for arson, because they knocked over a gas space heater while robbing a store.
1. Re:Right criminal, wrong crime by tomhath · 2016-12-04 09:31 · Score: 1
  
  If someone is burned to death you would be guilty of murder. So yea.
2. Re:Right criminal, wrong crime by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 09:36 · Score: 0
  
  ... or incarcerating a known gangster for tax evasion.
3. Re:Right criminal, wrong crime by Bing+Tsher+E · 2016-12-04 10:55 · Score: 1
  
  But almost certainly not guilty of arson.
4. Re:Right criminal, wrong crime by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 12:52 · Score: 0
  
  No, that would fall under Manslaughter, not murder.
  Murder is the deliberate killing of another. Manslaughter is death without malice or purpose.
  I'm not sure if there is a term for accidental arson. I can't find one if there is.
5. Re:Right criminal, wrong crime by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-05 00:17 · Score: 0
  
  Accidental arson is called an insurance claim
Something's not right... by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 10:09 · Score: 0

Why didn't the employer revoke the former employee's login credentials upon termination?
Always more to the story...
1. Re: Something's not right... by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 12:54 · Score: 0
  
  Was the "you fucking moron" really necessary?
2. Re:Something's not right... by quetwo · 2016-12-05 01:08 · Score: 1
  
  I'm imagining a situation where this kid was the rock-star of the organization, which was pretty weak in the IT side. He wrote the systems that controlled everything, and he probably setup all the servers, etc. Since he was pretty young, he didn't use proper AAA systems, and probably created logins for himself on all the systems. He probably knew all the back-doors and other ways to get into the systems since he built it.
  When he got fired, his employer probably removed his key-card access (if they used one), and most likely his email. They didn't /know/ about all the shadow systems and logins that exist because he didn't document them. And that is where the problem began...
3. Re: Something's not right... by Infiniti2000 · 2016-12-05 04:56 · Score: 1
  
  No it wasn't, but AC empowers people to let their inner dick shine through.
Mixed feelings by DaMattster · 2016-12-04 12:54 · Score: 1

On one hand, I cheer Prugar because I have been fired from jobs and I was told that I am "not a team player." Never mind that I had one of the highest issue solve rights and work completion rates of my team and department. Yes, I am socially awkward and have a disability but, when the day is said and done, isn't a job about productivity? Firing someone because you feel threatened by them is evil. On the other hand, I think that two wrongs don't make a right. I believe he would've been better off asking for his job back. It has become too easy to fire people based on a whim so this is why I like to see corporations take a big hit occasionally. They get too big for their britches and need a little bit of that hubris deflated.
1. Re:Mixed feelings by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 13:52 · Score: 0
  
  That's where we differ. Two wrongs do make a right. Because if you let people walk all over you, they will do it over and over and over.
2. Re:Mixed feelings by Shimbo · 2016-12-04 20:29 · Score: 1
  
  The company did nothing wrong - Prugar is an asshole who deserved what he got. If you think that he suddenly developed an attitude problem and a complete lack of professional integrity after he got fired without cause, then Occam's razor says you're wrong.
  And, no a job isn't purely about personal productivity. As a sysadmin you need to document the fuck out of things, and nurture your team so they can handle things without you being around 24/7, because shit happens. If you have a sysadmin that doesn't do these things you need to fire them as fast as possible, whilst your company still has a chance of getting over it.
  If you've been treated badly by big corporations for being a bit different then I can sympathise with that. Identifying with a jerk who put his company out of business because he couldn't walk away, not so much.
3. Re:Mixed feelings by Dagger2 · 2016-12-05 07:10 · Score: 1
  
  Identifying with a jerk who put his company out of business because he couldn't walk away, not so much
  According to this, PA Online were a dial-up ISP that went out of business in 2015 (after being acquired in 2013, so really it's more like the dial-up branch of the combined company got shut down). Given that this story is about events from 2010, I think it's more likely that they got shut down because they were a dial-up ISP in 2015 rather than because of anything this guy did 5 years previous.
  I admit the summary does try quite hard to give you the wrong impression, but blaming it on this guy definitely isn't fair to him.
Remember the "equality" of the legal system by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-04 13:14 · Score: 0

This guy cost 500 businesses and 5000 customers money and time. Hillary compromised the security of the entire nation. One got 2 years in prison, the other still lives more comfortably than she deserves.
Let that be a lesson by Cyberpunk+Reality · 2016-12-04 14:05 · Score: 1

for anyone in a similar position.
Make sure you build in _delayed_ time bombs, and _wait_ a while before wrecking your former employer. And if they ever ask you to help, tell them to shove it.

--
Rule 35 of the internet: "If it can be hacked, it will be". - Charles Stross
Sysadmin and personal issues with Pa Online by khz6955 · 2016-12-05 01:43 · Score: 1

'Prugar worked as a systems administrator for Pa Online until June 2010, when after a series of "personal issues" with his employer, he was let go.'

What was the nature of these "personal issues" Prugar had with Pa Online?
1. Re:Sysadmin and personal issues with Pa Online by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-05 01:57 · Score: 0
  
  There you go, expecting "journalists" to investigate or inform...
2. Re:Sysadmin and personal issues with Pa Online by DarthVain · 2016-12-05 03:07 · Score: 1
  
  If I had to guess it was about what IP rights he retained to his scripts/software work given what transpired. The ISP disagreed with his opinion and fired him. He said fine, and took all his work back, inadvertently taking the ISP offline when he messed up deleting user logs after the fact. Then in a fit of hubris when the company came to him he decided to rub their noses in it. To which the company came to the conclusion that perhaps it wasn't a coincidence. FBI etc...
  But who knows really, could be he was a drunk, slept with his bosses wife, and was constantly tardy, or all 3!
Deserves is a strong word by DarthVain · 2016-12-05 03:01 · Score: 1

There are people who do violent crimes or crimes that physically hurt people and get less than 2 years of prison.
From the sounds of this story it *was* amateur hour, and he went to far and made a mistake. Like you I keep copies of my scripts etc, but I have no illusions about ownership, and franking they are welcome to them if the next guy can even figure it out. However I'd take my stuff to help me on my next gig, though I not go as so far as to try and delete them from company systems. That said the mistakes he made were that he I guess didn't feel all that confident really in his decision as why delete user logs if you think you are in the right, doing it in such a way to take down the ISP must have been a colossal screw up and he probably didn't know what he was doing. Then trying to sell his "IP" back to his company, well that was also dumb. After being laid off, he should have simply said no think you I have another job now and do not have the time and I don't work for you any more, good luck with the recovery. At any rate due to his bungling the ISP did have losses, in terms of outages to customers, so he does deserve some punishment. From the sounds of it they were not down all that long anyway. Though I'm sure he must feel something about the company going out of business in the next couple years, probably like serves you right. Additionally, it does sound pretty suspicious that an ISP would fire their sysadmin without having hired a new one? Then being really surprised when things fall apart when they don't have one, or if they hired one that is unable to run/fix things... Anyway he was convicted, but there are parts of this story that make me think perhaps we're only reading about one side of it.
Amateur hour strikes again by ErichTheRed · 2016-12-05 05:00 · Score: 1

OK, the ISP in question should have known that this guy was a sysadmin and revoked all of his credentials as soon as he was terminated. But, even if I have a key to my old house, I can't just walk in, turn on the TV and make myself a sandwich when someone else owns it (or is renting it from me.) That part of the story is why the jail time is warranted. Sysadmins should be professionals...yes, I know very few businesses treat them as such, but acting professionally is the first step to being recognized as one. I've been doing this for quite a while, and have experienced capricious firings, offshorings and layoffs. The way to deal with it is to go have a couple beers then find another job...not use your old (admittedly still valid) credentials to get back into your employers' systems and get some petty revenge. This stuff gets even more interesting when you're talking public cloud -- in that case if you have the right access you can just fire off a script to erase every service and VM your company has given you control over, along with backups, all over the Internet.
Whenever I leave a job, I've been very careful to show that I've removed all my access to anything...it's a good way to say "everything else from this point on is the new guy's fault." I've been at my current employer for a long time, so I do the same whenever I change projects and don't need access to the things I was working on last. However, given the brief description of this guy, he sounds like he indeed has personality issues. I've worked with people who take the slightest criticism as personal insult and make absolutely no attempts to work with others, but they're kept on because they are in control of a key process or have some other nugget of knowledge they haven't been forced to share. I know it's IT and we folks who are good at it tend to be a little "different" -- that goes double for me. But I'm not saying we have to be buddy buddy with the coke-snorting strip club-going salespeople...just decent humans to work with. Do just that, and chances are you won't be fired for not being "a team player" if you're any good.