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From:  Silicon.Surfer@unixville.edu
Subject:  A Media Commentary on the RIGGS Sentencing
Date:     Tue, 14 May 91 20:39 EDT

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***  CuD #3.17: File 2 of 5: Media Comment on Riggs Sentencing   ***
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Here is an article I recently saw in the May/June 1991 issue of
Contingency Journal. The author seemed very glad of the judges
decision of restitution for Bell South by the computer hackers (I bet
the author would have approved of dismemberment of their hands also).
According to the story's bio sketch, the author is an attorney with 20
years of experience, including 10 years in computer security at a
major financial institution.

It is interesting to note that the author states that one of the
schemers published the information in a hacker's newsletter. But the
author never mentions that the case against the publisher was dropped
by the government, nor does the author correct the slur that the
publisher was in on the scheme (actually it was proved in court by the
government's own witness that the publisher was not part or any way
connected with the scheme).  I only wish that the government would
order restitution to the American taxpayer for what the S & L scheme
will cost us in the next few years.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

       Restitution Ordered For Bell South Hackers
            By Michael H. Agranoff, Attorney

The law is beginning to respond effectively to the problem of computer
hacking. In September 1988, three young men began implementing a
scheme to steal proprietary data from Bell South Telephone Co.
computers. They illegally gained access to Bell South from a home
computer, downloaded the data and tried to disguise the fraud by using
the IDs of legitimate users.

The stolen data was transferred on an interstate computer network and
stored on a bulletin board system. It was made known to others in a
hacker's newsletter published by one of the schemers.

If the fraud had continued, it could have disrupted telecommunication
channels throughout the country, according to government prosecutors.
The hackers were in a position to retrieve and modify credit
information, eavesdrop on telephone conversations and worse.

Various charges of fraud, theft and conspiracy were lodged against the
trio. They attempted to get the charges dismissed on technical
grounds, were unsuccessful and pleaded guilty to a smaller number of
charges.

A federal judge in Georgia imposed sentences last November.  One
hacker was given 21 months in prison and two years supervised
probation.

The other two hackers were each given 14 months in prison.  Seven of
those months were to be served in a half-way house, where they must
assist colleges and businesses in computer work. Following release,
the hackers must each complete three years community service, to
include 120 hours each year of computer-related work, during which
time they may not own or access a computer, except for employment,
without supervision approved by the court.

Each of the three hackers was also ordered to pay restitution to Bell
South amounting to $233,880 per hacker.  Readers may reflect upon this
sentence. In trying to

protect the public interest and yet not be vindictive, the judge
rendered (in this writer's opinion) a wise and thoughtful decision.
Will it send the appropriate message to potential hackers throughout
the country? Let us see.

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