Date: Wed, 21 Oct 92 03:23:28 EDT
From: mcmullen@MINDVOX.PHANTOM.COM(John F. McMullen)
Subject: File 3--Further Disclosures In 911/"Legion of Doom Case"
 
((MODERATORS' NOTE: We periodically reprint articles from
NEWSBYTES, which we consider the best single on-line source of
information on the nets. Barbara and John McMullen, the authors of
most of the articles we reprint, are perhaps the most capable and
incisive computer journalists in the country. They consistently
provide indepth, accurate, and comprehensive stories that provide an
antidote to the generally mediocre coverage of other media.  We have
no formal way to commend them for their principled and thorough
stories other than say "Thanks!"
 
Newsbytes is a commercial news service with bureaus from Moscow to
Sydney, Australia. It publishes a minimum of 30 stories related to
technology 5 days a week. It reaches approximately 4.5 million people
through electronic distribution including Compuserve, GEnie, America
OnLine, AppleLink, DIALOG, Newsnet, Clarinet and various foreign
services.
 
It is also distributed to some individual BBS systes for a relatively
small charge.
 
For information on pricing, contact Wendy Woods 415 550-7334))
 
+++++
 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1992 OCT 20(NB) -- In a discussion with
Newsbytes, Sgt. Kurt Leonard of the Chesterfield County, Virginia
Police Department disclosed further information concerning the
on-going investigation of alleged 911 disruption throughout the
eastern seaboard of the United States by individuals purporting to be
members of the hacker group "The Legion of Doom" (LOD).
 
Leonard identified the individual arrested in Newark, New Jersey,
previously referred to only as "Maverick", as Scott Maverick, 23.
Maverick has been charged with terroristic threats, obstruction of a
government function, and illegal access to a computer. He is presently
out on bail.
 
Leonard said that David Pluchino, 22 was charged to the same counts as
Maverick and an additional count of the possession of burglar tools.
Leonard said that Pluchino, the subject of a 1990 Secret Service
"search and seizure" action under the still on-going "Operation
SunDevil" investigation" possessed information linking him with
members of the Legion of Doom.
 
The Legion of Doom connection has become the subject of controversy
within the online community. Although Maverick has been quoted as
saying that he is a member of the group and that that the group's
intent was "to attempt to penetrate the 911 computer systems and
inflect them with viruses to cause havoc", members of the group have
disavowed and connection with those arrested. "Lex Luthor", one of the
original members of the group told Newsbytes when the initial report
of the arrests became public "As far as I am concerned the LOD has
been dead for a couple of years never to be revived. Maverick was
never in LOD. There have been 2 lists of members (one in phrack and
another in the lod tj) and those lists ar the final word on
membership.  We obviously cannot prevent copy-cats from saying they
are in lod. When there was an LOD, our goals were to explore and leave
systems as we found them. The goals were to expose security flaws so
they could be fixed before REAL criminals and vandals such as this
Maverick character could do damage. If this Maverick character did
indeed disrupt E911 service he should be not only be charged with
computer trespassing but also attempted murder. 911 is serious
business."
 
Lex Luthor's comments, made before the names of the arrested were
released,  were echoed by Chris Goggans, a/k/a "Erik Bloodaxe, and
Mark Abene, a/k/a Phiber Optik, both ex-LOD members and by Craig
Neidorf who chronicled the membership of LOD in his electronic
publication Phrack.
 
When the names of the arrested became public, Newsbytes again
contacted Lex Luthor to see if the names were familiar. Luthor replied
"Can't add anything, I never heard of them."
 
Phiber Optik, a New York resident told Newsbytes that he remembered
Pluchino as a person that ran a computer "chat" system called
"Interchat" based in New Jersey. Phiber added "They never were LOD
members and Pluchino was not known as a computer hacker. It sounds as
though they were LOD wanabees who are now, by going to jail, going to
get the attention they desire."
 
A law enforcement official, familiar with the SunDevil investigation
of Pluchino, agreed with Phiber, saying "there was no indication of
any connection with the Legion of Doom." The official, speaking under
the condition of anonymity, also told Newsbytes that the SunDevil
investigation of Pluchino is still proceeding and, as such, cannot be
commented on.
 
Leonard also told Newsbytes that the investigation has been a joint
effort of New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia police departments and
said that, in conjunction with the October 9th 2:00 AM arrests of
Pluchino and Maverick, a simultaneous "search and seizure" operation
was carried out at the Hanover, Maryland home of Zohar Shif, a/k/a
"Zeke", a 23 year-old who had also been the subject of a SunDevil
search and seizure.
 
Leonard also said that, in addition to computers taken from Pluchino,
material was found "establishing a link to the Legion of Doom." Told
of the comments by LOD members that the group did not exist anymore,
Leonard said "While the original members may have gone on to other
things, these people say they are the LOD and some of them have direct
connection to LOD members and have LOD materials."
 
Asked by Newsbytes to comment on Leonard's comments, Phiber Optik said
"The material he's referring to is probably text files that have been
floating around BBS's for years, Just because someone has downloaded
the files certainly doesn't mean that they are or ever were connected
with LOD."
 
(Barbara E. McMullen & John F. McMullen/19921020)
 
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