Teen Hacker Contracted By Telco Company
A teenage hacker from New Zealand believed to be the ring-leader of a cyber-crime gang has managed to nab himself some work courtesy of his exploits.
When apprehended, Owen Thor Walker (then 18 years old) was described by the FBI as “bright and skilled” at what he was doing. Walker admitted to a total of six charges this time last year, including accessing a computer for dishonest purposes, interfering with computer systems, possession of software for committing crime and accessing computer systems without authorization.
The group is believed to have brought down the server at the University of Pennsylvania and infiltrated more than a million computers before Walker was arrested in November 2007. At the time, police estimated the gang had skimmed $25m in from victims bank accounts by hijacking computers all over the world and networking them to form a botnet. Walker is believed to have written programs unlike any other, capable of evading normal anti-virus software. Despite his guilty pleas, he was not convicted. The teenager was ordered to pay a share of damages caused to hacked machines and to stay away from computers.
A New Zealand news site reports that the 19 year old has since been hired by telecommunications company, TelstraClear. A spokesman for the company. Chris Mirams, said they had contracted Mr Walker for seminars and advertising which had been completed by late last year.
According to the site, TelstraClear considered the rulings, spoke to police who investigated the hacking as well as Walker and his mommy. "We found him pleasant to deal with and he genuinely wanted to help New Zealand businesses by sharing experiences," said Mr Mirams. He did not have access to the TelstraClear network.
We don’t really know what to make of this. Given the fact that he didn’t have access to the computer networks, it doesn’t seem like he had any chance to do any damage. That said, we still wouldn’t trust someone who’d stolen $25m from innocent people.
- Owen ,
- Thor ,
- Walker ,
- Job ,
- TelstraClear
- Microsoft Fined $11.9 Million for Office Price-fixing
- Ex-Sun CTO Jumps Sinking Ship to Microsoft
- Microsoft Hit With $388 Million Piracy Patent Charge
- Super Talent's 512 GB SSD is Nearly $1,500
- QOTD: What Would You Remove/Add to Win 7?
- New Acer Netbooks Hits 11.6-inch Territory
- Seagate Delivers "Next-Gen" HDD
- Microsoft: Please Don't Upgrade Win 7 Beta to RC
- AMD Launches Opteron Upgrade Program
- Conficker Gets Update, Does ... Something
- AMD's 'Sabine' Platform Will Support DirectX 11
- Intel Aims for Two Second Boot Times
- XRAID ES 4 and 16 TB Storage for Mac
- AT&T and Sprint Fiber Lines Severed
- QOTD: Are You Always Fixing PCs for Others?
- Wall•E PC Case Mod is Simply Awesome
- Bill Gates Patents Plasma Injector, for Your Car
- Facebook Blocks Pirate Bay Torrent Linking
LOL, where did the share that wasn't allocated to damages go?
I don't understand...
""Despite his guilty pleas, he was not convicted. The teenager was ordered to pay a share of damages caused to hacked machines and to stay away from computers.""
Why was he order to do anything if he was not convicted?!
'and his mommy'
Why are you writing like a pre-schooler?
OK..OK… you’re not guilty, so pay these people for the damages you’re not responsible for!
Am I missing something here?
Oh yeah, let's offer elite hackers a future career. That will set a good example.
OK..OK… you’re not guilty, so pay these people for the damages you’re not responsible for!Am I missing something here?
Plea bargain. He admitted to the crime.
'and his mommy'Why are you writing like a pre-schooler?
I wondered the same thing when I read that.
When does he get to hook up with short haired Angelina Jolie?
'and his mommy'Why are you writing like a pre-schooler?
Because I think it's absolutely ridiculous that they involved his mother in the first place. At 19 I had a job and was living on my own and my father or mother was not involved in any kind of career move I made.
Mommy is the correct term in New Zealand.
Just because the conviction was dropped, doesnt mean that he had to settle with the prosucutor.
"Prosocutor: Pay what damages we can prove without a doubt, and take a probationary term, or we prosocute. Then you go to jail for 10 years, and you still pay back what damages we can prove after 10 years of evidence, and then still serve probation. Take your choice.
Owen: Uhmm... Let me think about that one, ok?"
LOL, ring-leader of a cyber-cartel at the age of 18, that's like mad crazy gangsta.
Oh yeah, let's offer elite hackers a future career. That will set a good example.
Utilization of great minds for society is a great idea. They make their money by working, and that's one less person the general populace has to deal with. They are no longer bored.
Because I think it's absolutely ridiculous that they involved his mother in the first place. At 19 I had a job and was living on my own and my father or mother was not involved in any kind of career move I made.
So have you met Phoebe Buffay?
[citation]"We found him pleasant to deal with and he genuinely wanted to help New Zealand businesses by sharing experiences," said Mr Mirams. He did not have access to the TelstraClear network.[/citation]
By stealing other countries’ secrete?
LOL, ring-leader of a cyber-cartel at the age of 18, that's like mad crazy gangsta.
It is when you steal $25 million.
Utilization of great minds for society is a great idea. They make their money by working, and that's one less person the general populace has to deal with. They are no longer bored.
Yeah I guess you are right, I apologize for my ignorant comment.
'and his mommy'Why are you writing like a pre-schooler?
I see you are new to Tom's Comments, that is Jane's was of writing and she tends to forget the sarcasm tags. No worries Jane I like it like that.
He should be shot lol.
25 Million at 18...lucky bastard...well not the getting arrested part and such XD But if your that good and you make a turn around he could really help make advances in computer safety...although that kinda contradicts his previous "career."
I see you are new to Tom's Comments, that is Jane's was of writing and she tends to forget the sarcasm tags. No worries Jane I like it like that.
If Kevin forgot the sarcasm tag EVERYONE would be all over him!
Quote: It is when you steal $25 million.
I was actually being serious, while pretending to be ghetto with my caucasian self.
Without people like him... To help fix things.. things would just get worse.. While 25m may sound like a lot.. How much was he actually taking from each person? A penny, nickel, dime.. a dollar? Ya, its stealing still, but its not the same as taking 100$ or 1000$... From an individual person. Of course thats all realitive.. As a dollar to me might be worth more then a dollar to you..
But either way at least he is now helping fix the problem, instead of staying part of it.
Without people like him... To help fix things.. things would just get worse.. While 25m may sound like a lot.. How much was he actually taking from each person? A penny, nickel, dime.. a dollar? Ya, its stealing still, but its not the same as taking 100$ or 1000$... From an individual person. Of course thats all realitive.. As a dollar to me might be worth more then a dollar to you..But either way at least he is now helping fix the problem, instead of staying part of it.
When someone has their bank account compromised like this, they are usually cleaned out and left with zero in checkings and savings, possibly even negative with overdraft. It is not nearly as innocent as pocket change.
He will be the star of the next Swordfish movie!
He will be the star of the next Swordfish movie!
Except it will be a 2-hour reality TV event, because he'll do it all for real.
By stealing other countries’ secrete?
Hmm, a woman stealing secrete .... interesting accusation. What kind are we talking about?