The Fifteen Greatest Hacking Exploits

By Nicolas Aguila
published

A $245 Million Theft Against Dassault

The last great hack that we'll discuss in this historical review is rather recent. We need only go back to January of this year to find a 58-year-old Greek hacker who was arrested by the local police for illegally entering the servers of Dassault Systèmes, and stealing software he later sold on the Internet.

An Intrusion with Heavy Consequences

By entering one of the Dassault servers, this hacker - who used the codename ASTRA - was able to obtain access to the whole company network. It was then easy to steal several documents, as well as professional modeling software. Ever careful, he worked to erase all traces of his activities before exiting the network.

Once he had the software in hand, he started selling it on the Internet with the aid of an accomplice, causing losses estimated by Dassault at more than $300 million. The hacker was arrested at his Athens home by the police, who seized 16 CDs and DVDs as well as his hard drive. His assistant, whose identity was not revealed, resided in the United Kingdom.

Nicolas Aguila
Topics
Software
10 Comments Comment from the forums
  • They should have very serious consequences for hackers. I'm tired of defaced websites, viruses, trojans, etc. Although it is fun to screw around with other people's computers..especially if they've done it to you...but either way there should be some huge penalties for hacking. I say chop off a thumb on the first offence. 2nd offence: chope off the rest of the fingers on that hand. Hackers along with script kiddies would cease to exist.
    Reply
  • itadakimasu
    sounds like you have been the victim of malware and virii while doing some questionable internet browsing...
    Reply
  • Well, 'Anonymous', I hope you're using Tor to browse the 'intarweb', you worthless plebian.
    Here in the USA, we aren't barbarians, and the only people who would even deserve such harsh treatment would be rapists and their ilk. Even so, we just lock em up and release them on probation a few months/years later. :P
    Not perfect, but I say cutting off fingers because you're too stupid to take basic steps to protect your system? Kinda harsh.
    The difference between a robber and a hacker, is that you can completely stop a hacker by unplugging your phone line from your modem.
    Do that, for the sake of humanity. :P
    Reply
  • arkadi
    Well it is important info, but i don't think you can call them the best :) they got basted after all. Governments got best hackers if you ask me.
    Reply
  • Reynod
    There are numerous other well documented hacks that probably deserved a mention.

    At least you did take the moral high ground.

    You neglected to mention Electron and Phoenix ... clearly they were better than most of these mentioned here.



    Reply
  • deadliest
    hmmm so this hacker list is not complete oh oh oh , you should have guys, it was most interesting reading about this. But i think hackers are a necessary evil without them how would i play my pirated games :D
    Reply
  • @ Arkadi
    "Well it is important info, but i don't think you can call them the best :) they got basted after all. Governments got best hackers if you ask me. "

    Lol, where do you think the Government found there hackers? They hired guys like this ^^Rofl
    Reply
  • Script kiddies. Blegh.
    Reply
  • ahhhhhh
    its good to be a hacker
    Reply
  • jordanprogrammer
    the best website for programming language:
    www.jordanprogrammer.tk
    Reply