NEWS Jeffrey Lee Parson, the teen who admitted to writing the Blaster virus, is now facing a three-year jail sentence and a bill for $626,000.
Parson, a 19-year-old from Minnesota, is due to be sentenced this week for writing the Blaster.B variant, which prosecutors claim infected around 48,000 machines that hadn't had a Microsoft patch installed to protect against the Windows XP and 2000 flaw, and caused damage totalling $1.2m.
The variant also tried to use its infected zombies commit a denial-of-service attack on the Microsoft Windows Update site.
Now, Microsoft stands to be the main beneficiary if the teen malware writer has to pay the requested restitution. The Redmond behemoth would receive the lion's share, with the rest of the money being distributed to some of the victims of the worm.
Prosecutors are gunning for Lee Parson to spend time in prison for writing the Blaster variant and are calling for a 37-month custodial sentence.
Parson's lawyers, however, are asking for a six-month prison term, according to reports, with another six months in a community treatment centre and another six of home detention, to be followed by three years of probation.
Comments
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1. anonymous
Where is a 19 year old going to find $600,000 dollars?
2. John
And where exactly is the average 19 year old going to find $600k? Unless he comes from a wealthy family, he'll probably just have to immmediately declare himself bankrupt, so what's the point?
He's obviously not stupid and must have understood the potential consequences of his actions, so surely the emphasis should be on the custodial punishment that he can't avoid
3. Kevin Roche
How do I get my share of the cash. I was on Holiday when the virus hit and was forced to come back in and work to fight the virus. Unfortunately because it was a UK holiday I had no insurance for it.
4. Stuart Jones
I agree re: where is he going to find the money. However, a strong message needs to be sent out. Certainly a custodial sentance does this.
I'm not 100% sure however that when comparing like for like though that this sort of offence should be considered worse than say rape which in this country can only get 12 months in prison. A financial punishment (even if it means bankruptcy) along with his own lawyers recommendation of 6 months prison + 6 months detention + 3 years probabtion probably fits the crime better.
5. John
Kevin, that just shows why you should ALWAYS tell your employer that you are incommunicado (Outer Mongolia or wherever) when you're on holiday. Otherwise, you're just asking for trouble! :)
6. anonymous
No doubt he'll end up working them in some capacity ....
7. anonymous
Once again big business fails to employ a genius that is prepared to take them on,yes where will he get $600,000 another, like jail sentences 100 years plus you can't possibly achieve.
8. anonymous
Put an attachment of earnings on his wages for life if necessary, that's where a 19 year old is going to find $600,000 dollars….
9. Stewart Rotherham
Given the relative resources available - one teenager - albeit a fairly able one - pitted against the might of Microsoft, just who is the guilty party here? The vendors of flawed software or the users of the "undocumemted features" of that software?
The damage to Microsoft is in the harm done to their reputation as a result of having the weaknesses of their security highlit - not in the exploitation of that weakness.
Being bully boys after the event is only a matter of bolting the stable door after the horse has disappeared over the horizon.
10. anonymous
I just feel sorry for Microsoft. How on earth can they stay in business with a paltry pay out like this? Bill must be weeping into his gruel!
11. Tim Kjell
Sure this guy did something terrible, but still larger companies should see the potential in kids like this!
Seriously, he's nineteen and makes a Virus that goes global and can strike almost every Computer with a Windows XP Operative System.
Instead of charging him for $600k, they should in some way make him work For them instead of Against them.
But still, I'm not saying his actions were correct, as they weren't.
But he's got some skills and todays companies has got to have some guts and hire these youngsters!
At least, that's my opinion.