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From the archive, 22 May 1993: British computer hackers behind bars From the archive, 22 May 1993: British computer hackers behind bars
(4 months later)
Yesterday, two bright young men described by a judge as having indulged in 'intellectual joyriding ' were jailed for six months.Yesterday, two bright young men described by a judge as having indulged in 'intellectual joyriding ' were jailed for six months.
Neil Woods, aged 24, from Manchester, and Karl Strickland, aged 22, from Liverpool, thus became the first people imprisoned under the 1990 Computer Misuse Act, introduced to deal with the growth of hacking by a breed of bright young men whose ingenuity was directed towards their computer screen.Neil Woods, aged 24, from Manchester, and Karl Strickland, aged 22, from Liverpool, thus became the first people imprisoned under the 1990 Computer Misuse Act, introduced to deal with the growth of hacking by a breed of bright young men whose ingenuity was directed towards their computer screen.
Judge Michael Harris said at Southwark crown court, south London, that he would be failing in his public duty if he did not impose immediate custodial sentences.Judge Michael Harris said at Southwark crown court, south London, that he would be failing in his public duty if he did not impose immediate custodial sentences.
He told the two men he was jailing them 'both to penalise you for what you have done and for the losses caused, and to deter others who might be similarly tempted'.He told the two men he was jailing them 'both to penalise you for what you have done and for the losses caused, and to deter others who might be similarly tempted'.
The pair worked from home and ran up phone bills of at least £25,000 for other computer users. They were said to have caused damage to systems of more than £120,000.The pair worked from home and ran up phone bills of at least £25,000 for other computer users. They were said to have caused damage to systems of more than £120,000.
Their equipment was simple: basic terminals, modems and telephone lines. Their hacking took them metaphorically to Russia, Canada, Taiwan, Singapore, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Iceland, India and Australia. One officer said the list of databases they penetrated was like 'reading an atlas'.Their equipment was simple: basic terminals, modems and telephone lines. Their hacking took them metaphorically to Russia, Canada, Taiwan, Singapore, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Iceland, India and Australia. One officer said the list of databases they penetrated was like 'reading an atlas'.
Mr Strickland, a research assistant at Liverpool university, and Mr Woods, a computer salesman and Manchester university computer science graduate, both pleaded guilty to conspiring to obtain telegraphic services dishonestly, and engaging in the unauthorised publication of computer information. Mr Woods also pleaded guilty to causing £15,000 of damage to a computer owned by Central London Polytechnic.Mr Strickland, a research assistant at Liverpool university, and Mr Woods, a computer salesman and Manchester university computer science graduate, both pleaded guilty to conspiring to obtain telegraphic services dishonestly, and engaging in the unauthorised publication of computer information. Mr Woods also pleaded guilty to causing £15,000 of damage to a computer owned by Central London Polytechnic.
Judge Harris said he accepted their hacking was not designed to damage systems or to make a profit, but he believed they knew what they were doing was illegal.Judge Harris said he accepted their hacking was not designed to damage systems or to make a profit, but he believed they knew what they were doing was illegal.
'If your passion had been cars rather than computers we would have called your conduct delinquent, and I don't shrink from the analogy of describing what you were doing as intellectual joyriding,' he said.'If your passion had been cars rather than computers we would have called your conduct delinquent, and I don't shrink from the analogy of describing what you were doing as intellectual joyriding,' he said.
'There may be people out there who consider hacking to be harmless, but hacking is not harmless. Computers now form a central role in our lives, containing personal details, financial details, confidential matters of companies and government departments and many business organisations.''There may be people out there who consider hacking to be harmless, but hacking is not harmless. Computers now form a central role in our lives, containing personal details, financial details, confidential matters of companies and government departments and many business organisations.'
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