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Video related to this article is available below.Issue date: 11/30/07 Section: News
Junior indicted in hacking scheme
FBI alleges Ryan Goldstein helped hacker attack U. server last year
Jessica Sidman
The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced the indictment of Engineering junior Ryan Goldstein yesterday for his alleged involvement in a global computer-hacking conspiracy.
Goldstein was arrested Nov. 1 and charged with computer-fraud conspiracy, to which he pled not guilty. He was released on a $10,000 bond and is still attending classes.
The Bioengineering major allegedly helped a New Zealand hacker nicknamed "AKILL" carry out computer attacks by using a fellow student's username and password to gain access to a University server.
The investigation of Goldstein was triggered by a suspicious crash of the School of Engineering's server in February 2006 that denied service to 4,000 students, faculty and staff members.
"I believe the charges are exaggerated, and beyond that, I have no further comment," said Ronald Levine, Goldstein's lawyer.
New Zealand detectives are currently investigating an 18-year-old they believe to be AKILL - the ring leader of a "small but elite" group that installed malware on 1.3 million computers worldwide, according to a press release from the New Zealand Police.
Malware can gain control of unsuspecting computers and be used for sending spam, identity theft or denial of service attacks.
An investigation is ongoing, and FBI agents have already indicted two other people with links to AKILL.
The case is part of the FBI's recent nationwide crackdown on computer crime, called Operation Bot Roast II, which has uncovered more than $20 million in economic loss with more than one million victimized computers, FBI special agent J.J. Klaver said.
Following the 2006 Engineering school server crash, University technicians discovered that current Engineering junior Amanda Dyson's school account had been logged into 57,958 times in four days, with 13,289 failed attempts from computers in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America, according to an affidavit filed by FBI agent and computer-crimes specialist Jason Stroud.
Goldstein was arrested Nov. 1 and charged with computer-fraud conspiracy, to which he pled not guilty. He was released on a $10,000 bond and is still attending classes.
The Bioengineering major allegedly helped a New Zealand hacker nicknamed "AKILL" carry out computer attacks by using a fellow student's username and password to gain access to a University server.
The investigation of Goldstein was triggered by a suspicious crash of the School of Engineering's server in February 2006 that denied service to 4,000 students, faculty and staff members.
"I believe the charges are exaggerated, and beyond that, I have no further comment," said Ronald Levine, Goldstein's lawyer.
New Zealand detectives are currently investigating an 18-year-old they believe to be AKILL - the ring leader of a "small but elite" group that installed malware on 1.3 million computers worldwide, according to a press release from the New Zealand Police.
Malware can gain control of unsuspecting computers and be used for sending spam, identity theft or denial of service attacks.
An investigation is ongoing, and FBI agents have already indicted two other people with links to AKILL.
The case is part of the FBI's recent nationwide crackdown on computer crime, called Operation Bot Roast II, which has uncovered more than $20 million in economic loss with more than one million victimized computers, FBI special agent J.J. Klaver said.
Following the 2006 Engineering school server crash, University technicians discovered that current Engineering junior Amanda Dyson's school account had been logged into 57,958 times in four days, with 13,289 failed attempts from computers in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America, according to an affidavit filed by FBI agent and computer-crimes specialist Jason Stroud.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 5
data miner
posted 11/30/07 @ 10:45 AM EST
One addition to this article would be: AKILL was arrested yesterday in New Zealand by a joint task force which included the FBI. Thus, this hacking scheme is much, much bigger than just Ryan. (Continued…)
Jay Magoo
posted 11/30/07 @ 10:59 AM EST
Five years in the slam and a quarter of a mil fine may seem harsh, but brother Goldstein wasn't playing mumble-de-peg. He was flirting with some real damage to his neighbors in cyberspace, potentially amounting to many millions. (Continued…)
Why so many attempts without a login suspension?
posted 11/30/07 @ 11:11 AM EST
Why was there no alert and shutdown of that girl's login before 4 days? One would think that significant multi-location/high frequency login attempts would prompt an automated alert and/or suspense of the user account until that user could be contacted. (Continued…)
Oz
posted 11/30/07 @ 5:25 PM EST
He'll make someone a good wifey in prison.
Absolution
posted 11/30/07 @ 6:04 PM EST
This individual is guilty of far more than just computer crimes, his taste for underage boys has provoked a lot of hate from his peers.
proof: [link deleted]
Editor's Note: The author of this comment provided a link to a file containing offensive content. (Continued…)
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