JBR,
I doubt our 18 internet thug is very streetwise and this is probably his first run-in with the law. When the men in black came to his house and got in his face and promised him a life in prison where his ass would see more traffic than an ashtray at a Pall Mall convention if they didn't get his full and immediate cooperation, he probably caved.
"You hold out, we'll throw the book at you. But if you talk, maybe we can cut a deal." Rather standard police practice to intimidate, pretend to know more than they do and embellish the penalties.
I caught onto this trick after my 15th arrest.
Clocker,
I know this guy who is spending a tremendous amount of time and energy to optimize his computer. He wants to improve its efficiency and test its limits. Why, because he enjoys the learning and the challenge, and that is it. Minesweeper and Solitaire don't require that much tweeking to run effectively.
I look at hackers the same way, trying to test limits and simply see if they can accomplish something. Particularly if all the worm does is shut down the computer.
So I see the intent as being far different than a single minded effort to kill. We really shouldn't make light of attacks which have killed people. We cannot offend the dead, but we can re-open the emotional wounds of their surviving heirs. I would definately be angry if someone equated a virus which turn off computers to 9/11.
You are totally correct that the crime is greivous and harsh punishment should be dealt. After all, this is not a matter of a few minutes work, but a premeditated and dedicated attempt to corrupt an essential societal utility.
I imagine the young man would have been devastated if people had died, but he must be accountable for any consequences of his action. Ignorance of the potential consquences is not an excuse.
An example needs to made so that those future social outcast hackers can see that the punishment far outweighs their 15 minutes of infamy.
The truth is that if you can create a computer virus which has the means to spread itself and targets the right function, you can cause such disruption of the internet, that many people could potentially die. This would be an act of terrorism.
I don't think that the penalty for attempting such acts would disuade any real "terrorist", but stiff penalties for doing what this kid did, might seriously scare off the thrill seeking hackers.
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