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Computer programmer pleads guilty to planting logic bomb
NEWS
The Carphone Warehouse told to comply with data protection
T
he Carphone Warehouse and its sister company TalkTalk have breached the UK Data Protection Act.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has investigated complaints about the way both organisations processed and stored personal information and has now ordered both companies to improve practices. Security failings meant customers could see other customers’ account details online. The investigation also showed that customer accounts were opened in the wrong name and false information was passed on to credit reference agencies and debt collection agencies. The companies also failed to respond to requests from customers about what information was stored about them. Mick Gorrill, Assistant Commissioner at the ICO, said: “Carphone Warehouse and TalkTalk’s use of inaccurate and incorrect personal data has caused real damage and distress to customers. We have now ordered them to take the necessary steps to ensure customers’ personal information is sufficiently protected.” The companies have both received enforcement notices. Website: www.ico.gov.uk/what_we_ cover/data_protection/enforcement.asp
Man pleads guilty to hotel keystroke fraud
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Colombian man, who travelled in luxury, pled guilty to computer fraud that affected 600 people.
Forty-year-old Mario Simbaqueba Bonilla is accused of hacking into computers and committing identity theft and credit card fraud to steal money from payroll and bank accounts of victims. He confessed to installing keystrokelogging software on computers in hotel business centres and Internet lounges around the world. The software collected the passwords, and other personal information hotel visitors 4
Computer Fraud & Security
used to access their bank and payroll accounts online. He used the data to steal or transfer money from their accounts to other accounts he had created in the names of his victims. He tried to cover his trail with complex transactions, which culminated in money being transferred to credit, debit and cash cards, which were mailed to himself and others at Pak Mail. Working alone and with a coconspirator Simbaqueba Bonilla orchestrated most of the attacks from Colombia targeting US victims including Department of Defence employees. He used his criminal earnings to buy expensive electronics and luxury travel in Hong Kong, Turks and Caicos Islands, France, Jamaica, Italy, Chile and the US. The FBI arrested Simbaqueba Bonilla when he flew to the US in August last year. He was carrying a laptop containing the names, passwords and personal information of more than 600 victims.
Computer programmer pleads guilty to planting logic bomb
A
former computer programmer has pleaded guilty to planting a logic bomb in a US hospital.
Thirty-year-old Jeffery Howard Gibson was hired by St Cloud Hospital in Minnesota to create a computer-based training program. Gibson was charged with one count of intentional damage to a computer system. In spring and summer 2006 Gibson inserted a logic bomb, which activated in August and disabled the computer program after he had quit. The hospital was no longer able to use the program and notified the St Cloud Police and the FBI Cybercrime Task Force. If convicted, Gibson faces a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and a US$250 000 fine. Website: www.cybercrime.gov
Russia spam level output surges
S
pam statistics show that Russian computers have been sending dramatically higher levels of junk mail.
Security company Sophos has shown that Russia is responsible for 8.3% of the world’s spam. This is second to the US, which accounts for 21%. From October to December last year computers from the US relayed far more spam than any other country, showing how many American computers have been taken over by remote hackers says Sophos. One in five of all the world’s spam emails are sent through compromised American computers. “Responsible for a third of all unwanted email, USA and Russia can be viewed as the two dirty men of the spam generation, polluting
Top country spam relays 1 United States – 21.3% 2 Russia – 8.3% 3 China (inc. Hong Kong) – 4.2% 4 Brazil – 4% 5 S Korea – 3.9% 6 Turkey – 3.8% 7 Italy – 3.5% 8 Poland – 3.4% 9 Germany – 3.2% 10 Spain – 3.1% 10 Mexico – 3.1% 12 United Kingdom – 2.5% Others – 35.7%
Top spam continents 1 Asia – 32.1% 2 Europe – 27.1% 3 North America – 26.5% 4 South America – 12.5% 5 Africa – 1.1% Others – 0.7%
March 2008
The Carphone Warehouse told to comply with data protection
T
he Carphone Warehouse and its sister company TalkTalk have breached the UK Data Protection Act.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has investigated complaints about the way both organisations processed and stored personal information and has now ordered both companies to improve practices. Security failings meant customers could see other customers’ account details online. The investigation also showed that customer accounts were opened in the wrong name and false information was passed on to credit reference agencies and debt collection agencies. The companies also failed to respond to requests from customers about what information was stored about them. Mick Gorrill, Assistant Commissioner at the ICO, said: “Carphone Warehouse and TalkTalk’s use of inaccurate and incorrect personal data has caused real damage and distress to customers. We have now ordered them to take the necessary steps to ensure customers’ personal information is sufficiently protected.” The companies have both received enforcement notices. Website: www.ico.gov.uk/what_we_ cover/data_protection/enforcement.asp
Man pleads guilty to hotel keystroke fraud
A
Colombian man, who travelled in luxury, pled guilty to computer fraud that affected 600 people.
Forty-year-old Mario Simbaqueba Bonilla is accused of hacking into computers and committing identity theft and credit card fraud to steal money from payroll and bank accounts of victims. He confessed to installing keystrokelogging software on computers in hotel business centres and Internet lounges around the world. The software collected the passwords, and other personal information hotel visitors 4
Computer Fraud & Security
used to access their bank and payroll accounts online. He used the data to steal or transfer money from their accounts to other accounts he had created in the names of his victims. He tried to cover his trail with complex transactions, which culminated in money being transferred to credit, debit and cash cards, which were mailed to himself and others at Pak Mail. Working alone and with a coconspirator Simbaqueba Bonilla orchestrated most of the attacks from Colombia targeting US victims including Department of Defence employees. He used his criminal earnings to buy expensive electronics and luxury travel in Hong Kong, Turks and Caicos Islands, France, Jamaica, Italy, Chile and the US. The FBI arrested Simbaqueba Bonilla when he flew to the US in August last year. He was carrying a laptop containing the names, passwords and personal information of more than 600 victims.
Computer programmer pleads guilty to planting logic bomb
A
former computer programmer has pleaded guilty to planting a logic bomb in a US hospital.
Thirty-year-old Jeffery Howard Gibson was hired by St Cloud Hospital in Minnesota to create a computer-based training program. Gibson was charged with one count of intentional damage to a computer system. In spring and summer 2006 Gibson inserted a logic bomb, which activated in August and disabled the computer program after he had quit. The hospital was no longer able to use the program and notified the St Cloud Police and the FBI Cybercrime Task Force. If convicted, Gibson faces a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and a US$250 000 fine. Website: www.cybercrime.gov
Russia spam level output surges
S
pam statistics show that Russian computers have been sending dramatically higher levels of junk mail.
Security company Sophos has shown that Russia is responsible for 8.3% of the world’s spam. This is second to the US, which accounts for 21%. From October to December last year computers from the US relayed far more spam than any other country, showing how many American computers have been taken over by remote hackers says Sophos. One in five of all the world’s spam emails are sent through compromised American computers. “Responsible for a third of all unwanted email, USA and Russia can be viewed as the two dirty men of the spam generation, polluting
Top country spam relays 1 United States – 21.3% 2 Russia – 8.3% 3 China (inc. Hong Kong) – 4.2% 4 Brazil – 4% 5 S Korea – 3.9% 6 Turkey – 3.8% 7 Italy – 3.5% 8 Poland – 3.4% 9 Germany – 3.2% 10 Spain – 3.1% 10 Mexico – 3.1% 12 United Kingdom – 2.5% Others – 35.7%
Top spam continents 1 Asia – 32.1% 2 Europe – 27.1% 3 North America – 26.5% 4 South America – 12.5% 5 Africa – 1.1% Others – 0.7%
March 2008