[ISN] China makes first computer hacker arrest (9.14.1998)

From: mea culpa (jerichot_private)
Date: Mon Sep 14 1998 - 13:31:02 PDT

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    Forwarded From: William Knowles <erehwont_private>
    
    
    SHANGHAI (Reuters) [9.14.98] China has arrested its first suspected
    computer hacker under a new criminal law, a Shanghai newspaper said on
    Monday. 
    
    A 22-year-old university mathematics student who was identified only by
    his surname Yang was arrested recently after he broke into a Shanghai
    computer network, the Liberation Daily said. 
    
    ``The computer hacker had the ability to delete, modify, insert or disrupt
    the information or even paralyse the network,'' the newspaper said without
    naming the network. 
    
    It said Yang had logged more than 2,000 free hours on the system and had
    discovered the passwords of more than 500 users. An official at Shanghai
    Online, a network operated by the local telecommunications authority,
    confirmed that it had been penetrated by the student, though he said there
    was no impact on the system itself. 
    
    ``The individual illegally gained access to some parts of the network but
    there was no impact on the system itself,'' he said. 
     
    Shanghai Online offers information on stocks, general economics and
    medical issues as well as other data. 
     
    China has seen rapid growth in the sales of computers andcomputer software
    in recent years. 
     
    Last year it enacted a new criminal law that for the first time made it
    illegal to break into computer systems and set a maximum five-year jail
    term for a conviction. 
     
    The suspect was believed to have broken into the system out of curiosity,
    a desire to improve his computer skills and to obtain free computer
    services, the newspaper said. 
     
    Police had no comment on the case. 
    
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