[ISN] Swedish Hacker Indicted in Cisco, NASA Attacks

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124157855780690631.html

By SIOBHAN GORMAN and YOCHI J. DREAZEN
The Wall Street Journal
May 6, 2009

WASHINGTON -- A Swedish computer hacker was indicted Tuesday for 
breaking into the networks of tech-gear maker Cisco Systems Inc. and 
high-end computing equipment at the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration.

The attacks underscore the development of a vast underground economy 
that targets both the private sector and the government.

Hacking under the nom de guerre "Stakkato," Philip Gabriel Pettersson 
was a teenager when he penetrated the systems five years ago. He is now 
21 years old and faces charges in a five-count indictment of illegally 
damaging computer networks and theft of trade secrets.

Mr. Pettersson broke into Cisco's networks around May 12, 2004, to steal 
trade secrets, according to the indictment. The data stolen were part of 
the playbook for its router systems, known as "source code" for the 
company's Internetwork Operating System. The operating system is a 
cornerstone technology for the San Jose, Calif.-based company that is a 
common thread through many of its products. Cisco "used reasonable 
measures" to protect its code, the indictment says.

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