Forwarded From: William Knowles <erehwon@kizmiaz.dis.org>
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 13, 1999 5:07 p.m. EST
http://www.nandotimes.com) An Air Force cadet has been found guilty of
hacking into a North Carolina company's computer system and causing $6,300
in damage.
Christopher D. Wiest, 21, a junior at the Air Force Academy, was found
innocent on two other computer hacking charges by a military jury on
Friday.
Wiest faces up to five years in military prison, expulsion from the
academy and discharge from the service.
During the five-day trial, Air Force prosecutors presented evidence they
said showed Wiest used a computer at the academy in late 1997 to illegally
enter the systems of three companies, causing roughly $80,000 in damage.
Prosecutors said Wiest hacked into the computers of Interlink
Communications, a North Carolina company that provides Internet access,
and set up dozens of versions of programs used for Internet chat sessions.
The programs slowed down Interlink's system and required several days of
work to repair.
The government alleged Wiest, using someone else's Internet nickname, then
jumped electronically to two other companies, Bunting.com of Dallas and
Touche Inc. of Pleasanton, Calif., and erased data or planted destructive
programs in their systems.
Defense attorneys admitted Wiest had gone into Interlink's system, but
they said he was duped by a North Carolina man into thinking he was
allowed to be there. They denied Wiest went into the other systems. They
said the real culprit was the man who told Wiest it was OK to go into
Interlink's system.
After four hours of deliberation, the jury found Wiest guilty of going
into Interlink's system and setting up the programs. They concluded he
didn't intentionally cause the damage but had acted recklessly. Either
way, the charge brings up to a maximum of five years in prison.
Both sides presented hundreds of printed pages of computer logs and the
equivalent of more than a million pages of evidence on computer tapes
during the trial.
Wiest, who is from Pittsburgh, continued to attend classes at the academy
as the investigation and trial proceeded.
If Wiest receives a sentence of a year or more, his case will
automatically be appealed.
-o-
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Received on Mon Mar 15 10:50:12 1999