Computer Hacker Steals $275,000

http://www.trust-guard.com/

A Texas man pleaded guilty Wednesday to stealing about $275,000 by hacking into computer networks; his name is Jeremy Parker age 26 and has been hacking computers since he was just twelve years old. He even admitted to hacking into NASA computer networks.

Hackers are never just messing around. They always have a plan and a sure-fire way to steal as much money as they can from companies, and often times customers of companies as well. The most dangerous part is that most people don’t believe or know how much damage a computer hacker can cause to your computer, online systems, and your bank accounts and personal information. This is the summary of how severe the problems are that computer hackers can create, and just part of the damage this one caused.

From a recent article written on the case, Parker admitted that from Dec. 23, 2008 through Oct. 15, 2009, he hacked into the computer network of SWReg Inc., a subsidiary of Eden Prairie-based Digital River.

SWReg pays independent software developers who write code. Royalties owed to those developers are accumulated at SWReg, which can electronically transfer the money to the developer’s bank account. Parker hacked into SWReg’s system, created the money by crediting the SWReg accounts, and then caused that money to be wire transferred to his bank account instead of the accounts of several developers, federal authorities said.

Parker pled guilty to wire fraud and faces up to 20 years in prison on that charge, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minneapolis. He also faces up to 10 years on a computer hacking charge. His sentencing date has yet to be set.

Parker also admitted that on Sept. 24, 2009, he hacked into two computer servers at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. The servers supported access to data being sent to Earth from satellites gathering oceanographic data, but didn’t have control over the satellites themselves.

Once the breach of its computer system was discovered, NASA spent approximately $43,000 to repair the damage. About 3,300 users were denied access to the data for a period of time, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.

Parker was not officially charged in connection with the NASA case, but the U.S. attorneys in Minnesota and Maryland agreed to include the NASA incident in the sentencing hearing.

Computer hackers attack computer systems to try to steal your identity, money, credit history and ruin your computers. Many of them are good at what they do. If you are not protected with online security systems that are specifically created to protect you from hackers, then you are at a much greater risk than you may think. Vulnerability scanning by companies like McAfee or Trust Guard can protect online consumers from crazy computer hackers like Jeremy Parker.