CHEYENNE, Wyo. - A 19-year-old hacker suspected of infecting thousands of personal computers with malicious software that enabled him to tap into hundreds of credit union and bank accounts pleaded guilty to fraud under a plea deal. The case is believed to be the first in the U.S. in which a person was prosecuted for using peer-to-peer software to deliver so-called “malware.” The malware embedded itself in users’ Windows OS. Prosecutors said Jason Milmont embedded the software, dubbed the “Naguache Worm,” in peer-to-peer software he made available over the Internet.
Milmont then used the malware to gain remote control of computers that downloaded the worm, allowing him to obtain credit card and other personal account information. The software Milmont made available over the Internet offered free installation of Limewire, a peer-to-peer file sharing program. Milmont used the information to tap into credit union and bank accounts to buy more than $75,000 worth of merchandise online, according to court documents. (c) 2008 The Credit Union Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved.http://www.cujournal.com http://www.sourcemedia.com
