'UFO hacker' - Gary McKinnon

[Neil]

If you've not heard of Gary McKinnon he hacked into into 97 United States military computers in 2001 and 2002 (including ones owned by NASA, US Army, Navy, Department of Defense and the US Air Force).

His basic take on the matter is he was not intentionally malicious and at times was actually looking for evidence of UFOs and 'free energy' systems... - http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/news/2006/06/71182


He's on the verge of my extradited to the US where TBH he'll get 'linched'! The concern is he'll be made an example of!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2005/jul/09/weekend7.weekend2


I suppose one of the main questions is, did he actually find something!

[MikePizzoff]

It certainly makes me wonder...

[Danny]

youd think the military would give him a job if he could do that :lol:

[FoodFight]

In fairness, since the govt. didn't prosecute this bunch http://www.philipcoppens.com:80/gulfbreeze6.html, they shouldn't proceed with this one.

[Mike70]

this guy is clearly unbalanced and well, engaging borderline delusional behavior, so is he even fit to stand trial?

his whole story strikes me as absolute crap because he has not one iota of proof to back it up.

folks need to get it through their heads once and for all - there is no such thing as a free energy engine. the very concept is ludicrous and violates a number of very basic principles - the laws of thermodynamics being right at the top.

[Neil]

Poor guy... I have a horrible feeling he will now disappear for an rediculous (& unfair) amount of time...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7532713.stm

His only hope is the fact this case is now so high profile...

[Neil]

He's lost his appeal, of to the States he does...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7585861.stm

[Arcades057]

So the guy hacked sensitive US security computers, got caught, and we should just... what, let him go because he claims his heart was in the right place?

If he had broken into a building and snooped around, he'd be catching B&E charges at the very least, if not burglary, grand theft, and a host of other charges.

I think the question is not "what did he look for," so much as it is "what could he have done?"

[Legion2213]

So the guy hacked sensitive US security computers, got caught, and we should just... what, let him go because he claims his heart was in the right place?

If he had broken into a building and snooped around, he'd be catching B&E charges at the very least, if not burglary, grand theft, and a host of other charges.

I think the question is not "what did he look for," so much as it is "what could he have done?"

Indeed. He did something illegal, and now he will pay the price. the words "tough sh*t" spring to mind.

[Neil]

So the guy hacked sensitive US security computers, got caught, and we should just... what, let him go because he claims his heart was in the right place?

If he had broken into a building and snooped around, he'd be catching B&E charges at the very least, if not burglary, grand theft, and a host of other charges.

I think the question is not "what did he look for," so much as it is "what could he have done?"

Not at all, but the general feeling at one point was he could disappear into that symbol of justice, Guantanamo... Luckily this case is so high profile he'll probably get a more reasonable deal.

However, there's a good chance he'll still end up getting a sentence longer that your average rapist and/or murderer...

This is what people are concerned about...


Indeed. He did something illegal, and now he will pay the price. the words "tough sh*t" spring to mind.

But does the price match the crime...

[clanglee]

But does the price match the crime...

Well that remains to be seen really, but the government does not take such things lightly at all.

[_liam_]

Word round the nerd campfire is that insiders are actually quite grateful, because he has exposed many serious flaws.

Apparently he managed it because he realised that some NASA workstations run on XP.

I mean bloody hell, windows is like the gruyere cheese of operating systems, you'd think they'd have their own

[Neil]

Word round the nerd campfire is that insiders are actually quite grateful, because he has exposed many serious flaws.

Apparently he managed it because he realised that some NASA workstations run on XP.

I mean bloody hell, windows is like the gruyere cheese of operating systems, you'd think they'd have their own

In interviews he basically said he managed to get into a lot of networks/machines because they had no passwords! :rockbrow:

This guy definately needs to 'fry' and should be put in prison for far longer than murderers and rapists! :rolleyes:

[Kaos]

In interviews he basically said he managed to get into a lot of networks/machines because they had no passwords! :rockbrow:

This guy definately needs to 'fry' and should be put in prison for far longer than murderers and rapists! :rolleyes:

The current punishment is to cut off his feet at the ankles, duh.:rolleyes:

[Bub666]

The current punishment is to cut off his feet at the ankles, duh.:rolleyes:

I would think the punishment is to cut off his hands so he can't use computers anymore.

[capncnut]

Word round the nerd campfire is that insiders are actually quite grateful, because he has exposed many serious flaws.
That is all he is guilty of really...

[Neil]

That is all he is guilty of really...

Well, that's a little easy going on him... He has cost the US a small fortune in tracking him down etc.

It's questionable how much damage he's really done. It could also be suggested he has infact helped them in pointing out areas of lax security.

It will be very interesting to see how this plays out...

[capncnut]

It will be very interesting to see how this plays out...
Indeed and I hope it plays out his way TBH.

[Mike70]

It could also be suggested he has infact helped them in pointing out areas of lax security.

yeah, but isn't that line of arguement very close to a burglar saying, "hey, i was just proving to them that their home security was lax. they left the window/door unlocked."

[Neil]

yeah, but isn't that line of arguement very close to a burglar saying, "hey, i was just proving to them that their home security was lax. they left the window/door unlocked."

Oh indeed! But there's a difference between the burglar then burning down your house, and maybe just nicking some biscuits from the cookie jar :)

In reality it sounds as if he really didn't do much damage - I may be wrong on this!

The concern is he's being made an example of because he's high profile and easy to make an example of...

[Mike70]

the crux for me is that this guy couldn't possibly have been under the illusion that what he was doing was legal. given that, he is a criminal and should have to face some sort of consequence for his actions. does that mean he has to be locked up for eons? not to me. since he did no damage a logical solution to this would be:

he gets sentenced to jail (maybe 5 years or so)
he gets remanded to a british prison (this has been done before - some of the british bankers convicted in the enron scandal were remanded back to serve their time in britian)
he gets to serve his time at home nearer to any family and friends.

[Neil]

the crux for me is that this guy couldn't possibly have been under the illusion that what he was doing was legal. given that, he is a criminal and should have to face some sort of consequence for his actions. does that mean he has to be locked up for eons? not to me. since he did no damage a logical solution to this would be:

he gets sentenced to jail (maybe 5 years or so)
he gets remanded to a british prison (this has been done before - some of the british bankers convicted in the enron scandal were remanded back to serve their time in britian)
he gets to serve his time at home nearer to any family and friends.

This is the sort of thing being pushed for...

But at one point - when the case was lower profile - there was even talk (threats) of Guantanamo Bay :eek:

[Kaos]

But at one point - when the case was lower profile - there was even talk (threats) of Guantanamo Bay :eek:

Maybe they saw Harold and Kumar and thought a cockmeat sandwich was in order?