An American Cybercriminal to Face Verdict

A Cheyenne (USA) based man known as Jason Michael Milmont, 20, charged of developing a malevolent computer program, which according to officials, infected thousands of systems across the country, faces verdict before a federal judge.

Milmont accepted in 2008 to plead culpable to a federal accusation of illegally accessing a system to commit a fraud. Federal prosecutors claimed that he used the program in stealing credit card details and swindling people in 2007.

As per the prosecutors, the case of Milmont is the first ever prosecution in the country for exploiting peer-to-peer software to distribute malware. Prosecutors said that using the same kind of computer program that enables people to search and install music and videos on the web, Milmont created a malicious program known as Nugache Worm, which was one of the sophisticated botnets of that time.

Prosecutors informed that Milmont used the worm to construct a botnet or network comprising of almost 15,000 robot PCs nationwide. They claimed he acquired credit card and other details that he used to order merchandise which were shipped by him to unoccupied homes in Cheyenne.

Protecting Milmont, his family and friends have posted letters to US District Judge, William F. Downes, advising the judge to be indulgent. They called Milmont as a bright computer programmer. They also added that he has the expertise to assist the US defend itself from the mounting cyber threats.

His parents Chris and Karen Milmont said in the letter that their son is not a danger to the society. They also added that he should be freed so that he could move ahead with his skills for the welfare of the country as well as humanity, as per the news published by BussinessWeek on April 26, 2009.
Also, some security experts said that teenagers usually commit mistakes. So if Milmont has really developed the Nugache worm at such a young age, it shows that he is indeed an appreciable computer programmer.

According to reports, Milmont has to pay roughly $73,000 as compensation and could also face up to 5 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.

Related article: An Internet Hack That Lasted 12 Hours

» SPAMfighter News - 5/2/2009