Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: Hacker, Prison, Network, Password, UK | Themes: Software, Networking
An inmate computer hacker was "hired" to write a program, but he hacked the network instead.
Oh the irony. Apparently, somebody in the UK prison system didn't understand the term "hacker," especially when it applied to 27-year-old prison inmate Douglas Havard. The local governors, wanting to launch an internal TV station within the facility, needed someone to code a special program to make their dreams come true. Havard had the knowledge to provide what they needed, and thus landed the "job."
Currently Havard is serving six years for stealing millions of dollars through online credit card fraud at Ranby Prison, close to Retford, Nottinghamshire, England. While left unguarded, pretending to write the required program, Havard hacked into the system's hard drive and set up a series of passwords that ultimately locked everyone out of the network.
"It's unbelievable that a criminal convicted of cyber-crime was allowed uncontrolled access to the hard drive," someone within the prison system told The Mirror. "He set up such an elaborate array of passwords it took a specialist company to get it working."
An official spokesperson for the prison said that the breach was under investigation, however typically prisoners are not allowed unsupervised access to computers. "The prisoner was not able to access records of any other prisoners," the official said.
Last week an inmate in the same prison managed to forge a key that could open every door
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Wow, that prison needs to be nuked.
Force a "Hacker" to write a program for you for free. And leave him unsupervised. Yeah, that sounds like a great idea.
Wow, that prison needs to be nuked.
Or at least someone with common sense calling the shots.
It really doesn't matter that he was unsupervised. Any guard they would have placed to supervise him likely wouldn't know what the heck this guy was doing anyway.
"He set up such an elaborate array of passwords it took a specialist company to get it working."
The cost of this fix versus how much it costs to hire someone to code the original idea would be interesting to see.
ROFLMAO... way to go! For an encore, how about putting convicted child molesters in charge of a day care?
Why is he trying to extend his sentence? Is the food really that good in prison?
Wow the have some talented bunch there. A locksmith and a system administrator, at least if they put their knowledge to good use.
Wow the have some talented bunch there. A locksmith and a system administrator, at least if they put their knowledge to good use.
Take over prison title was a bit alarmist.
"Last week an inmate in the same prison managed to forge a key that could open every door"
Is it just me or does that sound like a completely bullshit random statement? Must be a Tom's editor playing a prank again...
"The blunder emerged a week after the Sunday Mirror revealed how an inmate at the same jail managed to get a key cut that opened every door." - The Mirror
Not a complete BS statement. Its true. Read the original story.
A virtual prison break, not quite as good as the real thing.
That isn't going to look good on his resume! He would rather make a total ass out of himself than do anything positive with his abilities? Sad.
Wow. They better check behind the Cheryl Tiegs poster in his cell.
@DXRick : If the UK legal system is anything like it is in the U.S., this white collar criminal probably still has 80% of the money he stole sitting in his bank account waiting for him to get out.
He won't need a resume.
Lol, pwned
Whaddya bet they'll still use his code (and the backdoor he put in it)?
the guards are probably like the substitute teachers in high school. "oh, this is just a game programmed called halo"
"oh, ok, go on."
idiots.....
Jokes on the hacker. He just bought himself extra prison time. Probably significant time.
Just give him a blank notepad, a pen and ask him to write the program.
Since he is such a genius, he wouldn't need actual access to the PC.
"Currently Havard is serving six years for stealing millions of dollars through online credit card fraud...."
That's it? 6 years? Honestly, theft of this magnitude should require a punishment fitting of the crime. He got the same amount of time that a guy who steels a car. That's not fair nor just.
I mean it, theft of this scale should be 15-25 or more. As fuser pointed out, I would believe that he has quite a bit of this money he stole tucked away for when he gets out. Makes me sick.
15-
15-25 years for credit card fraud, are you nuts? 6 years of prison is a long time, I just hope he also got his assets seized.
Take over prison title was a bit alarmist.
"Takes Over Prison Network" is exactly what he did...
"Havard hacked into the system's hard drive and set up a series of passwords that ultimately locked everyone out of the network."
How is the title alarmist and not just the truth??