Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: Limewire, Seattle, Theft, P2P | Themes: The Internet, Software, Networking, Digital Entertainment
Stealing personal information through Limewire apparently isn't a good thing.
Yesterday, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington sentenced Fredrick Wood of Seattle, Washington to thirty-nine months in prison for identity theft. Wood acquired sensitive, personal information from computers across the globe using the Limewire file-sharing service. Apparently, Wood merely typed in the search terms "tax return" and "account" to access sensitive information stored on shared folders containing bank information, tax returns, and more.
Kathryn Warma, assistant U.S. attorney in the Computer Hacking and Internet Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney's Office, said that Wood also gained access to college financial aid forms already completed and stored on hard drives. He used the financial information to open accounts, make purchases, and create identification cards.
"Many of the victims are parents who don't realize that Limewire is on their home computer," Warma told PC World. She also added that consumers should remove Limewire from their PCs despite added security features found in the most recent version; programs such as Limewire are geared towards sophisticated users, and are not a "good idea" for the general consumer.
In addition to the thirty-nine months in prison, Wood must serve three years of supervised release for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and for accessing a protected computer without authorization to commit fraud.
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"and for accessing a protected computer without authorization to commit fraud."
I understand the commiting fraud part, but how is a computer on a P2P network with a certain folder set to be share (not a hidden option to change btw) accessing without authorization? Also LimeWire is for semi-intelligent people not sophisticated people, my 11 year old niece knows how to change the shared folder to a separate one in LimeWire and other P2P programs.
He should goto jail for what he did, but saying he accessed a protected computer (not possible running a P2P program really) without authorization is just saying you don't know how the program works.
If your dumb enough to put your tax returns/bank information in a folder called "My Shared Documents/Limewire Shared Files", you deserve anything that happens to you.
The more I read Toms, the more i realize how many idiots there are out there.
According to RIAA lawyers the victims were willfully distributing their identities via P2P
if you put this kind of information over the internet this kind of thing is supposed to happen, it's not a fault of the program, it's a fault of the users.
The fact that he used this information to do illegal things is deserving of criminal punishment. However, tacking on the charge of accessing a protected system is bogus. Sharing files via P2P is like posting on your MySpace page or twittering. It's there for everyone to see and its YOUR responsibility to protect it if it's important (heck, if its important, don't post it in the first place).
Jesus christ, I really think most people don't know EVERYONE has access to the SAME internet. Like that dumbass wife of the head of the CIA who kept posting the exact locations of her family on Facebook. Gee, you think the head of the CIA might have an enemy or two? Maybe make it a little harder to find and murder your family next time.
Lol anyone stupid enough to put senative information and then share it on limewire almost deserves this.
"Apparently, Wood merely typed in the search terms "tax return" and "account" to access sensitive information stored on shared folders containing bank information, tax returns, and more."
It's not like he was pulling off those movie style hacker shit he just typed what he wanted and they shared it with him
The most surprising part of this article is that people apparently still use limewire.
In Canada, Vincent Lacrois, who stole near 125 000 000$ got a single year of prison...
Something is wrong here...
In Canada, Vincent Lacrois, who stole near 125 000 000$ got a single year of prison... Something is wrong here...
As long as it is $1 under 5mil you goto a low security pen... Everyone, never steal over 5mil or expect to have a GF named Buba.
If your dumb enough to put your tax returns/bank information in a folder called "My Shared Documents/Limewire Shared Files", you deserve anything that happens to you.The more I read Toms, the more i realize how many idiots there are out there.
Youre right, this user is a complete and total moron for making his information so easy to obtain, but it wasnt the viewing of the documents that got him arrested. It was him using that information "to open accounts, make purchases, and create identification cards" that got him arrested. Your neighbor would be a complete moron to leave his front door open, but if he does, its still illegal to steal everything from his house.
If you still use limewire in August 2009
the you like trojan/viruses
about 50% things on there are fake, just get rid of it
As long as it is $1 under 5mil you goto a low security pen... Everyone, never steal over 5mil or expect to have a GF named Buba.
I will have to remember that!
Who was dumb enough to share share their identity on limewire?
the you like trojan/viruses
about 50% things on there are fake, just get rid of it
True, except music.
Just because it has the mp3 extension doesn't mean there are ways to mess with your computer with it.
T_T typos suck
"Just because the file has the mp3 extension to it doesn't mean there aren't ways to put malicious code in it"
Glad to see the authorities take this kind of stuff serious considering how little else they do.