Teenage hacker faces jail for global net virus
Monday, 10 May 2004 07:56 EST
One became an internet millionaire, another helped police track paedophiles online, while two others received death sentences. While the fate of the latest alleged computer superhacker remains uncertain, it has emerged that Sven Juergens was trying to create an anti-virus to beat existing viruses when his Sasser worm wreaked worldwide havoc. The 18-year-old German student was arrested after the first cyberspace bounty of $250,000 (£150,000) led police to his home at Waffensen, near Bremen.
Juergens, whose mother runs a computer-advice business for the technologically challenged, hit banks, airlines, hospitals, military bases and government buildings with the virus.
He is expected to be charged today with computer sabotage, which carries a maximum five-year jail sentence.
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