MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA MAN ARRESTED FOR
DEVELOPING
AND RELEASING B VARIANT OF BLASTER COMPUTER WORM
John McKay, United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington,
Thomas B. Heffelfinger, United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota,
R. Scott Crabtree, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Seattle Field Division
of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Wallace Shields,
Special Agent
in Charge, Seattle Field Division of the United States Secret Service (USSS),
announced that JEFFREY LEE PARSON, age 18, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, was
arrested today on a one count Complaint filed in Seattle, Washington.
The Complaint
charges that JEFFREY LEE PARSON intentionally caused and attempted to cause
damage to a protected computer, in violation of Title 18, United States Code,
Sections 1030(a)(5)(A)(i), 1030(a)(5)(B)(i), 1030(b), and 1030(c)(4)(A),
and Section 2. JEFFREY LEE PARSON faces a maximum sentence of ten
years in prison
and a $250,000.00 fine on this charge.
The Complaint alleges that JEFFREY LEE PARSON knowingly developed and
released onto the Internet the B variant of the Blaster computer
worm. (This variant
is referred to by a number of different names including "W32/Lovesan.worm.b".)
This variant infected at least 7,000 individual Internet users' computers,
turned those computers into drones that attacked or attempted to attack
Microsoft and, in particular, its web site www.windowsupdate.com. As
a result, JEFFREY
LEE PARSON intentionally caused significant damage, without authorization,
to Microsoft, and other victim computers that significantly exceeds the
$5,000.00 threshold set forth in Title 18, United States Code, Section
1030(a)(5)(B)(i).
JEFFREY LEE PARSON had an initial appearance today on the complaint in
the Federal District Court for the District of Minnesota.
"
The Blaster computer worm and its variants wreaked havoc on the Internet, and
cost businesses and computer users substantial time and money. Cyber hacking
is not joy riding. Hacking disrupts lives and victimizes innocent people across
the nation, " said Attorney General John Ashcroft. "The Department
of Justice takes these crimes very seriously, and we will devote every
resource possible to tracking down those who seek to attack our technological
infrastructure.
I congratulate the U. S. Attorneys Offices in the Western District of Washington
and Minnesota, the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of
the Criminal Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department
of Homeland
Security and the United States Secret Service for their excellent work
on this case. Today's arrest is a prime example of how federal agencies
can work together
to combat computer crime."
United States Attorney John McKay commended the Washington Cyber Task Force
on their speedy and effective investigation. He also thanked Microsoft
Corporation for its assistance to law enforcement. "Computer hackers
try to hide behind the anonymity of the Internet to commit crime. However,
as a result of the
excellent work of the Washington Cyber Task Force and other law enforcement
agencies around the country, and the timely cooperation of Microsoft Corporation,
law enforcement was able to quickly identify PARSON and stop his malicious
activity."
U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Tom Heffelfinger commented, "This
case is a good example of how effectively and quickly law enforcement and
prosecutors can work together and cooperate on a national level. I especially
want to commend
the fine work of the FBI and Secret Service task force, the Minnesota Cyber
Crime Task Force, in Minneapolis, a special squad of highly trained agents
that are dedicated to investigating all varieties of computer related crimes.
Their collaboration with their counterparts in Seattle demonstrates clearly
the government's commitment to aggressively responding to cyber crime.
I further want to commend the efforts of specially trained cyber crime
prosecutors in
Minneapolis and Seattle for their role in the detection and solution of
this case."
Secret Service Director Ralph Basham stated, "The Secret Service's
participation in this investigation - with the U.S. Attorney's Office,
the FBI, and Microsoft
- is about sharing information and resources in an effort to enhance our
abilities to investigate high-tech crimes committed against private industry,
the public
and the government. On behalf of the Secret Service, I want to commend
the hard work of those individuals and agencies involved in this investigation."
"
Malicious code like Blaster can cause millions of dollars worth of damage and
can even jeopardize human life if certain computer systems are infected," said
FBI Assistant Director Jana Monroe, Cyber Division. "That is why we
are spending a lot of time and effort investigating these cases. The FBI
has placed
investigating Cyber Crime as one of the top three priorities of the FBI
behind counterterrorism and counterintelligence investigations."
United States Attorney John McKay, FBI Seattle Acting Special Agent in
Charge R. Scott Crabtree, and USSS Special Agent in Charge Wallace Shields
emphasized
that this is an on-going investigation. "Other versions of the Blaster
computer worm were released onto the Internet over the last few weeks.
Law enforcement is continuing its investigation into the person or persons
who
were involved in that activity. We encourage anyone with information concerning
this matter to contact the FBI and/or the USSS."
This case was investigated by the Washington Cyber Task Force which includes
local law enforcement in the Western District of Washington and the Seattle
Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Seattle Division
of the United States Secret Service. The Washington Cyber Task Force received
assistance from numerous other law enforcement agencies across the United
States
including, in particular, the Minneapolis Division of the Federal Bureau
of Investigation, and the Minneapolis Division of the United States Secret
Service.
Assistant United States Attorneys Floyd G. Short and Annette L. Hayes are
prosecuting the case.
The public is reminded that a complaint contains allegations of criminal
conduct that must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt, and that a defendant
is presumed
innocent until found guilty at trial.
For further information, please contact John Hartingh, Executive Assistant
United States Attorney, at (206) 553-4110.