AOL sucks.

boy id like to see an itemized list for that bill. course i do believe that price is unconstitutional to make anyone (except the corporation) pay for a crime.

AOL should've offered this kid a job.

Agreed.

how did he get caught?
damn u aol...

Looks like AOL's ironclad security has a leak. Someone better email their 10 customers and let them know their identities might have been stolen

500k? And those guys that are working at AOL and are overpayed to makes sure that AOL is safe.... what about them? If a boy made them geeks... i would be concerned not to recover the loss of 500k but to kick those lazy fools that thake care of AOL network to be safe and clean. I still can't believe it.A kid and a trojan horse made AOL look like a clown for a few months. I am wondering... if those guys from my country (Romania) will try something over AOL?How big would be the damages? If i would be the chairman of AOL i would pay a bunch of guys like this little prick to break my security.It would be much safer the network because i am paying for discovering little errors. Again ROFL... poor guys... it's hard to think like a thief... but it's better.. aspecially on internet.You are much safer

It took them over three months to catch him? Pathetic!

As long as they do not cause any real damage (shutting down computers, etc.).

These corporations NEED people like this kid to show where the flaws are in their systems. In fact, they should be offering a PRIZE to anyone who can crack their systems and prove they did so and how they did it.

man this kid is smart... i wanna meet this kid. but yea...overpaid workers and a over rated service that cost 20 bucks...hhaha...they shoulda hired this boy!

aol and their best security ever!!

It's nice to bump into posts like the one Enz0 wrote
I am wondering how many companies are hacked by romanian hackers and nobody knows about it(except the ones in act ;)) ?-)

Why should we applaud people that do this? He DID do damage. He planted a trojan horse. Why should they give him a job? Being a hacked does not make you a security expert. How long did it take him to break through the security? Apparently the group that he belonged to has been at it for years. And the software that he used to do it does not make him a security expert, just a kid who got the right software and got lucky. Throw his ass in jail I say. I bet you would all be saying the exact opposite if he or anyone else had hacked into your computer and stolen information even if they didn't plant a virus (which he did).

Wow, wonder which security company will offer him a six-figure job when he gets out?

So, when AOL gets hacked, do the Network Admin's get a little pop-up and chime sound effect saying "You've been HACKED!" when logging in? :D

Good Work... I can't believe they are still in business... I use AIM on occasion, but thats free... can't believe anyone would use AOL as an ISP... :(

good for him - aol sucks

I love how companies try to write of things when ever they can.

Customers Information should always be 3 levels deep (or deeper) into security and only accessible from the companies actual locations.

The Hacker should have routed his IP address better but probably though they couldn't trace it back to him if the leave the back door ajar.

I believe they are trying to cover up an internal security intrusion by claiming all damages to one hacker they could catch.

White hat hackers are a good thing for the computing community, but this guy is not one of them. He accessed customer information and planted trojan horses. A "good" hacker will just break in and then notify the system admins of how he was able to compromise their security.

For what they've done to Pidgin, the instant messenger formerly known as GAIM, the instant messenger formerly known as GTK AOL Instant Messenger, I would have made sure all their services started slowly grinding to a halt. They've never been any more than a pain in my life.

my knoweldge of this incident is fuzzy but im sure im closer to it than all of you.

Mike is a good guy, aol fucked him repeatedly.

he did nothing wrong, he did not get into their fucking account database and cause any REAL harm that would take any computer somewhat literate person maybe 10 minutes to fix.

His intentions were selfish, But hurt no one.

aside from the original owner of virus.

The 500k number is actually probably underestimated. its not in damages, it WILL cost them at LEAST that.

think of it like this,

i just bought a computer 3 months ago! aol is my life! all my kids are on it, my credit cards on file, i do all my shopping through it, i see front page headlines 17 year old kid hacks into aol and steals data
..

cancels account.

imagine how many idiot people like that it will cost aol?


It took them alot more than three months, hes been doing it for at least two years. or so i hear, i know his friends have done alot more damage than he ever did.


i dont think i forgot anything.

enjoy.

It's a common thing in Europe to hire a thief or a hacker to make ur product safer.BMW hired a bunch of guys Mercedes did this thing too.They payed a gipsy which was in prison.. to steal 10 cars in 20 minutes.
Cars like lexus merc class cls, bmw 5 and 7 series, bentley and rolls royce.Incredible but the guy did all of them in 20 minutes started their engines with just a screwdriver a piece of long metal... wich they use to steal cars and a hammer i think.
They hired him to test their cars if they can be stolen.

So why be stupid and invest millions of dollars in safety when you can hire a thief to think how can he stole a car.Same thing you can do with a network.Why do you think that almost 25% of the personal from Microsoft are romanians? I am an romanian and i'm prowd of it.Every country has it black sheeps but we have a lot of smart guys.Too bad that the government is weak.They are the gratest thiefs.So we have to do what we can to live a good life.If you understand me. I am an accountable but.. i did things.. when i was young... all you have tot do... is to think what would i do if i were a network admin?Where i would hide my admin page ..? Easy.. :D

For the same reason you would't hire me if I broke into your house and stole all your stuff. I'm still a thief and it's still against the law. If you rob the bank should they hire you after they catch you? If someone hijack's your car, will you hire them as your new driver? If I still your credit cards and identity would your hire me to keep your privacy? No you'd want to see me locked up and the key thrown away and rightly so.

Steve

Well they were thinking exactly the opposite you.Why peoples in poor countryes steal?Give him a very good payment and... you will see results.After a time in prison he will be out on parole.Just a mistake and he will stay in jail for a long time.So... why steal and go to jail when you can do what you were doing before get caught and also you get paid for this? THINK PINK

Haha well he is in jail. He will definitely get a job because he is so good at security related stuff. LOL April 2006 he got me. YOU GOT ME YOU GOT ME.

If you somehow read this mike or sana, well um this is EZYPEZYLEMON shouting out to you.

Well that was good times I guess.

Come out soon!