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Teen hacker: "case overblown

Carel Alberts
By Carel Alberts, ITWeb contributor
Johannesburg, 03 Sept 2003

Teen hacker: "case overblown"

The high school senior charged with modifying a version of Blaster, the Internet worm that crippled computer networks worldwide, says the US government has exaggerated its case against him, and disputed media coverage that portrayed him as a computer-savvy loner.

USA Today quotes from a transcript on MSNBC, in which Jeffrey Parson reportedly said, "I have a very supportive, close group of friends. I`m not reckless, I don`t do drugs, smoke or drink. This is the first time I have ever had a run-in with the law. It`s hurtful to see the accounts of me. I`m not depressed, embarrassed about my weight, or a misfit."

SCO sends out invoices

BusinessWeek reports SCO Group will soon send out invoices to companies using Linux, to impose Unix licence fees.

Yanks fear cyber terror attacks

Nearly half of all Americans surveyed say they are worried that terrorists could launch attacks through the networks connecting home computers and "powerful" utilities, a study quoted by the Washington Post has found.

"I think the American people have turned out to be very smart about these issues," said the Information Technology Association of America. "They`ve learned and heard about it . . . and in too many cases have experienced real technical problems themselves."

Google pulls links to Kazaa imitator

In response to a legal threat that invoked the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Google has removed eight sites from its index, which distribute a hacked version of file-swapping service Kazaa.

CNet reports that the popular search engine took action last month after it received a legal notification from Sharman Networks, owner of Kazaa, claiming that the eight sites contained software that violated the company`s "exclusive rights" under US copyright law.

Meanwhile, Forrester Research claims online music services cost the US CD industry $700m in sales last year, reports PC World.

Cheap models boost phone market

Reuters reports that consumers around the world bought a total of 115 million mobile phones in the second quarter, putting the industry on a record path to sell between 450 and 460 million phones this year.

Quoting a Gartner Dataquest report, the service reports that growth in emerging markets was the main reason why handset unit sales rose 11.9% year-on-year and 2% from the first quarter to a new high, despite the "unquestionable negative impact of SARS".

E-mail continuity in a crisis

EnterGroup, a provider of outsourced e-mail solutions, has announced an e-mail continuity service, "for times of crisis".

The new service, EnterGroup Email Continuity, prevents email loss and enables employees to send and receive email via their POP3 e-mail client or Web mail during times of server failure, network interruption, disasters, or any other crisis situation.

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