> The Department of Justice made the unusual decision not to ask for jail time. In its sentencing memo, the government noted “the divide between [the defendants’] online personas, where they were significant, well-known, and malicious actors in the DDoS criminal milieu and their comparatively mundane ‘real lives’ where they present as socially immature young men living with their parents in relative obscurity.” It recommended five years of probation and 2,500 hours of community service.
Good to read a story where teen hackers get rehabilitated rather than heavily punished and pushed further into crime. That said, they don't really strike me as genius hackers. More just opportunistic and perpetually online.
I thought the more fascinating part was the mandate, as part of the community service, to help the FBI in tracking down additional abusers of Mirai and the resulting success. Seems like the best possible turnout for all parties involved.
If our society was teetering in the edge of chaos because we couldn’t figure out how to prevent shoplifting maybe there would be a push to exploit the minds of people who can probe the dark mysteries of stealing Tide from CVS.
> Good to read a story where teen hackers get rehabilitated rather than heavily punished and pushed further into crime. That said, they don't really strike me as genius hackers. More just opportunistic and perpetually online.
Rehabilitation is an excellent path, but removing consequences makes rehabilitation significantly less effective. It does not need to be either - or.
It also furthers an apparent divide of justice system, irrelevant if it does or does not exists.
Good to read a story where teen hackers get rehabilitated rather than heavily punished and pushed further into crime. That said, they don't really strike me as genius hackers. More just opportunistic and perpetually online.