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A Blaster Virus Hacker Arrested
By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 30, 2003
Modified Mar 6, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 30, 2003
Modified Mar 6, 2008
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Authorities have arrested one computer hacker who sent out of a version of the Blaster virus two weeks ago. (Since most people including Gothamist are getting still getting crap from the Sobig virus, the Blaster virus is the one that shut down your Windows-run computer within one minute of starting it.) The perpetrator is an 18 year old Minnesotan who took the virus and rewrote it, sending a new version, "Blaster.B," to 7,000 computers.
This story highlights the difference in the Times' and Post's writing styles: The Times simply says that Parson is 18 years old; the Post writes Parson is "18, a 6-foot-4, 320-pound computer geek who neighbors describe as a loner and Bill Gates superfan." (Post's translation: That stereotype of crazy computer nerd you had in your mind was right.) Authorities stress that Parson did not create the original virus (in other words, saying he's smart and malicious, but not the most evil) which has infected at least half a million computers worldwide. They also note that Parson's handle was "t33kid," aka "teekid." Jesus, these kids and their leet speak.
More from KARE, a TV station in Minneaplils.
And British tabloid The Sun mixes its viruses but it remains unabashedly graphic: Their article is titled "Computer nerd is SoBig," and the lead is, "AGENTS hunting hackers behind the devastating SoBig computer bug yesterday arrested a 22-STONE cyber nerd. "
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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