20 year sentence for this guy

[SoCalDem]

Albert Gonzalez, the computer hacker who helped organize massive credit card thefts from TJX Cos., BJs Wholesale Club, and other national retailers, was sentenced in federal court in Boston yesterday to 20 years in prison, one of the longest sentences ever imposed for computer crime or identity thef
http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2010/03/26/computer_hacker_gets_20_year_term/

Computer hacker gets 20-year term

By Todd Wallack
Globe Staff / March 26, 2010


The 28-year-old Miami native, who operated online under pseudonyms such as “soupnazi’’ and “segvec,’’ acknowledged stealing millions of debit and credit card numbers after penetrating the computer security defenses of a number of major companies, including Framingham-based TJX — best known for operating TJ Maxx and Marshalls stores — as well as Natick-based BJs, Boston Market, OfficeMax, Sports Authority, Barnes & Noble, DSW, Forever 21, and the Dave & Buster’s restaurant chain.

After pleading guilty to a litany of charges associated with the thefts, Gonzalez faced between 15 and 25 years in prison under an agreement with prosecutors, who yesterday pushed for the maximum possible sentence under the plea deal. But US District Judge Patti Saris settled on a sentence in the middle of the range, saying she had to weigh Gonzalez’s remorse against the amount of damage he caused. She said the effects of his crimes were compounded by the fact that he committed them while working as a Secret Service informant after an earlier arrest in 2003, and she compared him to a “double agent.’’

“There is this macho, almost glee about how you could beat the system,’’ Saris noted, referring to Gonzalez’s boasts to friends in transcripts of private online chats. Saris also said that based on letters she received from Gonzalez’s friends and family members, she doubted the suggestion from defense lawyers that he might have Asperger syndrome. Gonzalez apologized in court to his family and asked the judge for mercy as his parents and sister tearfully looked on from the front row of the courtroom.

“I’m guilty not only of exploiting computer networks, but personal relationships,’’ said Gonzalez, who has been in jail since he was arrested in a Florida hotel room in May 2008. “I plead for leniency so that I can one day prove to that I love them, just as they love me.’’

snip

[aikoaiko]

1. Sounds lenient.

I don't want this person to get near a computer ever again.

[Chulanowa]

2. Actually it excessively harsh

if he were white-collar and had defrauded billions through book-cooking in a bank, he would get a reprimand and be sent on his way!

[Foo Fighter]

3. If that were the case

he'd be getting a bailout and huge bonuses, all paid for by us taxpayers.

I'm still waiting for them to put the banksters and Wall Street crooks up on trial. Unfortunately, it looks like I'm in for a VERY long wait.

The other problem I have with this case is that businesses that want to obtain and store privileged data such as credit care numbers have an obligation to their customers to secure their systems and protect that data. Too many companies take a lax approach to security. In addition, for every "bust" you hear about, there are many others that you will never be aware of because the company involved is willing to pay big bucks to make sure the public never finds out just how lax their security practices are (e.g, banks paying blackmail money to hackers so the security violation will never hit the news). So while Gonzalez is guilty of violating the law by hacking into their systems, the companies involved are also guilty of not providing adequate security to safeguard their customer's data and their CIOs should be doing time right alongside him.

[depakid]

4. Unlikely under the Obama administration that he would have been prosecuted at all

if that were the case.

[aikoaiko]

5. Sorry, I don't buy that argument.

Just because others are not dealt with adequately, we can punish other criminals fully.

[Chulanowa]

6. Snark is wasted on some people, I guess

:P

[aikoaiko]

7. Ohh....

Sometimes I just can't tell anymore.

[walldude]

9. Not really.. first he'd get severance, then a pension

and then a retirement bonus... then he would be reprimanded and sent on his way..

[walldude]

8. Let me get this straight...

this guy was working for the Secret Service and managed to pull this off right under their noses? :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: We as a nation are nothing if not hilariously incompetent.