Loading...
post-template-default single single-post postid-13458 single-format-standard

Report FBI Investigates Epilepsy Forum Attackers

Alex Constantine - May 10, 2008

By Kevin Poulsen
May 08, 2008

The AP follows up today on my March story about an assault on a popular epilepsy support forum, in which internet griefers used JavaScript code and flashing computer animation to trigger migraine headaches and seizures in some users.

RyAnne Fultz, 33, says she suffered her worst epileptic attack in a year after she clicked on the wrong post at a forum run by the nonprofit Epilepsy

There's really only one bit of new information in the report. Apparently the FBI is now investigating the attack.

That's interesting because, assuming the Bureau is able to find some of the culprits, it could lead to the first federal prosecution under an anti-cyber terrorism provision passed in 1996 as part of the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act.

The law created a new crime of attacking a computer to cause "physical injury to any person." Some of us laughed at that provision at the time, and as far as I know it's never been used. But in this case it just might fit.

To get there, prosecutors would have to show that the attackers intentionally damaged the Epilepsy Foundation's forum. Since the attack flooded the forums with hundreds of embedded pictures, links to pictures, and browser-hijacking redirect code, that might not be too high a hurdle.
The attackers also would have to be guilty of gaining unauthorized access to the computer, or, perhaps more apt in this case, caused the "transmission of a program, information, code, or command" that damaged the forum and injured the victims.

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/05/report-fbi-inve.html

No comments yet.

  1. Hours before congresswomen Gabrielle Giffords had been wounded severely, Jared Loughner’s descent into violence took place on a furious all-night excursion through the dark streets of Tucson, meandering from one store to another as he prepared to take revenge on a world from which he had become increasingly alienated. He checked into a down-and-out motel. He picked up photos showing him holding a Glock 19 handgun while wearing only [b]a bright red G-string[/b].

    He then uploaded the picture to his myspace profile picture and typed a farwell bulletin. Shortfly aftward Jared made his way to a Walmart superstore and purchased 9mm ammunition and a black, backpack.

    Read more! Local News

  2. Police in Colorado said an apartment building was evacuated when a manager confused a home beer-brewing operation with a meth lab.

    Colorado Springs police said the apartment building at 2400 Tremont St. was evacuated Monday and a Hazardous Materials team was brought in after the manager conducted a routine inspection and discovered a pair of 5-gallon buckets giving off an odor he suspected to be involved with the production of meth, The (Colorado Springs) Gazette reported Wednesday.

    However, residents were allowed back into the building after about 45 minutes when the buckets were found to contain home-brewed beer

    Read more! City News Local

  3. Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward was arrested early Saturday outside Atlanta on a drunken driving charge, sheriff’s officials said.

    The former Super Bowl MVP and reigning “Dancing With the Stars” champ was booked into the DeKalb County jail at 3:41 a.m. and charged with driving under the influence. A jail official said he was released on $1,300 bond, though the sheriff’s office website said his bond was set at $1,000. The discrepancy couldn’t be immediately resolved Saturday.

    The sheriff’s office said it had turned over paperwork to the courts and couldn’t release any further information about the player’s arrest. DeKalb County police did not return repeated emails and phone calls seeking details of the arrest.

    Atlanta lawyer Andrew Ree issued a statement saying the 35-year-old Ward cooperated fully with police and truthfully answered their questions.

    Read more! City News Local

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *