A Blaster Virus Hacker Arrested

Jeffrey Parson 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. "

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in Arts & Entertainment on August 30, 2003 8:58 AM

Comments [rss]

eric

je sui fiere de toi mon fils toi tu es un vri homme

en faite tu pe m passer ton virus la !!

pour l'meliorer

awa j te jure on va faire une vrai fortune toi et moi

j te deteste mes

comment tu a os頦aire ca tu a viol頬a loie alors je t'aime bye

muji

can you give some virus to hacker

muji

can you give some virus to hacker

rahul

i want to get all tese information about haccking

Richard Davies

What a fat tub of lard just like my IT teacher any way it is probaly the only tshirt he had in his size

Richard Davies

What a fat tub of lard just like my IT teacher any way it is probaly the only tshirt he had in his size

Richard Davies

What a fat tub of lard just like my it teacher any way it is probaly the only tshirt he had in his size

Richard Davies

What a fat tub of lard just like my it teacher any way it is probaly the only tshirt he had in his size

Jen

Of ALL the t-shirts he happened to be wearing when he was arrested...it just boggles the mind.

jake

that big daddy t-shirt is hilarious- i hope this kid gets some tail out of all of this publicity.

Sam T

Woohoo, KARE! I remember barfing when they came up with those call letters way back in the day, it was just too "Minnesota Nice" for me to be able to stand. However now I am nostalgic for such naive newscasting innocence... Not to mention Paul Magers sly mug...

garth

wow. so i hadn't seen that picture of Parson (i'd only seen the creepy yearbook picture floating around where he looks bald) but is it just me or does he look eerily like martha dumptruck from that classic of 80s film, the heathers? i mean seriously, get rid of the blonde hair and change the word "daddy" to "fun" on his shirt and they're the same person. well, ok he's a he and she was a she, but the point remains: "teenage suicide... don't do it."