Security news
Security news3 April 2007
NASA hacker Gary McKinnon loses extradition appeal Sophos comments on verdict
IT security and control firm Sophos is warning cybercriminals to think twice before they hack, following news that Gary McKinnon, the alleged 'NASA hacker', is to be extradited to the US to face trial.
McKinnon, a self-confessed computer enthusiast from north London, was defending himself against the order in the UK Court of Appeal, after Home Secretary John Reid determined in 2006 that the extradition should go ahead. McKinnon will now be tried in the US against charges of breaking into and damaging US Government computers.
McKinnon is alleged to have hacked into computers belonging to the US Army, US Navy, US Air Force, Department of Defense and NASA. He claims that he broke into the networks only to uncover confidential information about anti-gravity propulsion systems and extraterrestrial technology which he believed the authorities were hiding from the public. He has led a high profile campaign to avoid extradition, supported by many other computer hackers.
"The US Government is taking a hard line towards cybercrime, and certainly won't tolerate anyone trying to compromise its own computers - McKinnon really should have considered this before he went UFO-hunting," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos. "This decision will doubtless send shockwaves through the hacking community, but irrespective of McKinnon's motivations, computer hacking is illegal both in the UK and the US, and it's high time people started thinking twice before engaging in such activities."
Back in 2006, a Sophos online poll* revealed that 52% of IT professionals thought McKinnon should not be extradited, while 48% said it was correct for him to face a US court.
Survey results
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Should Gary McKinnon be extradited to the USA?
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| Yes, he should be extradited |
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| No, he should not |
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"The case has clearly split the IT community in half, but it should be remembered that even if the extradition order had not been approved, McKinnon would almost certainly have stood trial in the UK courts," added Cluley.
Sophos recommends companies automatically update their corporate virus protection, and run a consolidated solution at the email gateway to defend against malware, spyware, hackers and spam.
* Sophos online survey, 565 respondents.
About Sophos
Sophos enables enterprises all over the world to secure and control their IT infrastructure. Sophos's network access control, endpoint, web and email solutions simplify security to provide integrated defenses against malware, spyware, intrusions, unwanted applications, spam, policy abuse, data leakage and compliance drift. With over 20 years of experience, Sophos protects over 100 million users in nearly 150 countries with its reliably engineered security solutions and services. Recognized for its high level of customer satisfaction and powerful yet easy-to-use solutions, Sophos has received many industry awards, as well as positive reviews and certifications.
Sophos is headquartered in Boston, US and Oxford, UK. More information is available at www.sophos.com
