Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!husc6!bloom-beacon!apple!bionet!agate!ucbvax!decwrl!hplabs!gatech!dscatl!lindsay
From: lindsay@dscatl.UUCP (Lindsay Cleveland)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Possible Fines for Virus Perpetrator
Keywords: Morris, virus, internet
Message-ID: <12081@dscatl.UUCP>
Date: 6 Nov 88 18:37:12 GMT
References: <456@l5comp.UUCP>
Reply-To: lindsay@dscatl.UUCP (Lindsay Cleveland)
Distribution: na
Organization: Digital Systems Co,  Atlanta, Ga
Lines: 30

In article <456@l5comp.UUCP> john@l5comp.UUCP (John Turner) writes:
>
>		  So, it was Robert T. Morris Jr., was it?
>
>I believe the contemplated charges are 'unlawful access to a federal computer'
>(multiple counts?) and 'fraudulent use of a federal computer'; the second
>charge is good for twenty years hard time, the first for up to a year and a
>$250,000 fine.  Pretty heavy stuff for a 23 year-old Cornell grad student.
>
Since my site was not infected, I am somewhat removed from
the 'heat of the moment'.   

I would surmise that a lot of the sites who *were* damaged by the
virus and expended much real cash in man-hours (overtime!) chasing it
down would be interested in proceeding with a class-action suit against
the fellow to recover damages.  Whether or not it made it through all
the courts, appeals, etc. is perhaps not as useful as the scare it
would throw into some other clowns who might think of trying a similar
worm/virus "just for a bit of fun!"

Let me join in the chorus of applause for those many net.people who
quickly came up with answers and solutions, and for their great
efforts in spreading the word to the rest of the net.

Cheers,
  Lindsay

Lindsay Cleveland         Digital Systems Co.   Atlanta, Ga
  gatech!dscatl!lindsay     (404) 497-1902
                         (U.S. Mail:  PO Box 1149, Duluth, GA  30136)