Microsoft Tricks Hacker Into Jail

IGBT

Lifer
Jul 16, 2001
17,962
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William "IllWill" Genovese, 29, will serve three years of supervised release following his prison term, during which he'll be subject to electronic monitoring through special software installed on his computer, under the terms handed down by federal Judge William Pauley in New York. He remains free on bail, and is scheduled to report to prison March 14.

Genovese ran a popular hacking-oriented community website called IllMob.org in February 2004 when two 200-MB files containing incomplete portions of the source code for the Windows 2000 and Windows NT operating systems hit the internet, flooding dodgy websites and peer-to-peer networks like some hard-core geek version of the Paris Hilton video.

Like many others, Genovese downloaded a copy. Unlike others, he posted a note to his website offering it for sale.

According to court records, an investigator hired by Microsoft took Genovese up on his offer and dropped two Hamiltons on the secret source code. The investigator then returned and arranged a second $20 transaction for an FBI agent, which led to Genovese's indictment under the U.S. Economic Espionage Act, which makes it a felony to sell a company's stolen trade secrets. After consulting with his public defender, Genovese pleaded guilty last August.
 

theMan

Diamond Member
Mar 17, 2005
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why would you try to sell it over the internet? if you sell it, at least do it with a person you know.
 

AgaBoogaBoo

Lifer
Feb 16, 2003
26,108
5
81
lol... all that for $20? First, I wouldn't have gotten involved in it at all, but if I did, it wouldn't be for $20!
 

RallyMaster

Diamond Member
Dec 28, 2004
5,581
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What an idiot. You don't sell illegal source code on the Internet. That's like trying to sell a pirated DVD to the MPAA.