Post by: roo_ster on October 18, 2007, 08:36:44 AM
"The Orange County Register reports that a 19 year old from Washington state broke into the Orange County California 911 emergency system. He randomly selected the name and address of a Lake Forest, California couple and electronically transferred false information into the 911 system. The Orange County California Sheriff's Department's Special Weapons and Tactics Team was immediately sent to the home of a couple with two sleeping toddlers. The SWAT team handcuffed the husband and wife before deciding it was a prank. Says the article, 'Other law enforcement agencies have seen similar breaches into their 911 systems as part of a trend picked up by computer hackers in the nation called "SWATting"'"
Nineteen year old hackers hacking 911 and sending SAWTties to random addresses.
I wonder if SWAT knocked or just busted the door down?
Post by: Manedwolf on October 18, 2007, 08:38:17 AM
Post by: The Viking on October 18, 2007, 08:42:39 AM
Post by: mtnbkr on October 18, 2007, 08:46:22 AM
And chopping off hands and then head of the hacker would send a message to other pranksters out there.
NO NO! Hacking is not a crime! [/slashdotter]
Chris
Post by: MillCreek on October 18, 2007, 09:06:29 AM
The accused has done this before in other areas of the country, all from the comfort of his home. Ideally, he will not have Internet access in the joint.
PS: Edited to add the reason why SWAT deployed: The hacker implanted a false message in the dispatch system that "Someone reportedly had overdosed on cocaine at a Southern California home. Inside, the caller said, a man was dead and a woman had been shot in the face. The caller told the dispatcher he had a handgun -- and was ready to kill." So I can see why the local LEOs were pretty dynamic in their response.
Here is a link to the story in the PI: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/335916_911hack18.html
PPS: I see also that Manedwolf posted as I was posting this message explaining the situation.
Post by: Manedwolf on October 18, 2007, 09:10:57 AM
Post by: Marnoot on October 18, 2007, 09:35:36 AM
And what allows them to be sent without a warrant for someone's arrest?
I'm not sure what you mean. If you or your family were being attacked, would you want the police to wait for a warrant to be issued before they came to your aid?
Post by: jeepmor on October 18, 2007, 09:54:19 AM
Post by: cordex on October 18, 2007, 11:58:47 AM
Still, I couldn't help but think: "What a waste!" If you had the ability to send SWAT on a wild-goose chase, would you just pick a random home? Why not pick the most statist politician or lobbyist you could find in the area? What about sending SWAT to the home of the Chief of Police or to another police department? Why not send them to Wal-Mart or one of the local TV stations?
Better yet, why not just save it for a rainy day? Seems that there could be a time when having the power to deploy a SWAT team might come in handy.
Post by: charby on October 18, 2007, 12:01:24 PM
If they were called to my house and kicked my door in...... Well we know how that would have resolved.
-C
Post by: Racehorse on October 18, 2007, 12:04:35 PM
And what allows them to be sent without a warrant for someone's arrest?
I believe it's called probable cause.
Post by: Firethorn on October 18, 2007, 02:05:41 PM
NO NO! Hacking is not a crime! [/slashdotter]
Chris
Chris
Cracking is though... [/slashdotter]
Had a bit of a conversation over on /. about this.
BTW: He didn't implant the message, he actually called that in. What he did was fake the number he was calling from as the family's, to increase realism. IE the 911 operator saw that the number matched the address he gave.
I think the tty part is a bit of confusion about an earlier fake crime he did, which was somewhat more primitive. After all, they analyzed audio tapes for clues. If it was a pure message hack, those would have been more or less useless.
And yes - the police are allowed to respond to a reported violent crime without a warrant - it's an emergency response.
Post by: Brad Johnson on October 18, 2007, 02:16:06 PM
Brad
Post by: Paddy on October 18, 2007, 02:30:46 PM
Post by: Firethorn on October 18, 2007, 04:04:32 PM
Because it's the first offense, and because no one was injured or killed, I'd only break all the hacker's fingers. If it happens again, I'd amputate all his fingers.
It's not his first offense though -
Quote from: seattlepi
From 2005 until this year, Southern California investigators believe he made at least 194 false 911 calls to emergency officials in various locations, including in Washington state, Pennsylvania and Arizona, said Jim Amormino, an Orange County sheriff's spokesman.
He's a serial offender. I say throw the book at him, no phone calls allowed while he's in prison.
Post by: Paddy on October 18, 2007, 04:42:40 PM
Post by: Mabs2 on October 18, 2007, 05:00:08 PM
SWAT team could have easily shot someone in the house in self defense.
No way he didn't know that could happen.
Post by: HankB on October 19, 2007, 04:21:58 AM
I propose attempted murder.
SWAT team could have easily shot someone in the house in self defense.
No way he didn't know that could happen.
Or a SWAT team member could have been killed. SWAT team could have easily shot someone in the house in self defense.
No way he didn't know that could happen.
There was an EXCELLENT chance that someone's life would have ended.
The perp ought to spend a good long stretch in the Graybar Motel.
(Even so, I must be a bad person . . . cordex's thoughts about "What a waste!" a couple of posts up echoed my own . . . )
Post by: Werewolf on October 19, 2007, 06:15:10 AM
Quote
The caller told the dispatcher he had a handgun -- and was ready to kill." So I can see why the local LEOs were pretty dynamic in their response.
How many of us here in the same situation would have been armed with a handgun or shotgun instead of the knife the homeowner had when the SWAT team broke down the door? What are the odds that we would have been killed?
That kid should go to prison for many, many years. What he did was not a prank. He crossed the line and was just darn lucky no one was seriously injured or killed.
On the other hand I have to ask why the police's 1st response was to break down the door and enter the home instead of having a hostage negotiator call and talk to the supposed crazed individual with a gun? Is that not done anymore? Is the 1st option now to go in with guns blazing instead of talking first?
I can imagine situations where the best option is to go in, guns blazing but this one as described in the OP and follow on posts isn't one of them.
Post by: charby on October 19, 2007, 06:36:59 AM
Quote
The caller told the dispatcher he had a handgun -- and was ready to kill." So I can see why the local LEOs were pretty dynamic in their response.
How many of us here in the same situation would have been armed with a handgun or shotgun instead of the knife the homeowner had when the SWAT team broke down the door? What are the odds that we would have been killed?
I'd probably be shot dead and probably a couple of the police officers either wounded or dead. I lead my life so that there no reason to have a no knock warrant served on me. If a SWAT team was to come to my house it would because some was already trying to get me or has held me hostage, odds of that happening is nil because I really don't have anything other than my firearm collection that anyone would want to take by force.
Post by: CAnnoneer on October 19, 2007, 10:46:28 AM
Post by: Brad Johnson on October 19, 2007, 10:51:08 AM
You might be able to recover something in a civil suit againts the clown who precipitated the event, but don't count on it. Chances are his computer is all he owns, unless you count his hacked iPhone, a helf-eaten bag of Cheetos, a dumpster microwave, and what's left of a case of Jolt cola.
Your best bet would be help nail this clown to the wall. Satisfaction is about all you're going to get out of it. It was an interstate issue so the fed will be involved. Get a good attorney and you might be able to get him for attempted murder, though that would be quite a stretch.
Brad
Post by: Perd Hapley on October 19, 2007, 12:29:06 PM
Quote
a dumpster microwave
You mean the kind that's upholstered inside, from constant use and no cleaning? Eww.
Post by: CAnnoneer on October 19, 2007, 03:31:06 PM
In this case you wouldn't be able to press charges.
No, not against the SWAT, but against the department. Especially if I get them to beat me up and mace me in the face.
Post by: Phyphor on October 19, 2007, 03:50:47 PM
And chopping off hands and then head of the hacker would send a message to other pranksters out there.
NO NO! Hacking is not a crime! [/slashdotter]
Chris
I personally don't have too much of a problem hacking for informational purposes, IE how stuff works. I DO have a problem with using that knowledge to screw other people over.
I say someone should beat the hackers balls with a big brass hammer.
Post by: Werewolf on October 20, 2007, 06:31:50 AM
Quote
I personally don't have too much of a problem hacking for informational purposes, IE how stuff works. I DO have a problem with using that knowledge to screw other people over.
If one enters another's computer without permission and takes something (information) they are doing the same thing as a burglar who enters another's home and takes their material posessions.The only difference is that the hacker doesn't get shot. AND, that's too bad because their potential for doing damage to persons is far, far greater than that of a burglar taking just material items.
Hackers, crackers - I don't care what you call them - are THIEVES! They deserve the same punishments as all thieves.
Post by: Brad Johnson on October 20, 2007, 09:41:07 AM
Quote
I personally don't have too much of a problem hacking for informational purposes, IE how stuff works.
So if I can get into your house without you knowing and poke around in your stuff (for "information purposes only" mind you), you'd be okay with that?
I second Werewolf. If you break into someone's computer you are a common thief and should be treated like one.
Brad
Post by: MechAg94 on October 20, 2007, 02:16:56 PM
Post by: Firethorn on October 20, 2007, 05:24:43 PM
I think he is talking about hacking secure programs on his own computer, but I could be wrong.
That was my assumption as well. I've done a fair amount of that myself.
Post by: Hawkmoon on October 20, 2007, 06:29:05 PM
It's not an offense until there's been a conviction.
Wrong. It is an offense even if nobody has been arrested. Until he is convicted, it is an offense of which he is the "alleged perpetrator," but there should be no doubt that an offense was committed.
If you question that, perhaps we should deploy the local SWAT team to your place of residence at oh dark thirty and see if you then feel that no offense has been committed.
Post by: Phyphor on October 21, 2007, 02:49:51 PM
I think he is talking about hacking secure programs on his own computer, but I could be wrong.
Pretty much.
Hacking to steal information or do damage does richly deserve an ass kicking.