# Suspected creator of one Blaster virus in custody! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 29, 2003, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475 "2003-08-29T17:59:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475/1 "2003-08-29T17:59:58Z")
> [@](#): > > [WTOP](http://www.wtop.com/index.php?nid=108&sid=14035) > WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. cyber investigators arrested a Minnesota teenager Friday who the FBI said has admitted unleashing one version of a damaging virus-like infection weeks ago on the Internet. > > A court official identified the teenager as Jeffrey Lee Parson, 18, of Hopkins, Minn., known online as “teekid.” A U.S. official in Washington also confirmed an arrest was made early Friday. > > Court papers said FBI and Secret Service agents searched Parson’s home on Aug. 19 and seized seven computers, which are still being analyzed. In an interview with FBI Special Agent Eric Smithmier, Parson admitted modifying the original “Blaster” infection and creating a version known by a variety of different names, including “Blaster.B.,” court papers said. > > FBI Director Robert Mueller hinted earlier this week that an arrest was imminent, when he cited the damage from the recent Blaster and “SoBig” infections. > > “We employ the latest technology and code analysis to direct us to potential sources, and I am confident that we will find the culprits,” Mueller said Tuesday. > > Parson \_ a physically imposing presence at 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds \_ told the FBI he built into his version a method for reconnecting to victim computers later, according to court papers. Infected computers automatically registered themselves with Parson’s Web site so he could keep track of them. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475/2 "2003-08-29T18:53:30Z")
Shouldn’t he be out training for the NBA? Fuck him. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Badger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@Dead\_Badger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Badger)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475/3 "2003-08-29T19:06:15Z")
In the eye? I think it should be in the eye. Yes. _clears throat_ **FuK HIm IN TEH eYE!!!1!!** ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475/4 "2003-08-29T19:42:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jeff Olsen \* > \*\*[Beat you by an hour](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=207999). 🙂 \*\* [Yeah, but mine had a much catchier title](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=208013) 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475/5 "2003-08-29T19:48:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Binarydrone \* > \*\*http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=208013]Yeah, but mine had a much catchier title 😛 \*\* You did miss one key point, though. This huge jerk wrote the second virus, the fuckstick that originated it is still at large. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475/6 "2003-08-29T20:08:00Z")
Burn him! BURN HIM! ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475/7 "2003-08-29T20:16:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > \*\*Burn him! BURN HIM! \*\* But does he weigh the same as a duck? Seriously, he needs to be an example of in order to put the fear of God into scumbag virus writers. And for goodness sake, does he have to be such a stereotype? Why can’t these guys ever be athletic, handsome, and successful? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475/8 "2003-08-29T21:18:05Z")
I’m beginning to get peeved at the press. They’re tossing out “teen” as though this clown’s not an adult. He’s 18. Why don’t they say “Minneapolis man arrested” in their stories? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475/9 "2003-08-29T21:19:12Z")
> [@](#): > > HELO FAGORTSAND WELLCOEM TOO MY NEW AND EMPROVED HOEMAPEG!!! HELLO I USED TOO BE A HAX0R BUT NOW I AM A COMPUTAR CONSULTANT BECUASE HAX0RING SI ILLEGAL!!! AND TEHY SAIDS I WOULD BE ARESTED IF I KEPT HAX0RING SO NOW I HELP PEOPAL INSTEAD OF HURT THEM BUT IF YUO ARE A FAGOT I CANNOT TAEK REPSONSABILITY FOR YUO IF YUOR COMPUTAR MACHIENE HAS TOO BE SENT BACK TO GATEWAY BECUASE IT GOT WINNUKED BY A SLY FOX!!! HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHA~ ---
**Author:** ![LordVor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90ced4/32.png) [@LordVor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordVor)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475/10 "2003-08-29T21:54:36Z")
Personally, I think that the original writer of Blaster deserves a bit of praise. He designed a virus that a) was annoying enough to make people update their bloody systems and b) didn’t cause much permanent damage, primarily because c) it was pretty poorly written, but also because d) the author showed a great amount of restraint. The hole exploited by the virus was fucking huge. Every version of windows released in the last 5 years (except for ME). Every single machine. Run any fucking command you want. And he gave people a month to update their systems to close this exploit, and people still sat on their fucking hands and did nothing to protect themselves. If I’m writing this virus, and I want to make a real statement, I don’t just fucking reboot the computer a few times. My virus tries to infect other machines for an hour, and then runs ‘format c:’. Maybe that would teach people to treat computer security seriously. -lv ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475/11 "2003-08-29T22:17:30Z")
> [@](#): > > Parson \_ a physically imposing presence at 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds… Ummmm… unless he’s built like Arnold, the correct phrase in place of ‘physically imposing presence’ is ‘big fat slob.’ Sorry, that’s cruel. How about ‘the morbidly obese hacker…’ ## Peace. Help! The large guy is imposing me! ---
**Author:** ![Sterra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Sterra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterra)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475/12 "2003-08-29T22:25:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gobear \* > \*\*Seriously, he needs to be an example of in order to put the fear of God into scumbag virus writers. > \*\* I seriously doubt it will. Virus writers can only get caught if they are stupid. This is not to say that they wont get caught, but the stupid ones wont think that they will get caught. Parsons probably only got caught because he put his website on the virus. ---
**Author:** ![NutWrench](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nutwrench/32/20193_2.png) [@NutWrench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutWrench)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475/13 "2003-08-29T22:41:04Z")
Yup. That’s how he got caught. All you have to do is monitor an infected computer and wait for the virus to “phone home.” And if Parsons modified the virus, then he must have had the source code. The original author is still out there, somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475/14 "2003-08-29T22:54:39Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Sterra_ > I seriously doubt it will. Virus writers can only get caught if they are stupid. This is not to say that they wont get caught, but the stupid ones wont think that they will get caught. I think this is the sort of crime where deterence can be effective. The thing about writing viruses is that it’s basically vandalism: there’s no tangible reward to the criminal for getting away with it. If the penalty is severe enough, even a miniscule chance of getting caught can be enough to scare away potential crackers. ---
**Author:** ![SweetLucy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@SweetLucy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SweetLucy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475/15 "2003-08-29T23:42:01Z")
This is one of those cases that calls for dusting off an old pillory and/or stocks, and letting people line up to throw tomatoes at the miscreant. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ratty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ccd318/32.png) [@ratty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratty)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475/16 "2003-08-29T23:45:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SweetLucy \* > \*\*This is one of those cases that calls for dusting off an old pillory and/or stocks, and letting people line up to throw tomatoes at the miscreant. 😃 \*\* Dead cats! Rocks! Get your dead cats and rocks right here! What do ye lack, sirs, what do ye lack? One a penny, two a penny, get your dead cats and rocks! ---
**Author:** ![Blonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Blonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blonde)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475/17 "2003-08-29T23:48:52Z")
My IT department informed me this morning that my laptop was infected with the Blaster - they said it was caused by my trips to the internet, from home on a DSL line, with no firewall. Of course 90% of those journeys were to the SDMB! There has to be a stiff penalty for this kind of vandalism - it costs millions of dollars in downtime, consulting expense, etc. Anyone recall whatever happened to the guy who caused the “love” virus a few years ago? Did he receive jailtime? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475/18 "2003-08-29T23:52:50Z")
He should be forced to use a TRS-80 4k computer with a cassette drive for the next year. ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475/19 "2003-08-30T00:46:30Z")
He’s a computer geek. He’d LIKE that. Instead, put him in a cramped place with many extroverted people and no computer access. Like prison. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475/20 "2003-08-30T00:58:44Z")
IIRC, the “love” virus perpetrator received no punishment because the Philippine law did not address what he did, according to the prosecution there. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-creator-of-one-blaster-virus-in-custody/198475.md?page=2)