Mass. Student Faces Hacking Charges
BOSTON — Federal authorities charged a Northeastern University student last month with breaking into government and military computers, linking him to attacks retaliating for FBI raids last year against fellow hackers.
The U.S. attorney's office accused Ikenna Iffih, 28, of Boston, of breaking into computers run by NASA, the Defense Department and the Interior Department in Washington. Iffih was charged in a three-count criminal information, or statement of charges.
The Interior Department Web site — one of those Iffih is charged with vandalizing — was hit in May by a hacker known on the Internet as "DigiAlmty," who wrote; "It's our turn to hit them where it hurts... We'll keep hitting them 'till they get down on their knees and beg."
The Interior Department attack was one of several against high-profile government and military Web sites in early 1999 retaliating over FBI raids nationwide of several prominent hackers, including one who ultimately pleaded guilty to breaking into the White House computers.
Iffih is a student at Northeastern's College of Computer Science. Northeastern spokeswoman Janet Hookailo says, "We have been cooperating with authorities since last fall. We'll continue to do so."
—Compiled by Jamilah Evelyn
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