HACKER CRACKS EBAY'S WEB SITE - REPORT - Newsbytes 3/22/99
http://www.cnnfn.com/digitaljam/newsbytes/128210.html

PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A. (NB) -- By Bob Woods, Newsbytes. A 
hacker reportedly infiltrated the Web site of Internet 
person-to-person auctioneer eBay Inc. [NASDAQ:EBAY], taking down the 
entire site and gaining access to other content in the process, a 
press report said.

Forbes' Digital Tool Web site reported the hacker, more accurately 
known as a "cracker," identified himself as a 22-year-old college 
student going by the name "MagicFX." The cracker reportedly removed 
the site from the Internet, changed auction prices, displayed fake 
advertising, and re-directed traffic to other Web sites.

A letter sent to CNN. No response received.

From: mea culpa (jericho@dimensional.com)
To: root@cnnfn.com, editor@cnnfn.com, feedback@cnnfn.com
Cc: Adam Penenberg (apenenberg@forbes.com)
Date: Thu, 25 Mar 1999 00:47:06 -0700 (MST)
Subject: Pathetic reporting..


I am appaled at this error ridden piece of 'journalism' that managed to
escape from the editors assigned to proof this. Reading the original
article on the subject matter might help one do more accurate reporting.

At no time did AP/Forbes say the cracker took down the entire site.

At no time did AP/Forbes say the cracker DID remove the site, change
prices, or anything else. If you READ the article by Mr. Penenberg, you
will see the cracker CLAIMED he had ACCESS to do that given his intrusion
into the system IF he desired.

This is a very straightforward article with no margin for error. Forbes
spelled out the information perfectly clear and I can find no excuse to
justify the article written in your electronic paper.

Please proof read your stories before releasing them to the public.