[ISN] Louisiana man sentenced for 9-1-1 computer virus

[InfoSec News]

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/11135235.htm

Associated Press
March 14, 2005

SAN JOSE, Calif. - David Jeansonne was sentenced Monday to six months
in prison and ordered to pay Microsoft Corp. more than $27,000 after
about 20 people received a virus that reprogrammed their computers to
dial emergency dispatch numbers.

The bogus 9-1-1 calls prompted unnecessary police responses throughout
the country in July 2002.

Jeansonne, 44, of Metairie, La., pleaded guilty in February to causing
a threat to public safety and causing damage to computers. He could
not be reached Monday in the Santa Clara County jail, where he's been
since October 2004.

Besides the prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Ronald M. Whyte
sentenced Jeansonne to serve six months home detention as part of a
two year period of supervised release. He must also pay restitution of
$27,100 to Microsoft and a special assessment of $200.

The 9-1-1 computer virus worked through WebTV, now known as MSN TV,
which allows subscribers to connect to the Internet using their
standard television. Approximately 20 subscribers of the Microsoft
service, which used computer servers in Santa Clara County, received
the e-mail.

The e-mail said the attachment merely executed a program to change the
display colors on the television screen. But it was really a "Trojan
horse," a malicious computer code that purports to be helpful or
harmless.

The attachment contained a hidden script that reset the dial-in
telephone number in the user's WebTV box to 9-1-1 so that the next
time the user attempted to log in to WebTV the computer dialed the
emergency number instead of the local telephone modem, said prosecutor
Kyle F. Waldinger, assistant U.S. Attorney for the Computer Hacking
and Intellectual Property Unit of the U.S. Attorney's Office.

At least 10 WebTV users reported that the local police either called
or visited their residences in response to the unnecessary calls.

The case is United States vs. David Jeansonne, No. CR-04-20023-RMW.