21 Aug 2000
Love Bug suspect: charges dropped
|
| Onel de Guzman is suspected of being the author
of the Love Bug worm |
All charges against Onel de Guzman, the Filipino student
suspected of having released the VBS/LoveLetter virus in
May, have been dropped.
The Department of Justice in Manila have reportedly said that
the charges filed by investigators either did not apply to the
case, or there was insufficient evidence to support them.
Former student of AMA Computer College Onel de Guzman had
previously admitted to the press that he may have released the
virus (also known as The Love Bug) by accident. However, he refused
to say whether he had written it.
Laws designed to combat computer misuse were only introduced in
June 2000 by the Philippines authorities as a result of the Love
Bug incident. These laws cannot be backdated.
"It is beginning to sound as though no-one will ever be
convicted for the biggest virus outbreak in history," said Graham
Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos Anti-Virus.
"Millions of innocent computer users were hit around the world
after opening what appeared to be a love letter."
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