David L. Smith, the author of the Melissa worm, who was
sentenced to 20 months in a federal prison yesterday has described
the virus as "a colossal mistake".
Smith's defence attorney, Edward Borden, had hoped that no
prison sentence would be administered but Judge Joseph Greenaway
said the prison term was necessary to deter others from committing
similar crimes.
In a statement the virus author told Judge Greenaway how he had
made "a colossal mistake" in spreading the virus in March 1999 via
a stolen AOL account.
"I cannot take back what I did no matter how much I want to... I
didn't intend nor could I have imagined that I would end up this
way. It's been the worst three years of my life," said Smith.
Christopher Christie, acting for the prosecution, described
virus writing as "a fool's game".
"Virus writers seem emboldened by technology and enjoy the
thrill of watching the damage they reap. But the case of Mr Smith
and his Melissa virus should prove to others that it's a fool's
game," said Christie. "Law enforcement can employ technology, too,
and track down virus writers and hackers through the electronic
fingerprints they invariably leave behind."
Upon completion of the prison sentence, Smith will serve three
years of supervised release, during which time he is forbidden to
use computer networks or the internet.
Reports from the United States have claimed that Smith has been
assisting the authorities with other undercover computer crime
investigations and because of this co-operation he did not receive
the maximum sentence of five years imprisonment.
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