Security news
Security news1 May 2002
Melissa worm author sentenced to 20 months
Sophos welcomes decision but calls for swifter sentencing
Sophos, the leading developer of corporate anti-virus protection, has welcomed the sentencing by a US court of David L. Smith - the self-confessed author of the infamous Melissa worm - to 20 months imprisonment and a fine of $5,000. The Melissa worm was the first ever successful mass-mailing worm and has provided the blueprint for many other mass mailers including The Love Bug and Anna Kournikova. The New Jersey court adjudged Smith's worm to have caused more than £55 million pounds worth of damage.
However, with Smith first confessing to writing and distributing the worm in 1999, Sophos is calling for swifter action by the courts to increase the deterrent to future virus writers.
"The Melissa worm was a serious security breach, inconveniencing millions of computer users the world over - it's important that Smith has been dealt with in an appropriate manner by the US courts," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant, Sophos Anti-Virus. "It's just a shame that the authorities couldn't have worked quicker to bring him to book. Smith has already been a dark inspiration to a whole generation of script kiddies - these copycat virus writers would have undoubtedly thought twice before distributing their malicious code if their hero was serving time."
Melissa, named after a Florida stripper admired by David L Smith, congested the email systems of thousands of companies worldwide causing many to panic and shut down their internet connection to the outside world.
About Sophos
Sophos enables enterprises all over the world to secure and control their IT infrastructure. Sophos's network access control, endpoint, web and email solutions simplify security to provide integrated defenses against malware, spyware, intrusions, unwanted applications, spam, policy abuse, data leakage and compliance drift. With over 20 years of experience, Sophos protects over 100 million users in nearly 150 countries with its reliably engineered security solutions and services. Recognized for its high level of customer satisfaction and powerful yet easy-to-use solutions, Sophos has received many industry awards, as well as positive reviews and certifications.
Sophos is headquartered in Boston, US and Oxford, UK. More information is available at www.sophos.com
