January 23, 2009

Article sourced from http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,28348,24952994-5014239,00.html

A MAN has admitted hacking into the Northern Territory Government's computer system causing $1m of damage.

Computer engineer David Anthony McIntosh, 28, pleaded guilty in the NT Supreme Court in Darwin today to 12 counts of unlawfully accessing and modifying data on May 8 last year.

His cyber-sabotage crashed multiple government servers, including those of the Health Department, Royal Darwin Hospital, Berrimah Prison and the Supreme Court.

He also deleted 10,475 public servants from the system.

McIntosh had clearance to upgrade and maintain the NT Government's computer system, but left the job in April. His committal hearing in Darwin Magistrate's Court in October last year heard McIntosh committed the crime because of a perceived slight from his former employer CSG Services.

Crown prosecutor Paul Usher said McIntosh used his flatmate's laptop at their Palmerston home and a workmate's password to commit the crime.He said McIntosh had signed a confidentiality agreement when he started the job and agreed, when he left, to surrender his passwords and access rights.

Mr Usher said many government employees had to be stood down while the system was being repaired, and estimated that the damage exceeded $1 million

Defence lawyer Tom Berkley requested his client - who will be sentenced at a later date - undergo a psychological assessment