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A California man who helped write the malicious code behind a breach of AT&T's computer servers has admitted to conspiring to hack into the servers, steal information about iPad subscribers and publicize the crime, the FBI’s Newark division said.
Daniel Spitler, 26, of San Francisco, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to gain unauthorized access to computers connected to the Internet and one count of identity theft. He also admitted to being a member of Goatse Security, which The Wall Street Journal describes as a “loosely affiliated group of nine programmers who dig around for security holes largely for entertainment.”
Court documents said Spitler and others wrote a script designed to steal email addresses from AT&T’s servers, including those of Diane Sawyer, Harvey Weinstein, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Rahm Emanuel. Spitler and Andrew Auernheimer, 25, who was arrested in January, then provided the email addresses to Gawker, which then published the stolen information in redacted form, along with an article titled “Apple's Worst Security Breach: 114,000 iPad Owners Exposed.”
The charges to which Spitler pleaded guilty each carry a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is currently scheduled for Sept. 28, 2011.
