Hacker Sent Viagra to Bill Gates: Welsh Teenager's Whimsical Sentencing

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the whimsical sentencing of Raphael Gray, a Welsh teenager who hacked into e-commerce sites and sent Viagra to Bill Gates as a demonstration of internet security vulnerabilities. The conversation touches on the implications of his actions, the humor involved, and the societal perceptions of hacking.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note Gray's intention to prove the dangers of online shopping through his hacking activities.
  • Others highlight the humorous aspect of sending Viagra to Bill Gates, with one participant making a pun on the name "Microsoft."
  • A participant references psychiatric assessments indicating Gray's difficulty in relating to people and obsession with computers, suggesting a broader commentary on societal issues.
  • There is a humorous exchange about law enforcement's capabilities, with one participant joking about the police's ineptitude in handling hacking cases.
  • Another participant mentions the involvement of the FBI and Royal Canadian Mounted Police in tracking Gray, indicating the seriousness of the legal repercussions despite the lighthearted tone of the discussion.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the humorous nature of Gray's actions and the absurdity of the situation, but there are varying opinions on the implications of his behavior and the effectiveness of law enforcement in addressing such incidents.

Contextual Notes

The discussion reflects a mix of humor and serious commentary, with some participants drawing parallels to contemporary issues in technology and law enforcement. There are unresolved questions about the broader societal implications of Gray's actions and the effectiveness of internet security measures.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in internet security, hacking culture, and the intersection of humor and legal consequences in technology-related incidents may find this discussion engaging.

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Cracker sent Viagra to...

http://wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,45057,00.html?tw=wn_story_related
:smile:
Raphael Gray, a Welsh teenager, said that he was on a mission to prove the dangers of shopping over the Internet. To demonstrate his point, in January 1999, Gray embarked on a four-week crack attack on e-commerce sites to see how many systems he could hack into.

During his month-long crusade, Gray managed to collect at least 23,000 credit card numbers, including one belonging to Bill Gates, which Gray said he used to send a shipment of the impotence-curing drug Viagra to Gates' home.

The teenager was commended in court for his whimsy in sending the drug to Gates.

"You demonstrated some sense of humor by sending Viagra to Bill Gates to mock him," said Judge Gareth Davies, at Gray's sentencing hearing in the Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court in southern Wales.

After his sentencing Gray, 19, told reporters outside the courthouse that he would "do it all again, given the chance," but would act within the law next time.
 
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I guess if Gates goes on Viagra we can't call it "micro""soft" anymore. :smile:
 
macro hard!
 
no, why change micro :p
 
According to psychiatric assessments ordered by the court, after the accident Gray had a difficult time relating to people and became obsessed with computers.

hahaha that sounds all to familiar these days.
 
HAHAHAHA
The police can't hack their way out of a paper bag
 
But the program failed to crash a server on at least one occasion, and the FBI and Royal Canadian Mounted Police used that server's logs to track Gray to the small cottage he lives in with his mother and two sisters in Clynderwen, in western Wales, in March 2000.


hahaha and he lives with his mom