Hacker ordered to put computer skills to better use

4.30pm - by PETER GRIFFIN

The bite has been taken out of computer hacker Jodi "Venomous" Jones, with the 23-year old notching up a criminal conviction for his exploits in cyberspace.

Jones was today sentenced to 100 hours of community service and ordered to make reparation payments totalling $3000, for hacking into the network of internet provider Web Internet in November 2001.

Yesterday he pleaded guilty in the Manukau District Court to a charge of wilful damage, with his lawyer, Karen Harding, appealing for him to be discharged without conviction.

Currently working as a computer programmer, Jones claimed he would lose his job if convicted.

However, Judge David Harvey thought the crime serious enough to warrant a conviction.

He recommended that Jones carry out his community service teaching computer skills to the underprivileged.

Jones exploited a flaw in Unix server software to plant a "back door" program on the network of Web Internet, giving him access to the accounts details of the ISP's customers.

The former managing director of Web Internet, David Gottschalk, said Jones should not be allowed near computers.

He added that Jones could not claim to be a particularly skilful hacker.

Jones was using a "root kit" to hack Web Internet - software developed by sophisticated hackers and borrowed by imitators for their own purposes.

This is Jones' first conviction for a hacking-related offence.