Underground: Hacking, madness and obsession on the electronic frontierDreyfus, Suelette
Science
Underground: Hacking, madness and obsession on the electronic frontier
Dreyfus, Suelette
Computer crimes -- Australia; Computer hackers -- Australia -- Biography; Computer security -- Australia
The Victoria Police report concluded that `Gill was able to infiltrate
the policing environment by skilfully manipulating himself and
information to the unsuspecting'. The Ombudsman concluded that a
`large quantity of confidential police information, mainly from the
ISU database, was given to ... Gill by [Victoria Police officer]
Cosgriff'.
The police report stated that Inspector Chris Cosgriff had
deliberately leaked confidential police information to Gill, and
reported that he was `besotted with Gill'. Superintendent Tony Warren,
ex-Deputy Commissioner John Frame and ex-Assistant Commissioner
Bernice Masterston were also criticised in the report.
The Ombudsman concluded that Warren and Cosgriff's relationship with
Gill was `primarily responsible for the release of confidential
information'. Interestingly, however, the Ombudsman also stated,
`Whilst Mr Gill may have had his own agenda and taken advantage of his
relationship with police, [the] police have equally used and in some
cases misused Mr Gill for their own purposes'.
The Ombudsman's report further concluded that there was no evidence of
criminal conduct by Frank Green, and that the `allegations made over
the years against Mr Green should have been properly and fully
investigated at the time they were made'.
PHOENIX
As his court case played in the media, Phoenix was speeding on his
motorcycle through an inner-city Melbourne street one rainy night when
he hit a car. The car's driver leapt from the front seat and found a
disturbing scene. Phoenix was sprawled across the road. His helmet had
a huge crack on the side, where his head had hit the car's petrol
tank, and petrol had spilled over the motorcycle and its rider.
Miraculously, Phoenix was unhurt, though very dazed. Some bystanders
helped him and the distraught driver to a nearby halfway house. They
called an ambulance, and then made the two traumatised young men some
tea in the kitchen. Phoenix's mother arrived, called by a bystander at
Phoenix's request. The ambulance workers confirmed that Phoenix had
not broken any bones but they recommended he go to hospital to check
for possible concussion.
Still both badly shaken, Phoenix and the driver exchanged names and
phone numbers. Phoenix told the driver he did technical work for a
0055 telephone service, then said, `You might recognise me. I'm
Phoenix. There's this big computer hacking case going on in
court--that's my case'.
The driver looked at him blankly.
Phoenix said, `You might have seen me on the TV news.'
No, the driver said, somewhat amazed at the strange things which go
through the dazed mind of a young man who has so narrowly escaped
death.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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