McKinnon warns off fledgling hackers as hearing looms
By Peter Warren
Published Monday 18th July 2005 12:58 GMT

Gary McKinnon, the British hacker facing an extradition hearing in nine days time has warned other hacking wannabees not to follow his example.

McKinnon, who faces a possible 72 years in a US prison if he is forced to stand trial in America for entering over 53 US military computer systems, is terrified by the prospect.

"I was not doing anything - I wasn't damaging anything," he said. "I was just looking. I did not think about the legal side of things and now I am facing the prospect of extreme violence in some US jail."

Tis is the chilling future that McKinnon wants to bring home to the many well-wishers sending him messages via websites that have sprung up to support him.

"One thing that concerns me at the moment is that lots of young people sending emails seem impressed by what I have done and find it exciting and interesting.

"Believe you me my current position is wholly unexciting and very, very serious. I would like to say to all aspiring young hackers, do not do it.

"Get on with your life, get good grades at school and get a job in computer security if that's your interest. If you are only interested in the mechanisms of computer security then build your own network and practice on that."

McKinnon, who practised on computer systems that ranged from Fort Meade, near Baltimore, home to the US National Security Agency, (an organisation bigger and even more secretive than the CIA), to NASA's Johnson Space Center, is unfortunately, only too well qualified to comment

Speaking in a series of intensely personal interviews given over the last week McKinnon told the Register about the disaster that his life has become due to his twin obsessions, computing and UFO research.

"The worst aspect of what is going on in my life is the effect it is having on the people that I love, especially my parents.

"It's like looking at another person when I look back at how I was in 2000 - 2001. I was completely obsessed, uncaring about myself and those around me and yet very concerned with the outside world of George Bush and the US military."

At that time, McKinnon, was on a mission to prove that a technology called 'anti-gravity' had been developed by the US and was being kept secret so the US could exploit it rather than releasing it for the good of the world.

"Anti- gravity operates via 'free-energy' and free energy could solve almost all of humanity's problems. We could end the oil wars, we could end famine, we could end a lot of human suffering."

McKinnon has an explosion of curly, deep copper coloured hair around features that can only be called elfin. Intelligent and articulate, he likens his quest for US military information on autonomous robotic programs and a secret US space base that he believes exists, to an addiction to computer gaming.

"The kind of addiction I had to hacking was very similar to how game-playing made you feel, gaining access to deeper and deeper security layers was just like the structure of a computer game. This was the best computer game that I had ever seen but it was real.

"Maybe it's because of the full control that you have over the machine but I found that I was getting something that I needed. I used to play first person shooter games because I got that thrill of the hunter and the hunted and I think that's something that men need.

"I don't think it's any accident that one of the books about computer addiction is called 'Computer Widows' because it is mainly men that fall prey to the box."

McKinnon was a classic victim. Caught by his obsessions he admits that lost touch with reality and morality.

When friends came around and he showed them that he had gained control of CCTV systems that allowed him to watch the movement of US military personnel as they worked, those same friends warned him that he should not be doing what he was doing. But McKinnon says he was hooked.

"It was affecting my life badly. I wasn't washing or eating and I was spending most of my life in a dressing gown sitting in front of the computer.

"Once when I was playing an on-line computer game called 'Unreal Tournament' I had a cigarette in my mouth while I was trying to capture the flag that is the point of the game and I was circling the point where I had to get in, which involved running along the side of a cliff.

"The smoke was getting in my eyes and I was so focussed on what I was doing that I threw the cigarette over the side of the cliff - only I didn't - I threw it at the computer screen."

The end, when it came, was a relief.

On March 19, 2002, Dectective Jeff Donson of the National High Tech Crime Unit knocked on the door of his flat in Crouch End and was let in by his then girlfriend, Tamsin, just after 8 am in the morning.

"It felt strangely dreamlike. I had been playing a computer game called 'Space Empires 4' until the early hours so I had only had about an hours sleep and I was very groggy then I woke up to find this man about two feet away from mine telling me he was Jeff Donson and I felt suddenly relaxed, like it was all over.

"I was suffering from an obsession that was destroying my life. I wasn't pulling my weight in the house and it was breaking up my relationship, I wasn't bringing in any money and my girlfriend was paying the phone bills."

From that point on McKinnon realised the awful cost of his obsession.

"I have been paying the price of it ever since and so have the people around me. For three years now, both in terms of my own stress and disappointment and the stress and disappointment of those close to me."

Now genuinely remorseful, McKinnon is keen to make amends.

"When I heard about the London bombings and that someone had claimed responsibility on a website my first thought was - 'why don't they hack the server, copy the data over, read the logs and find out where the message was posted from'?

"I think there's a future in fighting terrorism via the internet, because communications are fundamental to a war on terror.

"I know various Governments have their hacking teams and I could be of great value operating as part of one of them rather than rotting in a jail cell."

McKinnon warns off fledgling hackers as hearing looms

72 years? jesus christ they shouldn't be able to do that. Sure he MAY have gone into some computer's he wasn't allowed in, and sure he may have invaded some military bases/personnel privacy, but come on 72 years is ridiculous!



for some reason those first 4 words make no sense in the sentence.

And do you see how unprofessional it is to have Starting quotes and not ending?

The knowledge that he gained could very well have caused 72 years worth of incarceration. Infact if the gov't were so likely to prove that he was involved in any type of terrorist activity be it whatever (intelligence gathering) I'm sure the extradition will have it's way.

He unfortunately is the person whom will get the crazy sentence to set an example for everybody else, it appears the gov't has already started to work a plea bargain with such into this.

I can't feel sorry for him, he is just a dumb sob - how can you delete 1.300 user accounts on a military computer system and think you get away with it ????

Sorry forumites, but I'm going to tell it to you straight without sugar coating this one.

First off if anyone is under the impression that prison is 3 hot meals and a cot you are sadly and truly mistaken.

Just by reading the above statement, I'm pretty sure he will be "check'n in". A term used for those who can't handle themselves on the mainline yards and have to go into protective custody. Even then in PC status (Proctective Custody) he's going to be preyed on by those in PC who are rejects or drop outs from one of the open population gangs.

Everything that happens on the streets happens in the prison system. Strong Arm robberies, extortion, assault, burglary, theft, black marketing, (Hooking) prostitution, rape, murder, stabbings, beat downs, taxes, dope deals, heroin, coke, acid, wine you name it, it goes down.

Prison is an insane place, with insane rules. What is simple on the outside, can cost you your manhood or life on the inside. Step on someones shoes and don't say excuse me can cost you a shank in your neck. Someone steps to you talking trash and your not willing to crack his grape or peel his cap (Kick his head till it leaks out his ears, or rip his scalp open if he has hair) then you need to understand your going to be known on the yard as someone whos not willing to stand up for himself.

Next thing you know your slippers are missing, your pillow is gone, your locker has been busted into. Dudes are stepping to you trying to strong arm you for canteen priviledges, or have you donate money to there commissary pool. Your broken down till your pretty much nothing, everytime you raise a voice to complain they'll beat you down. Then they'll move on your manhood and steal that.

Then the yard will see you standing around the canteen with cherry red kool aid boxer shorts, or you'll be holding onto the pimps shirt or pockets.

Thats when all of us on the yard will know you've been punked, you've been broken and now your part of some bronc buster (pimps) stable (hareem).

So just remember this when you get off the bus you have 3 choices. *uck, Fight, or Flee.

You have no emotions, no fears, no care, nothing just your self respect, and your word. When someone steps to you, you need to kick him to sleep, peel his cap, and if you have a pen stick him in his neck.

You'll go on lockdown for 2 years or untill they feel your no longer a danger to the rest of the inmates, officers, or institution. You'll come out of confinement, and everyone will know your willing to stand up for whats your. Be respectfull but not compassionate. There is no weakness in prison except by those on pc status.

Also don't run to the officers, cause then your a snitch and thats about as low as being a round eye (pedophile) and you will surely be placed on the top of some gangs hit list for new recruits to earn their bones (kill your sniveling weak self)

Yes prison does not have gangs they have organizations or mafias. Its called Chain Gang Politics. You have some groups that have been around since the 50's others that have 20 year retirement for their soldiers

So if the thought of sticking someone or choking someone to the point of they might die bothers you. DONT GO TO PRISON

If the thought of getting your manhood snatched, raped for those of you not savy to prison lingo, bent over a sink with getting deposits placed in every place you have a hole bothers you DONT GO TO PRISON.

I don't care what kind of hi yaki nintendo chop saki you know.

1. If you don't have the heart to walk through a group of 3 to 5 guys what good is all that training for if you have no courage.

2. Don't matter how bad you are in prison, trust me on this you will come across dudes that are just as bad if not badder then you. I have been hit so hard I've seen flashes of white, and black dots floating around. Ever trying going toe to toe with someone when you cant see straight because you've been hit so hard it feels like your dreaming. If you have no idea what I'm talking about you haven't thrown hands with enough people or you pick your fights.

3. You cant fight 7 guys at one time. You'll be surprised what kind of weapons are made in the joint.

Spookie,

"Sorry forumites, but I'm going to tell it to you straight without sugar coating this one..."



Well Put. Dont do the crime if you can't do the time. Addiction can kick u in the ass. Poor dude. Be mindful of ur actions ppl.

Pretty much it. Prison isn't 3 hots and a cot. Just ask Capt Crunch about state time, or Mitnick who only did county time.

More like body slam in this instance.

Can't help but feel sorry for him. Hope he doesn't rip up his bed sheet, to go off and choke himself. If he's lucky they'll send him to a kiddie camp meaning minimum custody. Cause there going to eat him alive if he goes to a medium or maximum penitentiary. If he's really lucky he will do Federal time which is still rough but not as rough as state time.

72 years? oh my god where is the relation ?
in european countries u get less when u murder someone.
in germany the highest sentence is lifelong for murder, which usually lasts for 15 years.

i wonder if he can plead for unsoundness of mind due to his massive addiction
and loss of sense for reality.

usch