Online break-in linked to area boy
Published 1:58 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008
SNOQUALMIE – A local youth is suspected of hacking into a popular online game site run by Sony Online and committing computer fraud, according to documents filed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Although there have been no arrests made or charges filed against the youth, federal agents seized 22 itemized computer parts and accessories on Aug. 14 from the youth’s home in Snoqualmie.
Everything from hard drives to computers were taken from the house to aid an investigation that stemmed from allegations that the youth hacked into one of Sony’s servers and into the computers of some of the company’s top executives and employees.
Search warrants filed by the FBI show the youth was suspected of hacking into the Web site of Sony’s popular online game EverQuest last fall when he was 17. Federal officials in San Diego, where the Sony server is located, were the first to investigate the claims after they met with Sony executives, who told them one of their servers and an executive’s computer had been broken into.
The server contained personal account information of players of the EverQuest game, and the executive’s computer had personal information as well as plans for the next version of the EverQuest game.
Sony became aware of the break-in in February after employees saw a confidential “Guide Board” posted on a Internet hacker Web site, called “HackerQuest.” Sony executives traced the hacking incident after the Snoqualmie youth allegedly informed a Sony employee by sending them an e-mail with the content he had stolen from the company’s computers.
The youth also contacted a Sony game master during an ICQ [Internet instant messaging program] chat session on May 4, taunting him with personal information that only could have been gained through access to the “Guide Board.” The game master was able to find out some personal information about the youth by talking with him and tracing his ICQ number to an account registered with his father.
Once the youth realized he had been traced, he led the game master to an Internet board where he posted files from Sony employees and logs of conversations he had. The conversations, which took place between Sept. 19 to Oct. 7 of last year, reportedly detail the youth and another EverQuest player talking about hacking into EverQuest and sharing information.
Sony officials were able to use e-mail information disclosed in the conversation logs to track down a person in Georgia who had purchased characters for the EverQuest game.
By using the billing records, conversation logs and tracking the user’s computer, federal agents discovered the person had moved to Texas and surrendered a driver’s license from Georgia upon receiving his Texas license.
The search warrant for the local teen’s house was granted by the U.S. District Court of Western Washington on Aug. 13. It is unknown if any searches have been conducted at the home of the player in Texas.
It is not known what charges, if any, will be filed against the youth or whether he will be tried as an adult.
Although no one at Sony Online wanted to comment personally on the investigation, a statement released by Sony Online after the investigation came to light said “no consumer billing information was compromised” and that they “have added additional layers of security in an effort to prevent this from happening again.”
Federal officials and the parents of the youth also declined to comment on the investigation.
