socialmedian: Cable modem hacking expert indicted on fraud charges

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Cable modem hacking expert indicted on fraud charges

Source: Ars Technica

Nov 03, 2009

Summary

Ryan Harris—known by the alias DerEngel—is an expert on cable modem hacking, an art that he describes at length in a 2006 instructional guide that was published by No Starch Press. He runs a small company that sells unlocked cable modems with custom firmware and provides instructional material that explains how to manipulate the devices in various ways.

Although there are plenty of valid reasons for users to want complete access to their network hardware, cable modem hacking can also be used to circumvent ISP-imposed bandwidth caps and obtain free service through MAC address spoofing. In an apparent crackdown on cable modem hacking, law enforcers have brought criminal charges against Harris, accusing him of wire fraud and computer fraud. The basis for these charges, says the indictment, is that Harris aided and abetted others in accessing a protected computer without authorization with the intent to defraud.