17 Charged With Hacking Into Satellite TV; violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act...

Associated Press ^

[RCW2001]

LOS ANGELES Feb. 12 —

A federal grand jury has indicted 17 people who authorities say hacked into satellite television transmissions, causing millions of dollars in losses to DirecTV and Dish Network, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

Six of the defendants were charged with violating the anti-encryption provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The other charges involved conspiracy or manufacturing a device for the purpose of stealing satellite signals. All three counts carry a maximum prison sentence of five years.

The indictments were returned last month and unsealed Tuesday.

Ten defendants already have agreed to plead guilty, authorities said, including a 43-year-old West Los Angeles man who has acknowledged causing $14.8 million in losses to satellite TV companies.

The investigation was aimed at people who develop software and hardware devices that crack the scrambled signals designed to limit satellite TV services to paying customers. DirecTV, for instances, uses "smart cards" as part of their set-top boxes that descramble satellite signals.

The defendants named Tuesday are charged with thwarting that security, often meeting in secret online chat rooms to exchange data and techniques and using such nicknames as "FreeTV," authorities said.

The defendants range in age from 19 to 52. Most live in California, although some are from Kentucky, North Carolina, Texas, Indiana, Florida and Ohio.

"This case demonstrates our commitment to identifying and prosecuting sophisticated computer hackers who steal the intellectual property of others for their own economic benefit," U.S. Attorney Debra Yang said.

[cinFLA]

Remind me not to leave my wallet in the car next time I come to your house....you want it, you should be able to steal it. Right? It's on your property. Right?

Apples and oranges.

[Dinsdale]

Nope, no more smart cards in the package.

The cards are marked 'Property of DirectTV'

[Krafty123]

And selling a car to someone allows them to use it as a getaway vehicle.

[Hodar]

But again, this needs to be clearly labeled on the box, and conveyed to the customer before purchase. At least IMHO, otherwise it's a hidden legal contract that a customer would not know about until after they had purchased the equipment. Much like the idea of selling a car; then demanding that you either sell or trash the car, or buy gas from my station at whatever price I deem fit.

Historically speaking, the card was enclosed in the box, and unless you read the back of the card, in the fine print; you would not know that you had not also purchased the card.

[SpeakLittle_ThinkMuch]

You keep selling, I'm still not buying.

Oh, and help yourself to a little of that "free" internet music while you're at it. Maybe a movie too?

Rationalization....it's not just for children anymore...

[cinFLA]

Oh, and help yourself to a little of that "free" internet music while you're at it. Maybe a movie too?

If you can't rationally discuss a subject without hurling garbage and insults, please stay home and play with your doll.

[cinFLA]

Perhaps you should heed your own words:

"My Grandmother once said I should this advice, and remember that, "Sometimes it is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt"."

[thatsnotnice]

And selling a car to someone allows them to use it as a getaway vehicle.

Yes, and if you were proven to have sold that car to be used as a getaway vehicle you would be looking at accessory charges in a lot of states.

That's the problem they face. They are not selling (if they are indeed selling - the article didn't specify, I'm just supposing that's what they did) a "technical document" or some other general-interest piece on technology. They usually advertise it as "Free Satellite TV for $100" or "Satellite Descrambler - Watch Free" or something like that.

It'd be like you advertising your car as "Great Getaway Car - No VIN, No Registration." Especially if someone actually buys it and uses it for that purpose.

Actually, if you have the time and inclination it'd be interesting if you placed an ad like that and reported the results.

[cinFLA]

You keep selling, I'm still not buying.

I'm not selling nor asking you to buy anything. It is called discussion. Something you are obviously incapable of.

[SpeakLittle_ThinkMuch]

Once again you prove my point. Anything else you "need" to steal today? After all, you want it, so you should have it!

(stamp your little feet while you say that, it will help folks see it your way)

Rationalization....it's not just for children anymore...

[TomB]

Curiosity can be misconstrued as guilt ;-)

LOL.

I think Scott Ritter tried that excuse.

[cinFLA]

I guess this means all digitized music on the "public" internet is fine as well????? anyone...

You are obviously mixing apples and oranges.

[cinFLA]

Once again you prove my point. Anything else you "need" to steal today? After all, you want it, so you should have it!

What is your point? To hurl insults? You are stealing "band-width" from FR since it is against the rules which you probably never read thus you are also in violation.

[Ichneumon]

If something comes onto your property without you asking for it, it's yours.

By your silly standards, I could confiscate every car that pulls into my driveway momentarily to turn around, all sales samples that door-to-door salesmen carry with them, the electricity that runs through the neighborhood transmission wires running along the back edge of my property, and so on. And the neighbor's kids are *mine* now, apparently.

Your idea definitely needs some work.

[RoughDobermann]

Sorry for poking my head in... :-)

Satelite TV is routed INVOLUNTARILY into your house

No, not really. DBS signals won't even penetrate glass.

Once Broadcast (the internet is not a broadcast signal in this regard) the satelite companies are demanding that you not analyze the product they have broadcast.

I don't think they mind if you analyze the signal; they just get kind touchy when you decode and use it (watch and listen) without paying them... :-)

[Hodar]

They are not selling (if they are indeed selling - the article didn't specify, I'm just supposing that's what they did) a "technical document" or some other general-interest piece on technology. They usually advertise it as "Free Satellite TV for $100" or "Satellite Descrambler - Watch Free" or something like that.

From OTHER articles, the story goes like this. Company A develops a new very secure card. Uncle B takes some of this very confidential material home ton continue working on it (legitimately takes it home, apparently). The 19 year old (Mr. D) copies the material from his uncle's desk, and emails copies to internet chatrooms for hacking. The material was clearly labeled as CONFIDENTIAL and Proprietary. The others involved then received and distributed this new SmartCard information packet. They are screwed.

[New Horizon]

DirecTV is most certainly a broadcast. It may be an encrypted broadcast, but a broadcast just the same.

[Hodar]

If a signal comes into your domain, it is now your signal. Just like sunlight, or fireworks. If I shoot fireworks off, and you observe from your deck; should I be able to charge you for my display? No, as once I set them off, they were broadcast to whomever looks at them.

Secondly, the quality of the signal has in no way been altered, impared or degraded by the observing person. Unlike taking cars, or private property that happens into your domain, no loss has occured. No energy has been stolen, all that has happened is that a processor that a person puchased has analyzed a signal obtained through a person's antenae, which is also residing on the same persons property.

If the signal is on my property; I reserve the right to do what I will with it. If, however the cable company runs cable TV through into house, it would be ridiculous for them to tell me not to connect my TV to my cable wiring.

[IncPen]

If something comes onto your property without you asking for it, it's yours. By your silly standards, I could confiscate every car that pulls into my driveway momentarily to turn around, all sales samples that door-to-door salesmen carry with them, the electricity that runs through the neighborhood transmission wires running along the back edge of my property, and so on. And the neighbor's kids are *mine* now, apparently. Your idea definitely needs some work.

I rather suspect it's your idea that needs some work.

If you put something on my property without my permission and leave it there, and as I have suggested I ask you to remove it, by simple act of negligence it passes into my possession.

If you left it there, it's mine, Sparky.