back to article AT&T iPad 'hacker' breaks gag order to rant at cops

A member of the group that publicised the recent AT&T iPad security breach has violated a gag order to protest his treatment by the authorities. Andrew Auernheimer, 24 (aka Weev), claims he has been thrown into a Kafkaesque nightmare after he helped publicise an AT&T/iPad security flaw that left 114,000 private email addresses …

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  1. Rogerborg

    Aww, who's an angwy widdle hacktiwist then?

    "I have had all my computers seized", wailed the freetard, "and thus am lacking the very materials I would need to take this pro se."

    Hasn't stopped him blogging about it, I notice, at great length. Without hesitation, but with copious deviation and repetition, sadly.

  2. Henry Wertz 1 Gold badge

    Better get a good lawyer...

    In the US a search warrant must specify the types of items that are being searched for, not a blanket "everything in this address". Since this was presumably a search for computers, electronic records, etc., any LSD and ecstasy found is inadmissible and he will walk. If he has a good lawyer. If not, they will just railroad him on it even though it was illegally collected.

    I didn't read the post, its's very long, but the actual computer stuff is a grey area. On the one hand, he is absolutely right, nobody should be able to be prosecuted because a site is so badly designed that a single digit can be changed and pull up somebody else's account info. On the other hand, this is a "slippery slope" towards immunity towards SQL injection and the like, since it is also using a standard web form provided by the site, and not any illegitimate use of usernames and passwords for instance. He also dumped over 100,000 records, instead of just a few as a proof of concept. (Although admittedly, if he didn't dump them all, Apple and AT&T would probably have lied and claimed they only had like 20 recods exposed.) I'm reserving judgement on this, really it's not clear cut, but if he gets a good lawyer he's far more likely to come out of it OK.

    1. Tom 13

      Actually if he was enough of a twit to leave them in plain sight,

      or in locations that would be searched as a normal part of the search and seizure warrant, they are admissible and he needs to worry about those as much if not more than the hacking charges. Given that he is enough of a twit to breach a gag order...

    2. Doug Glass
      Go

      Not Necessarily

      Re: ".. any LSD and ecstasy found is inadmissible and he will walk..."

      ,in their legal search, they find illegal activity they can act on it. Following your logic if they are searching for dope and witness a murder, they can't take steps necessarry to deal with the discovery situation, i.e. the witnessed killing. Just because a search is limited, doesn't automacially mean only searched items may be dealt with.

      You're right, he needs a lawyer. But you need to do a little reading yourself.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      WTF?

      Are you sure?

      "In the US a search warrant must specify the types of items that are being searched for, not a blanket "everything in this address". Since this was presumably a search for computers, electronic records, etc., any LSD and ecstasy found is inadmissible ....."

      So if the police come in looking for hacking material and find you in bed hard at it with a couple of 10 year olds, you can't be arrested for that?

      Or the police come in looking for guns and find 3 tonnes of crack coccaine, you can't be done for that?

      I find that VERY hard to believe.

      I would hazard a guess the actually law is they can't say, "We are looking for illegal items", however if in the search for specified items, they find other illegal items, you can be arrested for that on a seperate charge.

      I know America is pretty fucked up, but I don't think it's that far gone.

  3. dogged

    title

    I think he has a fair point regarding precedent and industry standard.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    Yes well,

    I seem to remember when I was a dope fiend that the fuzz used to regularly bust my ass too - I think it's part of growing up to discover that - well, the world just ain't fair sometimes.

    Quit complaining and grow up (or hide your tracks better - it's much the same thing) - and please ... hide your stash better.

    I did.

  5. frank 3
    Coat

    Goatse Security

    You gotta be kidding me.

    Is it April 1 already?

    bluddy hell fire.

    And not even a bootnote.

  6. Sean Timarco Baggaley
    FAIL

    Dear Mr. Leyden,

    "Website".

    "iPad".

    Note the difference in spelling. It's kind of important. Spelling "Website" as "iPad" and thus referring repeatedly to a non-existent "iPad hack" throughout your article is misleading. The hackers targeted AT&T's *website*. That such insecure website design was actually used by AT&T is actually a genuinely interesting piece of news. Please tell us more about *that*.

    (And, yes, I know the iPad has been "jailbroken". But you and I both know that's not the "hack" you're referring to in this article.)

    Some of you guys don't like Apple. We get it. Enough already.

    1. Ryan 7
      Jobs Horns

      There are never enough

      people who don't like Apple.

  7. Wallyb132

    He sounds like...

    an idiot... i didnt bother read his rant, it probably very predictable, as most like that usually are. however he may have a point on the drug charges, if the search warrant was to look for hacking related evidence, then the drugs will get thrown out, that is if he raises enough money to hire a good lawyer...

  8. Turtle

    A title IS required!

    I think that there is something to Auernheimer's contention that part of the law enforcement response to the matter is due to the fact that it involves Apple. (His similar contention about AT&T is not to be taken seriously, however.) Especially if we recall the case of Gizmodo's Brian Lam and the Lost iPhone. That Apple can get official government law enforcement agencies to serve as an extension of its internal security department, is more than a little worrisome. I have always had the impression that Apple was far more politically astute than pretty nearly any other computer company, and of course I have to assume that Al Gore is not the only politician to ever have a seat on the board of directors. (Obviously I am not sure though.) But again, that these things happen, along with, for example, the ease with which Apple seems to avoid government sanctions for restraint of trade, etc, makes the whole matter very worrisome.

  9. The Fuzzy Wotnot

    Well I am surprised!

    You managed to seriously embarrass AT&T a big powerful corp and cast a shadow of doubt over Lord Jobs' new toy, next thing the coppers come round and find you "in possesion", never saw that coming!

    ( Need a Slapping Forehead/Bleedin' Obvious icon! )

  10. David Kelly 2

    Jail time for Weev

    Poor Weev, his "civil rights" were violated so he ignored a judge's direct order.

    The judge is a wuss if Weev doesn't get at least 30 days.

  11. henrydddd
    FAIL

    Maybe?

    Perhaps the message is for hackers and security people is that they should not publish their hacks, but use them and distribute them to other hackers.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    need those drugs

    Don't be stupid enough to leave them laying around at home when there's a good chance the coppers will come knocking at your door.

  13. Volker Hett
    Pint

    The difference in these cases ...

    seems to be that he exploited something on or with an iPad and the others didn't.

    Beer, goes well with the iPad in a beer garden watching our team win :-)

  14. TimNevins
    Thumb Up

    Makes sense

    Along with Congress recently approving a Kill-Switch (rushed through) for the internet this makes sense.

    A public example is always needed to keep the proles in line.

    Mussolini described Fascism to really be Corporatism since the State owns the Corporations.

    Here in the US the opposite is true. Corporations own the State.

    This guy is being unfairly persecuted. I hope he gets a break.

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Weev...

    Pretends he's a day-trader, pretends he drives a Roller and pretends he is the World's Number 1 hacker in between calling everyone a Jew.

    LOLOL.

    He's a complete moron.

  16. Kibble
    Coat

    Prosecution priority?

    "Auernheimer criticises the authorities for treating the iPad security breach case as a higher priority for prosecution than other similar cases."

    The thought that perhaps the authorities are fanbois and are hoping for discounts on their bills from AT&T and/or a break on the price of Apple products. Comments?

  17. Wyrmhole_
    Heart

    lmao

    He did make you say goatse several times.

  18. Stephen Gray

    No defense lawyer?

    He states that he has been denied a public defender and yet not a single one of the Yanks who have commented here have mentioned that. He seems a bit of a tosser but surely in the land of the free to litigate that basic right is still enshrined in law? Perhaps not anymore, yet another reason not to go there alongside having to give fingerprints just to go on holiday.

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