In the UK, two hackers have been jailed for infecting thousands of computers with a virus in a transatlantic plot. Andrew Harvey, 24, and Jordan Bradley, 21, were responsible for creating and spreading the "TK Worm". Working as part of a gang which communicated through e-mails and chatrooms, the pair caused damaged estimated at £15,000.
Harvey was said to have logged on to a computer in Texas and used it as a server to gain access to 38,000 connected machines.
Although he was not the author of the TK Worm he was responsible for writing a code which "tweaked the original recipe".
After investigations in America and by Britain's National Hi-Tech Crime Unit, simultaneous raids were made on homes, including those of Harvey, in Sherburn Village, and Bradley, in Darlington. They were arrested in 2003 and admitted conspiracy to cause unauthorised modifications of computers with intent between Dec 31, 2001, and Feb 7, 2003.