Reading some of the reactions to the guilty plea by the author of the Blaster worm variant makes it quite clear that we are not united in our opinions as to what punishment is appropriate in cases like this.

There is no clear consensus as to the severity of the punishment that should be imposed on 19-year-old Blaster Master Jeffrey Lee Parson. Those in the corporate world who have suffered the most damage from recent viruses and worms - at least in terms of data loss and down time - would like to see a strong message sent to the cracker community by imposing the maximum penalties allowed by law. In this particular case, that could amount to as much as 37 months in jail and fines running into the millions of dollars. Reactions from other groups less directly affected by this issue run from unrealistic to sympathetic. Comments like “Throw the fat slob in jail for life!” and “I think he should be fined triple, and given more jail time” are countered with “A good way to treat this sort of crime is through community service and probation” and even “I think part of his punishment should be getting him on treadmill. Definitely something aerobic.” Obviously the judge in this case is not going to get any help deciding on an appropriate sentence by reading comments on the Web.

All this illustrates how our perception of the value of our computers and the data we store on them is evolving. At one time, causing damage to a computing system was about as serious a crime as someone causing damage to your car. It was a piece of machinery with a certain monetary value, the repair of which could be easily assessed. These days we store terabytes of valuable business and personal data on our computers. A single server may host several important Web sites, and when brought down, can cause loss of money and image. Certain things cannot easily be quantified in terms of monetary value. Instead of harm to our property, these current worms and viruses are harming our stored memories and putting at risk our personal information. It’s now perceived to be more like a burglary or personal assault. We don’t just seek justice, we want revenge.