University Cyber Crime Assignment: Hacking and Extortion Case Study

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Homework Assignment
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This assignment presents a detailed analysis of a cyber crime case involving hacking and extortion, focusing on the actions of Christian William Kight, also known as Drillo, who hacked into a computer analytics firm to steal confidential documents and extort money. The assignment outlines the criminal's methods, including gaining unauthorized access, corrupting files, and threatening the firm. It then relates the crime to key US laws, specifically the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), the Electronic Communications Protection Act (ECPA), and the Wiretap Act, explaining how these laws were violated. The case concludes with the criminal's arrest, sentencing (seven years and eight months imprisonment, a fine, and restitution), and supervision details, providing a practical application of legal concepts and cyber crime laws. The assignment uses APA format and cites relevant legal and governmental sources.
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University
Cyber Crime
Severe case of hacking and extortion
Student Credentials
3/20/2020
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Criminal Law 1
Hacking and Extortion
A person with a remarkable ability to hack a system as well as steal documents from
that which were confidential, utilized that ability for a negative cause and tried to extort
money from one of the leading firms in Atlanta that dealt with computer analytics. This
person also known as Christian William Kight, a/k/a Drillo, took charge of certain files and
corrupted them in order to gain benefit and earn money. The criminal here gained access to
the intellectual property of the firm along with several other documents of relevance and
threatened the firm with some e mails regarding the firm’s goodwill being harmed as well as
the documents to be destroyed along with the intellectual property that person held. In order
to release everything and keep everything unharmed, he demanded money in return. To this,
the firm denied any payment and since the firm intended on approaching the law enforcement
officers, made sure that the hacker knew about it.
This incident was actually then reported with the law enforcement by the firm. All the
details regarding the issue were explicitly talked about and the emails regarding the extortion
as well as evidences of hack were shared with the FBI who then investigated the matter
thoroughly. With the help of investigation, it was found out that the hacker was Christian
William Kight, a/k/a Drillo. A detailed search was done on him as well as his computer
equipment through which the encrypted emails as well as the victim firm’s documents as well
as other information were extracted. It was also found that it was not just this incident, but
there was a whole plan to conduct more such criminal activities so as to extort money from
people and firms. Upon a thorough research and extraction of clear evidences, Kight plead
guilty to his deeds.
In general, CFAA or the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, 18 U.S.C prohibits any kind
of unauthorised access to non –public computer as well as “transmitting threats of extortion
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Criminal Law 2
or specifically threats to damage a protected computer and threatening to obtain information
or compromise confidentiality of the information” which was actually done in this case,
where Kight threatened the firm to use the information that was obtained through hacking.
Apart from this, “cyber –extortion related to demands of money or property” is also
prohibited by the act and such offences can be penalised with, depending upon the case or
situation from one to 20 years imprisonment (Legal Information Institute, 2020). Apart from
this, ECPA or the Electronic Communications Protection Act also protects victims from any
kind of unauthorised access (U.S. Department of Justice, 2020). The WireTap Act is one
another Act that provides specific protection to victims in cases as such as the above
discussed (McNicholas & Angle, 2019). This is why, the criminal Christian William Kight,
a/k/a Drillo was sentenced on 3rd December, 2019 to seven Years and eight months
imprisonment by the Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr., and the criminal here
also had to pay a fine of $ 900 alongside the restitution of $ 42,001.00, apart from this, upon
release, he was to be supervised for the next three years as well (Department of Justice,
2020).
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Criminal Law 3
Bibliography
Department of Justice. (2020, March 18). California man sentenced for hacking an Atlanta-
based company. Retrieved March 20, 2020, from Department of Justice:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/california-man-sentenced-hacking-atlanta-
based-company
Legal Information Institute. (2020). 18 U.S. Code § 1030.Fraud and related activity in
connection with computers. Retrieved March 20, 2020, from Legal Information
Institute: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1030
McNicholas, E., & Angle, K. (2019, October 22). USA: Cyber Security 2020. In A. R. Nigel
Parker, Cyber Security Laws and Regulation 2020 (p. 1). ICLG.
U.S. Department of Justice. (2020). Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 (ECPA),
18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2523. Retrieved March 20, 2020, from U.S. Department of Justice:
https://it.ojp.gov/PrivacyLiberty/authorities/statutes/1285
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