In Depth: Adrian Lamo, the charges

Accused New York Times hacker Adrian Lamo is charged with two title 18 violations of U.S.C (United States Code). Specifically section 1030 (a) (5) (A) (ii) “intentionally accesses a protected computer without authorization, and as a result of such conduct, recklessly causes damage” and section 1029 (a) (2) “knowingly and with intent to defraud traffics in or uses one or more unauthorized access devices during any one-year period, and by such conduct obtains anything of value aggregating $1,000 or more during that period”.

Count one alleges Adrian Lamo used the New York Times private Intranet without authorization causing damage in excess of $25,000 (the cost of “confirming, addressing, and repairing” the vulnerabilities) and altering contributors information. Count two alleges Lamo created, then used five usernames / passwords to obtain search services from “LexisNexis” valued at over $300,000.