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Pacific Internet helps Australian High Tech Crime Centre with first arrest

Melbourne , 18 November 2003 - Quick action and cooperation can make all the difference between catching a computer hacker or not, according to leading national Internet Service Provider (ISP) Pacific Internet and the Australian High Tech Crime Centre (AHTCC).

The message follows the recent arrest of a 17-year-old Brisbane youth for allegedly accessing Pacific Internet's computer system without authority on 23 October 2003.

The arrest was the first of its kind under the Criminal Code Act 1995. The youth appeared briefly in Brisbane Magistrates Court today. He was released on bail and is expected to reappear on 16 February 2004.

Dennis Muscat, Pacific Internet's managing director said: "The youth didn't cause any damage to Pacific Internet's public facing systems and our firewalls prevented access to all sensitive data."

Director of the AHTCC, federal agent Alastair MacGibbon said: "As soon as Pacific Internet became aware a breach had occurred, they notified police immediately. Less than 24-hours later, we had arrested a suspect in Brisbane.

"The quick notification and cooperation we received from Pacific Internet made all the difference in this case and I'd like to encourage all other Australian ISPs to do the same should they find themselves in a similar situation," federal agent MacGibbon said.

"Comprehensive logs and records of access and activity also provide vital evidence and I urge all ISPs to ensure these are maintained.

"We have worked collaboratively with industry to develop guidelines in relation to the types of data internet companies should retain and how this data should be handled for forensic purposes," he added.

"On 12 August 2003, Standards Australia released HB 171-2003: Guidelines for the management of IT evidence, which may be purchased at www.standards.com.au . General guidance on network security matters is also available at www.security.iia.net.au ."

Mr Muscat said nearly every organisation's systems would have faced an intruder at one time or another but most would never know.

"We treat internet security very seriously. Due to Pacific Internet's high level of security measures in place, we immediately detected the intruder when he attempted to install some harvesting programs on our public facing systems," he said.

"Law enforcement agencies are very interested in this type of crime and we do treat it extremely seriously," said Federal Agent MacGibbon.

"It is important that companies are aware there is help available if they find themselves in this type of situation. This case is a prime example of the results that are possible."

Source: http://www.pacific.net.au/cgi-bin//press_releases/press_release.pl?action=display&id=84&year=

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