Gaol for Cowra computer hacker

A COWRA man charged with hacking into systems owned by telco wholesaler Platform Networks has been gaoled for two-and-a-half years.

David Noel Cecil, a 25-year-old unemployed truck driver, initially faced up to 12 years’ gaol on a total of 40 charges of unauthorised access and modification to computer systems maintained by Platform Networks.

Cecil, who said he had taught himself how to compromise systems and nicknamed himself “Evil”, pleaded guilty to the charges.

Orange District Court Judge Anthony Blackmore sentenced Cecil to six months’ gaol on 18 charges, and two years’ gaol on two other charges, after considering sentencing proposals last week.

Cecil received a reduced sentence due to his pleading, and will be eligible for parole after 12 months.

He is believed to face future restrictions on computer use and forfeited property on other charges.

Cecil’s arrest in July 2011 was widely publicised amid fears he had compromised systems relating to the National Broadband Network, of which Platform is a wholesale customer.

NBN Co at the time denied any link between the systems.

A spokeswoman for the Australian Federal Police (AFP) says the department did not comment on sentencing matters.

However, the police said at the time of Cecil’s arrest that he was “motivated by ego . . . proving his skills after complaining he could not get work in the IT sector”.

Reports suggested the AFP had tracked Cecil’s movements for at least six months, and made the arrest after Cecil identified himself as the hacker “Evil” in a chat room in last July.

Court documents reportedly show that Cecil “posted logs that show the process he went through to reconfigure the back door” into Platform’s systems.

His computers were found to be logged on to Platform systems at the time of his arrest and police said his computer was being used to conduct denial of service attacks.