A computer hacker has been accused of breaking into computer systems at network manufacturer Cisco and NASA.
Philip Gabriel Pettersson faces five charges of stealing trade secrets and damaging networks. It’s alleged that he performed the hacks five years ago when he was 16.
He is accused of stealing Cisco source code related to its Internet Operating System and a week later breaking into NASA’s Advanced Supercomputing divsion and the Ames Research Center.
The maximum penalty Pettersson faces if convicted is 10 years of prison for each charge of intrusion and theft of trade secrets, as well as a fine of $250,000.
The prosecution has come about through the cooperation of the FBI, the US Secret Service, NASA, and various other agencies including Swedish authorities.
Cisco doesn’t think that any customer information, partner information or financial systems were affected by the hack.
