MPAA hired hacker to 'spy' on The Pirate Bay

MPAA hired hacker to 'spy' on The Pirate Bay
According to new court documents, it appears that the MPAA hired a hacker to reveal the identities of the administrators of the infamous torrent tracker The Pirate Bay, the same hacker who was found to be 'spying' on the torrent site TorrentSpy last year.

Robert Anderson, the "hacker" and the center of the new scandal was paid by the MPAA in 2006 to steal e-mails and trade secrets from TorrentSpy. Anderson later admitted to this but it was unknown that he was also asked to spy on The Pirate Bay.



The now public court documents reveal a conversation between Anderson and the MPAA. “We can provide the names, address, and phone (numbers) of the owners of Torrentspy.com and Thepiratebay.org — along with evidence, including correspondence between the two companies.”

The MPAA’s Dean Garfield responded later, “We were going to get information about the location and identity of the people who were running Torrentspy, as well as information related to a general conspiracy and relationship between Torrentspy and a number of other prominent services including ThePirateBay.”

Upon hearing the news, Pirate Bay admin Peter Sunde was quick to respond. “We’re very open with what we do. I think the e-mails between us and Justin would be something along the lines with “what’s up with the scraper that is going berserk” or “what the fuck is up with that filerights-shit?”.. I think it’s amazingly funny if the MPAA bought information like that, expensively, and against the US law. Only proves their stupidity and that they have no case.”

What is most odd about the case however, is that the MPAA spent $15,000 USD to hire a hacker to find the identities of the admins over at The Pirate Bay. A quick Google or Wikipedia search reveals the names of the admins, all of whom are not afraid to have that information known. Fredrik Neij (TiAMO) even mentions that his name and working phone number are on the Pirate Bay domain name. But if the MPAA wants to pay $15,000 for public information, who are we to stop them?

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 27 Jul 2008 2:34
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  • 29 comments
  • Pop_Smith

    Quote:A quick Google or Wikipedia search reveals the names of the admins, all of whom are not afraid to have that information known. Fredrik Neij (TiAMO) even mentions that his name and working phone number are on the Pirate Bay domain name. But if the MPAA wants to pay $15,000 for public information, who are we to stop them?Exactly, I actually was going to post something similar to this when I read that "They hired a "hacker" to find out their names/addresses etc."

    I wish someone would pay me $15k to give them free, extremely easy to find, information. :P

    27.7.2008 02:51 #1

  • iluvendo

    Quote:But if the MPAA wants to pay $15,000 for public information, who are we to stop them?

    I guess the MPAA has money to burn. How they and who they ripped off is everyone's knowledge ( and we don't have to pay for free and open info like the MPAA does )

    27.7.2008 02:53 #2

  • nonoitall

    If there's an expensive, immoral way to do things, rest assured the **AA's will find it. ;-)

    27.7.2008 04:43 #3

  • hulud86

    The MPAA needs to find better things to do.

    27.7.2008 05:47 #4

  • 13thHouR

    The problem here is that the corporations own the US government and because of this they have a get out of jail free card for breaking federal law.

    Quote:US Anti-Hacking Law
    The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (as amended Oct. 3, 1996)
    Section 1030. Fraud and related activity in connection with computers

    (a) Whoever--

    (1) having knowingly accessed a computer without authorization or exceeding authorized access, and by means of such conduct having obtained information that has been determined by the United States Government pursuant to an Executive order or statute to require protection against unauthorized disclosure for reasons of national defense or foreign relations, or any restricted data, as defined in paragraph y of section 11 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, with reason to believe that such information so obtained could be used to the injury of the United States, or to the advantage of any foreign nation, willfully communicates, delivers, transmits, or causes to be communicated, delivered, or transmitted, or attempts to communicate, deliver, transmit or cause to be communicated, delivered, or transmitted the same to any person not entitled to receive it, or willfully retains the same and fails to deliver it to the officer or employee of the United States entitled to receive it;

    (2) intentionally accesses a computer without authorization or exceeds authorized access, and thereby obtains--

    (A) information contained in a financial record of a financial institution, or of a card issuer as defined in section 1602(n) of title 15, or contained in a file of a consumer reporting agency on a consumer, as such terms are defined in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.);

    (B) information from any department or agency of the United States; or

    (C) information from any protected computer if the conduct involved an interstate or foreign communication;

    (3) intentionally, without authorization to access any nonpublic computer of a department or agency of the United States, accesses such a computer of that department or agency that is exclusively for the use of the Government of the United States or, in the case of a computer not exclusively for such use, is used by or for the Government of the United States and such conduct affects that use by or for the Government of the United States;

    (4) knowingly and with intent to defraud, accesses a protected computer without authorization, or exceeds authorized access, and by means of such conduct furthers the intended fraud and obtains anything of value, unless the object of the fraud and the thing obtained consists only of the use of the computer and the value of such use is not more than $5,000 in any 1-year period;

    (5)

    (A) knowingly causes the transmission of a program, information, code, or command, and as a result of such conduct, intentionally causes damage without authorization, to a protected computer;

    (B) intentionally accesses a protected computer without authorization, and as a result of such conduct, recklessly causes damage; or

    (C) intentionally accesses a protected computer without authorization, and as a result of such conduct, causes damage;

    (6) knowingly and with intent to defraud traffics (as defined in section 1029) in any password or similar information through which a computer may be accessed without authorization, if--

    (A) such trafficking affects interstate or foreign commerce; or

    (B) such computer is used by or for the Government of the United States;

    (7) with intent to extort from any person, firm, association, educational institution, financial institution, government entity, or other legal entity, any money or other thing of value, transmits in interstate or foreign commerce any communication containing any threat to cause damage to a protected computer;

    shall be punished as provided in subsection (c) of this section.

    (b) Whoever attempts to commit an offense under subsection (a) of this section shall be punished as provided in subsection (c) of this section.

    (c) The punishment for an offense under subsection (a) or (b) of this section is--

    (1)

    (A) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than ten years, or both, in the case of an offense under subsection (a)(1) of this section which does not occur after a conviction for another offense under this section, or an attempt to commit an offense punishable under this subparagraph; and

    (B) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than twenty years, or both, in the case of an offense under subsection (a)(1) of this section which occurs after a conviction for another offense under this section, or an attempt to commit an offense punishable under this subparagraph; and

    (2)

    (A) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, in the case of an offense under subsection (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(5)(C), or (a)(6) of this section which does not occur after a conviction for another offense under this section, or an attempt to commit an offense punishable under this subparagraph; and

    (B) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than 5 years, or both, in the case of an offense under subsection (a)(2), if--

    (i) the offense was committed for purposes of commercial advantage or private financial gain;

    (ii) the offense was committed in furtherance of any criminal or tortious act in violation of the Constitution or laws of the United States or of any State; or

    (iii) the value of the information obtained exceeds $5,000;

    (C) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than ten years, or both, in the case of an offense under subsection (a)(2), (a)(3) or (a)(6) of this section which occurs after a conviction for another offense under this section, or an attempt to commit an offense punishable under this subparagraph; and

    (3)

    (A) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than five years, or both, in the case of an offense under subsection (a)(4), (a)(5)(A), (a)(5)(B), or (a)(7) of this section which does not occur after a conviction for another offense under this section, or an attempt to commit an offense punishable under this subparagraph; and

    (B) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than ten years, or both, in the case of an offense under subsection (a)(4), (a)(5)(A), (a)(5)(B), (a)(5)(C), or (a)(7)of this section which occurs after a conviction for another offense under this section, or an attempt to commit an offense punishable under this subparagraph; and

    [former paragraph (4) stricken effective Oct. 11, 1996].

    (d) The United States Secret Service shall, in addition to any other agency having such authority, have the authority to investigate offenses under subsections (a)(2)(A), (a)(2)(B), (a)(3), (a)(4), (a)(5), and (a)(6) of this section. Such authority of the United States Secret Service shall be exercised in accordance with an agreement which shall be entered into by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Attorney General.

    (e) As used in this section--

    (1) the term "computer" means an electronic, magnetic, optical, electrochemical, or other high speed data processing device performing logical, arithmetic, or storage functions, and includes any data storage facility or communications facility directly related to or operating in conjunction with such device, but such term does not include an automated typewriter or typesetter, a portable hand held calculator, or other similar device;

    (2) the term "protected computer" means a computer--

    (A) exclusively for the use of a financial institution or the United States Government, or, in the case of a computer not exclusively for such use, used by or for a financial institution or the United States Government and the conduct constituting the offense affects that use by or for the financial institution or the Government; or

    (B) which is used in interstate or foreign commerce or communication;

    (3) the term "State" includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any other commonwealth, possession or territory of the United States;

    (4) the term "financial institution" means--

    (A) an institution with deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation;

    (B) the Federal Reserve or a member of the Federal Reserve including any Federal Reserve Bank;

    (C) a credit union with accounts insured by the National Credit Union Administration;

    (D) a member of the Federal home loan bank system and any home loan bank;

    (E) any institution of the Farm Credit System under the Farm Credit Act of 1971;

    (F) a broker-dealer registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to section 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934;

    (G) the Securities Investor Protection Corporation;

    (H) a branch or agency of a foreign bank (as such terms are defined in paragraphs (1) and (3) of section 1(b) of the International Banking Act of 1978); and

    (I) an organization operating under section 25 or section 25(a) of the Federal Reserve Act. (5) the term "financial record" means information derived from any record held by a financial institution pertaining to a customer's relationship with the financial institution;

    (6) the term "exceeds authorized access" means to access a computer with authorization and to use such access to obtain or alter information in the computer that the accesser is not entitled so to obtain or alter;

    (7) the term "department of the United States" means the legislative or judicial branch of the Government or one of the executive departments enumerated in section 101 of title 5; and

    (8) the term "damage" means any impairment to the integrity or availability of data, a program, a system, or information, that--

    (A) causes loss aggregating at least $5,000 in value during any 1-year period to one or more individuals;

    (B) modifies or impairs, or potentially modifies or impairs, the medical examination, diagnosis, treatment, or care of one or more individuals;

    (C) causes physical injury to any person; or

    (D) threatens public health or safety; and

    (9) the term "government entity" includes the Government of the United States, any State or political subdivision of the United States, any foreign country, and any state, province, municipality, or other political subdivision of a foreign country.

    (f) This section does not prohibit any lawfully authorized investigative, protective, or intelligence activity of a law enforcement agency of the United States, a State, or a political subdivision of a State, or of an intelligence agency of the United States.

    (g) Any person who suffers damage or loss by reason of a violation of the section, may maintain a civil action against the violator to obtain compensatory damages and injunctive relief or other equitable relief. Damages for violations involving damage as defined in subsection (e)(8)(A) are limited to economic damages. No action may be brought under this subsection unless such action is begun within 2 years of the date of the act complained of or the date of the discovery of the damage.

    (h) The Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury shall report to the Congress annually, during the first 3 years following the date of the enactment of this subsection, concerning investigations and prosecutions under section 1030(a)(5) of title 18, United States Code.


    27.7.2008 06:19 #5

  • Stu_dent

    You could have para phrased that 13th hour or linked us to it :P lol

    27.7.2008 06:41 #6

  • 7thsinger

    I think this further proves that the MPAA is scraping for some kind of case.

    Paying for public knowledge...that's classic.

    27.7.2008 07:46 #7

  • core2kid

    Everyone, Stop using TPD or start using PeerGuardian.

    27.7.2008 10:28 #8

  • garmoon

    We're to the point in the US that we have so many damn lawyers; ie., if each one doesn't have a huge case suing someone in process, he's going to starve. They don't care if they buy something that is public, they are spending "someone elses" money. And it will ultimately be your money in the long run. It's just business as usual.

    27.7.2008 11:01 #9

  • geestar20

    WoW! And I they thought pirates were killing the US market!?!

    27.7.2008 12:25 #10

  • lxfactor

    Originally posted by core2kid: Everyone, Stop using TPD or start using PeerGuardian.u mean TPB? lol..

    Mr Anderson.. u are going to hack tpb.. or we will take everything u love in the matrix. =D

    27.7.2008 13:48 #11

  • 13thHouR

    Originally posted by Stu_dent: You could have para phrased that 13th hour or linked us to it :P lol
    lol, its in black and white that america businesses are above the law, the law is just there to control the peasants as stealing, hacking, dos attacks, seizure of your property and belongings, wrongful prosecutions are fine for them to use as weapons but if we did it it would mean life imprisonment at the very least, or is it just the anarchist coming out in me :-p

    Why is tax evasion a more serious crime than murder or rape or paedophilia?

    Down with globalisation and capitalist scum bags, nationalism is the way forward lets spread the wealth instead of letting the top 6% sit on their backsides while we are still treated as glorified slaves.

    YOU ARE FREE TO DO AS WE SAY!






    27.7.2008 15:44 #12

  • KYBoy

    ummmmmm is the pirate bay shut down? Because I can't get in...
    Anyone else having trouble?

    27.7.2008 22:30 #13

  • 7thsinger

    Originally posted by KYBoy: ummmmmm is the pirate bay shut down? Because I can't get in...
    Anyone else having trouble?
    Last time i looked, there were a couple of posts about this in the P2P forum. Check there.

    Quote:Mr Anderson.. u are going to hack tpb.. or we will take everything u love in the matrix. =D Nice lxfactor. Lol.

    27.7.2008 23:04 #14

  • DVDBack23

    Originally posted by KYBoy: ummmmmm is the pirate bay shut down? Because I can't get in...
    Anyone else having trouble?
    The admins have said they are doing regularly scheduled maintenance and it should be back up soon.

    27.7.2008 23:36 #15

  • DoomLight

    the MPAA should worry about what happens in america. jeesh. as far as i know isn't the pirate bay hosted in another country?

    27.7.2008 23:53 #16

  • ZippyDSM

    http://www.ziopedia.org/images/new_sheeple_dees.jpg
    that is a godly pic ^^

    but is not hacking illegal in most of the world?

    28.7.2008 00:56 #17

  • ZippyDSM

    zomg! DP!

    28.7.2008 01:00 #18

  • varnull

    Depends what kind of hacking... the stealing of private data IS, and they should be punished to the full extent allowed by international law...

    remember.. one persons terrorist is another persons freedom fighter.

    Having fun with the lag again Zipp?



    Free open source software = made by end users who want an application to work. OOps.. Im sorry... thats a rectal thermometer 0.0

    28.7.2008 01:03 #19

  • ZippyDSM

    Originally posted by varnull: Depends what kind of hacking... the stealing of private data IS, and they should be punished to the full extent allowed by international law...

    remember.. one persons terrorist is another persons freedom fighter.

    Having fun with the lag again Zipp?

    mew pitiful 60$ a month 1.5 DSL is laggy when I runz mew tor..er.n..er...porn..ya...porn...er...wait...i dun like porn much 0-o

    For all the console/game fanboys out their.
    http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles...Console-Rundown
    Oh god I can't stop laughing!!!
    ---
    And for the format nazi's I bring you HHD DVVD BVD's!!

    28.7.2008 01:05 #20

  • windsong

    Quote: nationalism is the way forward lets spread the wealth instead of letting the top 6% sit on their backsides while we are still treated as glorified slaves.Oh I agree that corporate fat cats should be reigned in and monopolies broken up, but Nationalism in the context that youre putting it is unworkable. China tried it as well as Russia..and look at those countries now. Slave labor, backbreaking hours, and freedom of religion and the press? Forget it...jack booted thugs kick down your door if you so much as fart in the general direction of the chinese leaders.

    28.7.2008 03:21 #21

  • susieqbbb

    Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha i find this funny don't the riaa and mpaa know that piratebay is now mostly trackers and tracers now thanks to them if we where going to use them which there are several people that dont realize that internet service providers and even comcast are watching and looking for these torrents not the files associated with them but the files and ip adresses where they are being transfered to i stoped completely from using there torrents after i got threatened from comcast to stop using there torrents or they will sue the ever loving heck out of me i wrote back amd told them to take there threat and stick it.

    and never heard back.

    28.7.2008 03:49 #22

  • venomX05

    LOL! Yeah they are trying to act all covert and $hit,...man, that just made me laugh, great start to a monday.

    28.7.2008 07:45 #23

  • core2kid

    Originally posted by susieqbbb: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha i find this funny don't the riaa and mpaa know that piratebay is now mostly trackers and tracers now thanks to them if we where going to use them which there are several people that dont realize that internet service providers and even comcast are watching and looking for these torrents not the files associated with them but the files and ip adresses where they are being transfered to i stoped completely from using there torrents after i got threatened from comcast to stop using there torrents or they will sue the ever loving heck out of me i wrote back amd told them to take there threat and stick it.

    and never heard back.

    LOL! If these companies have a goal to eliminate piracy, well I hope they know that that'll never happen.

    28.7.2008 09:54 #24

  • Mez

    core2kid, as the article suggests they are not the sharpest ax in the shed.

    29.7.2008 07:28 #25

  • core2kid

    Originally posted by Mez: core2kid, as the article suggests they are not the sharpest ax in the shed.
    Lol. Their the "brooms" in the shed?

    29.7.2008 10:26 #26

  • pmshah

    Just my 2 bits worth.....

    Hacking - just like murder is illegal.
    Anyone hired for the purpose is a felon - so also the person/s who hire.
    In case of the entity doing the hiring is a corporation the responsibility is of the CEO of the corporation.
    CEOs in corporate US hardly ever even get tried in a court - let alone go to jail.
    This and similar fora are for letting off steam so no one boils over and takes drastic action.
    Case closed.

    30.7.2008 01:48 #27

  • xaznboitx

    Um hacking is against the law stupid hacker.

    30.7.2008 04:07 #28

  • xaznboitx

    I use a website allow me to download movies which doesn't use torrent. lol

    30.7.2008 04:09 #29

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