AfterDawn: News

Cable modem hacker faces up to 40 years in prison

Matthew Delorey of Massachusetts has been arrested this week, accused of selling hacked Comcast cable modems that would allow buyers to have free Internet access.

Delorey has also been charged with one count of conspiracy and one count of wire fraud, each of which has a maximum sentence of 20 years and a fine of $250,000 USD.



The alleged hacker sold the modems via Massmodz.com, which has since been taken down. The modems were modified to have the MAC addresses spoofed, technically stealing Internet access from paying customers.

Delorey was caught when FBI agents purchased two of the modems. The hacker also posted videos on YouTube
titled "Massmodz.com How to Get Free Internet Free Cable Internet Comcast or any Cable ISP - 100% works" and "Massmodz.com How to bypass Comcast registration page with premod cable modem SB5100, SB 5101."

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 31 Jan 2010 17:28

• Previous article

• Details leaked on upcoming MyTouch Android sequel

• Next article

• GTA IV DLC finally headed to PS3, PC

• 31 comments

• prutsos

  wow im actually impressed you just dont see that kind of dedication anymore.

  31.1.2010 18:08 #1

• snardos

  Now that they caught this guy, many more people now know this is possible. I didn't know about this until now. If I had heard about this before I would have assumed it was fake.

  31.1.2010 19:09 #2

• llongtheD

  Murderers and rapists sometimes don't get 40 year sentences, lets let the punishment fit the crime huh? I realize that is the maximum he could be sentenced to, but 40 years would be ridiculous. As if we didn't know already, corporate money has completely corrupted our judicial system. With laws like this in place, you can see why the corporate run prison system in the U.S. is thriving. More people per capita are imprisoned in the U.S. than anywhere else on the planet. Land of the Free?
  

  If your fish seems sick, put it back in the water.

  31.1.2010 19:25 #3

• Run4two

  It makes you wonder, is the goal to just punish or rehabilitate and help change? I would think maximum 10 years, 5 for good behavior for a hard case with a criminal record. For a newbie who just screwed up, 1 year, 6 months with good behavior. Not only is it not fair for the criminal, but tax paying society should not be paying for this crap! My numbers are just thrown out of my butt since I know very little about the person and his past.

  31.1.2010 20:02 #4

• georgeluv

  the practice of modding modems to have switchable macs is quite common, like the article says it gives you free internet. all you have to do is get a mac key from another modem on the same ISP in a different subnet than you, you just snap a pic of every modems mac key you come across, they are printed on the freaking outside of them.

  31.1.2010 20:03 #5

• beanos66

  Originally posted by llongtheD: Murderers and rapists sometimes don't get 40 year sentences...
  
  ...Land of the Free?murderers and rapists don't take money out of the pocket of rich white guys
  
  land of the free? all the land is bought and paid for, along with "our" politicians

  31.1.2010 20:05 #6

• bigfamei

  Yeah, we have the best congress money can buy. Don't get me wrong he broke a law and deserves to be punished. But the amount of money it would cost to incarcerate him for 20 years is way way way more than the hacked cable modems. Especially for 2 charges. Make him pay restitution to comcast and some other small stuff and let him go.

  31.1.2010 20:24 #7

• fgamer

  Damn, I'd love to have free internet access. How the hell do people figure this stuff out. I wonder if he was a former Comcast employee or some type of cable company employee..but I'm sure that would've been in the article if that was the case.

  31.1.2010 20:37 #8

• Mysttic

  Hacked modems have been around for quite some time; but the smart people don't advertise it, let alone sell it. IMO, this guy deserves to get caught, if only for not just selling it, but marketing it on youtube and having a dedicated website where you can buy it.
  
  For all those people out there wanting to look into it; whatever you do, don't buy a hacked modem, learn about how to hack one yourself so you have a lesser chance of getting caught. Stay away from internet sites that also sell these, as I am damn sure the authorities have now found a reason to research more sites like massmodz.
  
  PS. And for your own sake, if you ever figure it out or find a way to get a hacked modem; don't tell anyone, not even your best friend. You never know who to trust these days.

  31.1.2010 21:08 #9

• juventini

  No one from Wall Street goes to jail, but this guy gets 20 years? What the HELL is wrong with our justice system.

  31.1.2010 23:48 #10

• cyprusrom

  His sentence is high because he's also being punished for stupidity...
  Obviously what he was doing was illegal, did he really think no one was gonna bother to try and stop him??? Or that no one was gonna notice the titles in bold "Get Free Internet Free Cable Internet Comcast or any Cable ISP"?
  Maybe he though Comcast or some other ISP was gonna send him a birthday card or something, to congratulate him...
  When you steal something, keep it on the low, don't flash it in everybody's eyes.
  It's all about common sense and courtesy...Like if you drop a baby out of a window, try not hit anybody, and if you do, don't laugh at them for getting hurt...
  

  
  Piss me off, and I Will ignore You!

  1.2.2010 00:30 #11

• jony218

  Bernie Madoff will be out before he is. When you rob poor people you get less punishment, when you rob the rich companies they throw the book at you.
  I just hope he gets a good "public defender" to try and get him no more than 35 years.

  1.2.2010 00:46 #12

• ZippyDSM

  The punishment should fit the crime...... he "misplaced" some profit for the big boys and walked over acouple IPs, parole him and garnish 30% of his wages/income for 5 years.
  
  Bernie Madoff? A bullet will suffice, next!

  1.2.2010 01:22 #13

• thor999

  I don't know, a lot of people on the net have been screaming for severe justice against ip spoofers forever now, but a 40 yr sentence for this crime, hell, even 2 yrs, would seem ludicrous. Hope he saved some money for a good attorney!

  1.2.2010 01:36 #14

• xboxdvl2

  they should be charging him with theft that way he'd get a lesser sentence.
  

  PS2 with 12 games.

  1.2.2010 04:25 #15

• av_verbal

  Originally posted by juventini: No one from Wall Street goes to jail, but this guy gets 20 years? What the HELL is wrong with our justice system.the law only applies to us not them. we are subservient, slaves, serfs. This is why you get a larger sentence for tax evasion or stealing from a company that someone would for raping another slave.

  1.2.2010 05:00 #16

• borhan9

  I was feeling for this guy till the article said he posted it on youtube.
  lol what a dumbass :P

  1.2.2010 05:00 #17

• plazma247

  Apparently he wasnt just selling naught cable modems :
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnjF4EOWX8c
  
  hahah.
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTdcSQXw3Nk
  
  And it appears that he had his massmoddz account locked on youtube prior to getting busted.... maybe thats how the feds found him.
  
  It also appears his wiimodds account is locked and all his posts have gone there as well.
  
  And hehe, lucky for you guys youtubes wasnt even the only place the dumbass posted to, see:
  
  http://www.metacafe.com/watch/3554280/ma...od_cable_modem/
  
  Hahaha its not as if people didnt work out how to alter the docis early on and locally tftp boot their modems duurh.
  
  And its not like you have to look very hard to find other people selling them :
  
  http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=...-All-Categories

  1.2.2010 06:10 #18

• cyprusrom

  Originally posted by plazma247: ....
  
  http://www.metacafe.com/watch/3554280/ma...od_cable_modem/
  
  Hahaha its not as if people didnt work out how to alter the docis early on and locally tftp boot their modems duurh.
  
  And its not like you have to look very hard to find other people selling them :
  
  " target="_blank">http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=...egories
  That sucker was removed pretty fast from MetaCafe...
  
  As for the guys selling on eBay, even if those modems enable you to do the same thing, at least they're selling them "the smart way", not not going around and printing everywhere how to "steal cable internet"...blah,blah.
  
  

  
  Piss me off, and I Will ignore You!

  1.2.2010 08:45 #19

• Thetom

  How can anyone justify a max sentence of forty years for hacking anything,kill someone in cold blood and you wouldnt get that,seems to me that corporate greed rules the justice system.

  1.2.2010 09:13 #20

• duke8888

  He will not get the full 40 years but that is what can be given under the federal guidelaws he will only get 18 months to 3 years top with 5 years of supervised release.

  1.2.2010 09:44 #21

• pspweazl

  Understand what he did was "wrong" but doesn't it seem that Comcast and all the other folks out there (such as the movie and music industries) are spending ALOT of money to catch these guys instead of just lowering the price of their products to a reasonable amount? And what about our wndeful government and law enforcement agencies? How much are they spending to catch these kind of folks? Now if this guy gets the MAX sentence (highly unlikely if he pleads out) we as tax payers get to spend 80,000 a year to keep him locked up. Seems like we should be putting that money to use controlling these huge money hungry corporations............sorry I know off on a tangent! My bad. Sorry ya got busted man.

  1.2.2010 10:54 #22

• cyprusrom

  Originally posted by pspweazl: Understand what he did was "wrong" but doesn't it seem that Comcast and all the other folks out there (such as the movie and music industries) are spending ALOT of money to catch these guys instead of just lowering the price of their products to a reasonable amount? And what about our wndeful government and law enforcement agencies? How much are they spending to catch these kind of folks? Now if this guy gets the MAX sentence (highly unlikely if he pleads out) we as tax payers get to spend 80,000 a year to keep him locked up. Seems like we should be putting that money to use controlling these huge money hungry corporations............sorry I know off on a tangent! My bad. Sorry ya got busted man.
  Firstly, most likely he is not going to get max sentence, that would be ludicrous;
  Secondly, I don't think anyone spent any money "trying to catch" this guy...he was plain stupid(maybe because of greed, maybe vanity was the reason...).
  I cannot feel sorry for him, he was an idiot advertising his law breaking everywhere.

  1.2.2010 11:00 #23

• DVDBack23

  He will not get longer than 18 months.

  1.2.2010 11:52 #24

• DVDdoug

  Quote:Bernie Madoff will be out before he is. Yes... He'll be "out"... In a cemetery! :)

  1.2.2010 15:37 #25

• Mez

  Sounds like a great deal! You don't even need to be in the same neighborhood to tap off someone.
  
  I think go along with cyprusrom. I guy was too greedy and too stupid.

  5.2.2010 12:03 #26

• pmshah

  Originally posted by llongtheD: Murderers and rapists sometimes don't get 40 year sentences, lets let the punishment fit the crime huh? I realize that is the maximum he could be sentenced to, but 40 years would be ridiculous. As if we didn't know already, corporate money has completely corrupted our judicial system. With laws like this in place, you can see why the corporate run prison system in the U.S. is thriving. More people per capita are imprisoned in the U.S. than anywhere else on the planet. Land of the Free?You must be joking! This is exactly how free enterprise works. These corporates don't want hard core criminals in the prisons managed by them, costs too much! They want more of the white collar types or the NON VIOLENT ones!

  6.2.2010 07:42 #27

• pudly1

  Rich white guys?
  Yeah, white guys are blamed for everything.
  When in actuality, it is white men who have given us our greatest inventions.
  We wouldn't even be on these computers if it wasn't for a white guy
  Quote:Originally posted by llongtheD: Murderers and rapists sometimes don't get 40 year sentences...
  
  ...Land of the Free?murderers and rapists don't take money out of the pocket of rich white guys
  
  land of the free? all the land is bought and paid for, along with "our" politicians

  6.2.2010 17:12 #28

• llongtheD

  Originally posted by pudly1: Rich white guys?
  Yeah, white guys are blamed for everything.
  When in actuality, it is white men who have given us our greatest inventions.
  We wouldn't even be on these computers if it wasn't for a white guy
  Quote:Originally posted by llongtheD: Murderers and rapists sometimes don't get 40 year sentences...
  
  ...Land of the Free?murderers and rapists don't take money out of the pocket of rich white guys
  
  land of the free? all the land is bought and paid for, along with "our" politiciansUhh, I didn't say anything about rich white guys in my original post. Someone quoted my post, and took it out of context. Go back and read the original.
  

  If your fish seems sick, put it back in the water.

  7.2.2010 01:54 #29

• DADEO1

  Maybe they should hire him. Working for them should be some kind of punishment in its self but at least he'd be contributing to something.

  8.2.2010 09:10 #30

• Mez

  pmshah, yes exactly down to the detail where the entrenched bastards screw over the ones trying to climb up.

  9.2.2010 07:57 #31