We have investigated over a dozen incidents of possible user abuse of our systems in the past couple years. This is the first time I seen someone arrested based on our investigation. This is especially true because saying definitively what someone did is so shaky. I would be surprised for it to hold up in court. Thankfully I didn’t investigate this one. Maybe this is why the bigwigs were coming around yesterday afternoon asking about the incident?

It does point to the need for the faculty to protect themselves from identity theft from their students.

Student hacker at Ga. Highlands College arrested
Police say he sought to steal passwords and change his grades

By CHRIS MEGERIAN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 07/25/08

Police are saying a Georgia college student took the pursuit of good grades a step too far.

Christopher Fowler, 19, was arrested Thursday for hacking into Georgia Highlands College’s computer system to alter his grades and steal passwords from other users.

He was charged with computer trespassing and unlawful eavesdropping. Officials say more charges are possible, related to identity theft.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called onto the case after the Kennesaw State University Police Department began to suspect that Fowler had gained entry to the Highland College’s computer system using the identity of a math professor.

Four computers were confiscated at Fowler’s home in Cartersville, and he was sent to Bartow County Jail.

GBI spokesperson John Bankhead said Fowler had access to the private information of those connected to the college’s computer network, but it’s unclear what, if anything, Fowler did with the data.

Student hacker at Ga. Highlands College arrested | ajc.com