Fergie's Tech Blog

New Zealand: Otago University in Hacker Probe

David Williams writes on Stuff.co.nz:

A hacker has sparked an email scandal at the University of Otago, breaking into its computer system and sending out hundreds of private messages allegedly written by a department head.

The university, which has kept the issue out of the public arena since it happened last month, has reported the matter to police.

The university's pro-vice-chancellor of sciences, Professor Vernon Squire, said in a March 8 message he sent to all the recipients that the emails were an attempt to discredit the dean of Otago's School of Surveying, Professor Brent Hall, and that a further stream of emails was threatened.

When contacted by The Press last night, Hall said: "I have no comment to make on that."

On March 6, dozens of emails were sent to all University of Otago staff, other university addresses and further afield, copying what hackers claimed were private emails exchanged by Hall and dated between September and mid-February.

posted by Fergie @ 4/15/2008 07:15:00 PM