DA: Chico State personal computer hacker sentenced | News

BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. – A 22-yr-outdated Chico person was sentenced to probation, fines and community support immediately after admitting to illegally hacking a number of desktops at Chico Condition.

Alejandro Benitez appeared in Butte County Outstanding Court on Thursday wherever he entered a plea of no contest to the crime of unauthorized laptop or computer obtain.

Butte County Outstanding Courtroom Commissioner Kurt Worley sentenced Benitez to a few yrs of probation and fines of $370.

Butte County District Legal professional Mike Ramsey explained the unlawful “hacking” led to a record of College college students who experienced used for COVID-19 vaccine exemptions currently being posted on the internet.

The checklist provided requests from about 130 students – 18 of the entries experienced students’ particular determining details. 

Relevant: Chico Condition details breach leaks names of students requesting exemptions from vaccine  

An investigation by College Police of the posted spreadsheet was traced back to Benitez, a latest Chico Condition graduate who labored in the Information and facts Technological innovation Aid Providers Workplace (ITSS), according to Ramsey.

University Police also explained it was identified that a Chico State professor experienced notified the media of the on the internet posts. Ramsey explained the professor also explained to police about the posts.

Similar: Chico State provides assertion about COVID-19 vaccination data breach

According to Ramsey, the professor “alerted his union and the media with the hope any probable civil legal rights and privacy violations would be investigated.”

The professor does not deal with expenses. Ramsey explained the professor’s steps have been not criminal as the legal conduct, in this scenario, was unlawfully accessing the University’s personal computers.

By illegally accessing and downloading files during his work from at minimum two computer systems assigned to Chico State administrators, Benitez was capable to get the private exemptions listing.

According to Ramsey, Benitez tried using to redact students’ particular facts but failed to get rid of information located in other columns of the spreadsheet.

Ramsey said the phrases of Benitez’s probation contain 80 several hours of community provider and a prohibition from accepting employment wherever he could have obtain to a computer unless of course authorized by the courtroom.

Commissioner Worley claimed Benitez will be necessary to serve a minimal of 180 days in Butte County Jail for any probation violations.