Blaster.F writer charged

[netsat]

A 24-year-old Romanian man, accused of unleashing the Internet worm called "Blaster.F," has been charged with cybercrime offences carrying up to 15 years in prison, police said on Wednesday, Reuters reports.

Police said Dan Dumitru Ciobanu had admitted spreading the virus, a low-grade variant of the highly damaging Blaster worm, but had told investigators it was an accident. "Ciobanu initially denied he modified the virus, but later he admitted he modified the virus by switching the names of the folders...and also changed the original message into the Romanian language," a police statement said.

Romania's tough new cybercrime law, which covers online fraud, hacking and virus-writing, carries a sentence of three to 15 years, more than twice the maximum sentence for rape.

Ciobanu is not in custody and no date has been set for his trial. Anti-virus experts said Blaster.F had done little damage.

American teenager Jeffrey Lee Parson was arrested last month on charges he created and distributed another toned-down Blaster variant, known as Blaster.B. He faces imprisonment of 10 years and a $250,000 fine if convicted.

The mastermind behind the original Blaster worm remains at large.