Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/1999/12/17/hacker_thwarted_in_newspaper_plot/

Hacker thwarted in newspaper plot

Express snitches after threat to scupper rivals

By Linda Harrison

Posted in On-Prem, 17th December 1999 11:48 GMT

The Express newspaper foiled a hacker's plot to bring down its arch-rival's computer system yesterday. The man phoned the paper and offered to stop production of fellow tabloids the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday for £600,000 on 7 January. In true Good Samaritan mode, The Express alerted police, who arrested the 55-year-old suspect from Worthing, East Sussex. He was being questioned under the Computer Misuse Act, The Express said. ® Related stories: MS failed to spot Hotmail hack threat Saucy hacker whips Feds' Web into shape I did it to show off, says hacker Register hacked but not cracked