Hi folks,

I've just had one of our customers site tampered with and after several hours of searching, we ended up tracing it to their webmaster who they fired.

The webmaster also has a hosting account with us and I'm wondering to whom if any we can report this guy too (ie local police, fbi, etc.)?

We've suspended his account but I still would like to see about any other actions I can take.

Thanks,

SW

IFCC / FBI

http://www.ifccfbi.gov/cf1.asp

(seems down at the moment, maybe I should contact FBI and promise them better uptime LOL)

Chalk it up as a learning experience and move on. You (and your customer) might be angry now, but unless it cost someone a ton of money, it's not going anywhere.

This is not a Technical Issue, Best under Running a Web Hosting Forum. Moved.

I agree with jpetersen

Honestly? Report him to his ISP and send all of the relevant logs and so fourth... but I highly doubt you will get anywhere.

As for getting law enforcement involved... don't waste your time and their time. :)

Actually, if the party changed data without authorization, it was destruction of property, so yes it should be reported to law enforcement... the local department to the business whose site was tampered with. Most departments have a cybercrimes division now. This is not a waste of their time or money, it's what they're there for. This is a crime just like any other.

It will be up to the investigating officer to determine whether charges should be filed.

It's not always about monetary damages. Criminal cases are different. This fellow might have a history that none of you know about. ;) Or this might be the start of a history that 2 years down the road, some other unsuspecting client will be glad was reported!!!

:D Bailey <== former officer

Unless they did significant monetary damage the FBI doesn't care, well they care but it likely won't go anywhere. They have substantially more important things to spend their time and money on. I would much rather the FBI investigate scams and child pornography than some low grade tamper job (Assuming that's what the OP is referring to, if not I apologize).

I believe it was 3 1/2 years ago I ended up sealing a hard drive and sending it to the FBI crime center for something important. If you really have to deal with the FBI it's a real headache but that's their job and I can't fault them for it.

Local Law Enforcement might actually do something.

I recommend reporting this. The worst thing they can do is tell you they're too busy to handle it, but by not reporting it, you can legally be considered a knowing accomplice if he were to commit this crime somewhere else. Granted, folks would have to come out that you knew, but if they did, it would not be pretty.

Unless your company's servers were hacked, you should not even do more than offer to change the customer's password or move them onto another one of your servers.

Let the customer handle their business and you, your own.

*nods* It would be up to the business (the hosting client) to report the matter to their local law enforcement (city police or county sheriff). They should give the police your (the hosting company's) contact information. Then when they contact you, you can forward them the applicable logs.

It's really not up to the hosting company to report, I don't think... unless the webmaster brute-forced his way in or used some other cracking technology to break into the site illegitimately. If the business simply didn't change their password, well, it's up to them to file the report & follow up with their local law enforcement.

:D Bailey

The client should report it to the local authorities. They may or may not do anything, but that should be their choice. He did break the law.