What did he do?
1999 – AMA Computer College Makati student Onel de Guzman submitted a thesis proposal for the creation of a computer program that will hack into computer systems and extract vital information, particularly Internet Service accounts. The thesis title is Email Password Sender Trojan.
What did the College do?
The proposal was unanimously rejected by the College of Computer Studies’ academic board saying they do not disregard theft. De Guzman was scheduled to complete his studies in 2000 and an academic subject called “Thesis A” was one of his final requirements before graduation.
What did he do next?
2000 – After commencement day on May 3, an e-mail trojan called “ILOVEYOU” spread internationally and caused delays in several online transactions. The ILOVEYOU virus unleashed a flood of e-mail that hit at least 45 million users in at least 20 countries according to one estimate.
What was the effect?
In a single day, the worm inflicted $5.5 billion in damages, corrupting files, and shutting down computer systems at major corporations, newsrooms, Wall Street firms and government offices across the world, including the Pentagon and the CIA.
What did the Authorities do?
- Internet service providers traced the program to a telephone line in Mr. de Guzman’s apartment. Mr. de Guzman has said he may have released the program by accident, but he has refused to say whether he created it.
- Investigators had pinpointed a computer at his apartment as the source of the bug. They seized a telephone, wiring and computer magazines, but no computer.
- The NBI charged De Guzman for violation of Republic Act 8484 or the Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998.
- Since there were no laws in the Philippines against writing malware at that time, both Ramores(his apartment-mate) and de Guzman were released with all charges dropped by state prosecutors.
- To address this legislative deficiency, the Philippine Congress enacted Republic Act No. 8792, otherwise known as the E-Commerce Law, in July 2000, just two months after the worm outbreak signed by the former President Estrada.
Trivia
- Onel de Guzman is a gray-hat hacker J
- In 2002, the ILOVEYOU virus obtained a Guinness world record for being the most virulent and fastest-spreading computer virus then until the release of Mydoom in 2004.
- AMA expelled de Guzman from AMA Makati and considered him a “drop out” for life.
- The ILOVEYOU worm virus have different variants which ranges from A to Z and more.
- There was a movie SUBJECT: ILOVEYOU
Where is he now?
- Rumors say that he owns a cellphone stall in a certain mall in Pasay City, Philippines.
- Rumors also say that he works for Microsoft.
