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CNN Live At Daybreak

Russian Programmer Arrested for Violating Copyright Laws

Aired July 19, 2001 - 08:40   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, no fun and games at a hackers convention. Yes, they have these things. In a hackers convention in Las Vegas, FBI officers actually moved in this week, arrested a programmer on charges of violating copyright laws. And CNN's science correspondent Ann Kellan is here to tell us a little bit more about this.

I mean what happened?

ANNE KELLAN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, basically, he was invited by is Def Con. Def Con is the hackers convention -- Dmitry Sklyarov. And basically, what he did was he told people how to go into Adobe and basically break the code, to copy e-books. And according to Japan press, that's legal to do in Russia if you are the -- if you buy an e- book. And actually, you should be able to be allowed to copy or get a backup copy. So, in Russia, it's something that is legal. In the United States, there's a new -- 1998 act that says it's not legal.

MCEDWARDS: So the FBI shows up...

KELLAN: Yes.

MCEDWARDS: ...arrests this guy...

KELLAN: Right.

MCEDWARDS: What's that about?

KELLAN: Well, I think the hackers at Def Con is -- we were just seeing pictures of him, but the Def Con convention is a place where people come and they talk. And you find people in T-shirts, you find in all walks of life and hackers are good and bad. And this is a place where hackers can meet, both good and bad, and trade secrets in a way. So...

MCEDWARDS: The FBI is normally there thought.

KELLAN: Of course, they're there.

MCEDWARDS: I mean they're there kind of watching out.

KELLAN: Right, absolutely.

MCEDWARDS: So was it any big surprise that somebody finally got nabbed?

KELLAN: Well, I think it is a surprise because for one thing, he was invited in to talk about this at the conference. And so I think there's a raised eyebrow about that. But also, it -- I'm sure that the people who are going under cover probably didn't want to use this forum to make an arrest. They like to keep it open. They like to hear the secrets because they're going to get the secrets from the bad guys.

(CROSSTALK)

MCEDWARDS: I was going to say, they get the information.

KELLAN: Exactly. And so, this is probably not what they would have thought as an ideal situation.

MCEDWARDS: And is -- I guess it's probably not clear yet whether this alleged hacker was doing this in good faith, thinking that -- as he could in other countries, he could go ahead and do this or whether he was actually trying to cause trouble?

KELLAN: Right, we don't know that. We have no idea. He does know the code. And I'm sure if your Adobe and you want to protect the code and that's something that's, you know, private and he invaded their privacy. If you look at it from their side, he has violated the law in this country.

MCEDWARDS: I wonder if it will change the way the hackers hold their conventions.

KELLAN: You know it's going to be interesting whether -- but as they've always said, if you really are doing something bad, you're not going to tell the secrets anyway.

MCEDWARDS: Right.

KELLAN: But it's that gray area where they have been able to exchange ideas. And so, it will be interesting to hear, from the hackers, whether they will feel as open in the upcoming Def Con conventions.

MCEDWARDS: All right, thanks so a lot. Great story, Ann Kellan, appreciate it.

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