After pointing out a hole in the security of a USC database, a computer expert finds himself on the short end of the legal stick.
McCarty allegedly dug into the USC database and retrieved seven personal files, which he then anonymously passed along to SecurityFocus.com. That site contacted the university, which shut down the server for a few days until the problem could be addressed. SecurityFocus.com wrote an article on the matter, and the case was closed until USC personnel went through the server logs. The intruder hadn't really made an effort to cover up his activities, so it wasn't long before the school contacted the FBI, which questioned McCarty, then arrested him.
Originally by Ars Technica, 1:53 PM