Framed for child porn by a PC virus - interesting article

Zardon · Nov 9, 2009, 01:11 AM

I read this tonight and found it interesting. Anyone run their PC without any protection at all and no hardware firewall?

One case involved Michael Fiola, a former investigator with the Massachusetts agency that oversees workers' compensation.

In 2007, Fiola's bosses became suspicious after the Internet bill for his state-issued laptop showed that he used 4 1/2 times more data than his colleagues. A technician found child porn in the PC folder that stores images viewed online.

Fiola was fired and charged with possession of child pornography, which carries up to five years in prison. He endured death threats, his car tires were slashed and he was shunned by friends.

Fiola and his wife fought the case, spending $250,000 on legal fees. They liquidated their savings, took a second mortgage and sold their car.

An inspection for his defense revealed the laptop was severely infected. It was programmed to visit as many as 40 child porn sites per minute — an inhuman feat. While Fiola and his wife were out to dinner one night, someone logged on to the computer and porn flowed in for an hour and a half.

Prosecutors performed another test and confirmed the defense findings. The charge was dropped — 11 months after it was filed.

**dj_stick** · Nov 9, 2009, 01:20 AM

wow... that'd be a year of hell for that guy...

Tyrsonswood · Nov 9, 2009, 01:32 AM

Yeah, I read that earlier today. Disturbing to say the least......

SeraphicSorcerer · Nov 9, 2009, 01:49 AM

Now he can sue for wrongful termination, defamation and make a nice mint.

His reputation is not repairable. I hope he sues the pants off them, I hate people who make assumptions. AT LEASt his wife stuck by him. Good for her.

BlueMak · Nov 9, 2009, 02:22 AM

Seriously, that sounds like the best wife.

BiGBrOwNPimpsta · Nov 9, 2009, 07:00 AM

CP is the scum of the world, this is the only thing i want censored fully.

Cow_160483 · Nov 9, 2009, 07:31 AM

Talk about getting the short end of the stick , that is one of the reasons i periodically scan my PC for malware and other nasty bugs and keep my anti virus updated.

comp_ali · Nov 9, 2009, 10:04 AM

That sucks indeed. your life ruined by something you've never done. hope he recovers soon.

**Mousey** · Nov 9, 2009, 05:18 PM

O_o *Installs AVG, Threatfire, Spybot, Anything lying around*

IvanV · Nov 9, 2009, 05:33 PM

Good thing that he was able to endure for eleven months. Also, I agree, he really picked well when he married that woman. I suppose that he's a good guy too if she stuck buy him through all that. Good for them both.

And it does make you think how much easier it is to get framed then it used to be. It's a lot easier to get pictures or any sort of "evidence" into someone's computer then corresponding physical object's into one's home, yet what's found in one's personal computer seems like undeniable proof of what he did at first.

Falstaff · Nov 10, 2009, 01:14 PM

there is considerably more to this story than made it to print.
Our laptops are refreshed and re-imaged frequently and we notify the user if he or she has an infected computer. We also gather information frequently about VPN use, etc.
I assume this fellow was using a VPN, surely someone would have alerted him.
I smell a fish.

**Mousey** · Nov 10, 2009, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falstaff

there is considerably more to this story than made it to print.
Our laptops are refreshed and re-imaged frequently and we notify the user if he or she has an infected computer. We also gather information frequently about VPN use, etc.
I assume this fellow was using a VPN, surely someone would have alerted him.
I smell a fish.

My dad's work laptop boots you out of the database he uses with customer's details on and disconnects from the net if it's inactive for x amount of time, mostly as a privacy thing but i can imagine a lot of it's security as well

Nov 9, 2009, 01:11 AM	#1
Zardon DriverHeaven Founder Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 32,480 Rep Power: 179	Framed for child porn by a PC virus - interesting article I read this tonight and found it interesting. Anyone run their PC without any protection at all and no hardware firewall? One case involved Michael Fiola, a former investigator with the Massachusetts agency that oversees workers' compensation. In 2007, Fiola's bosses became suspicious after the Internet bill for his state-issued laptop showed that he used 4 1/2 times more data than his colleagues. A technician found child porn in the PC folder that stores images viewed online. Fiola was fired and charged with possession of child pornography, which carries up to five years in prison. He endured death threats, his car tires were slashed and he was shunned by friends. Fiola and his wife fought the case, spending $250,000 on legal fees. They liquidated their savings, took a second mortgage and sold their car. An inspection for his defense revealed the laptop was severely infected. It was programmed to visit as many as 40 child porn sites per minute — an inhuman feat. While Fiola and his wife were out to dinner one night, someone logged on to the computer and porn flowed in for an hour and a half. Prosecutors performed another test and confirmed the defense findings. The charge was dropped — 11 months after it was filed.

Nov 9, 2009, 01:49 AM	#4
SeraphicSorcerer HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 2,295 Rep Power: 156 System Specs	Re: Framed for child porn by a PC virus - interesting article Now he can sue for wrongful termination, defamation and make a nice mint. His reputation is not repairable. I hope he sues the pants off them, I hate people who make assumptions. AT LEASt his wife stuck by him. Good for her. __________________

Nov 9, 2009, 02:22 AM	#5
BlueMak HH's Asteroids' Dominator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hellas->Macedonia->Thessaloniki Posts: 13,471 Rep Power: 349 System Specs	Re: Framed for child porn by a PC virus - interesting article Seriously, that sounds like the best wife. __________________ The people who are regarded as moral luminaries are those who forego ordinary pleasures themselves and find compensation in interfering with the pleasures of others(Bertrand Russell)"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil,You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." - Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm *Sic semper tyrannis.*

Nov 9, 2009, 07:00 AM	#6
BiGBrOwNPimpsta HH's #1 Hustla and Pimp Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: The Dirty Dot Posts: 7,717 Rep Power: 107 System Specs	Re: Framed for child porn by a PC virus - interesting article CP is the scum of the world, this is the only thing i want censored fully. __________________ Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Music \| Logitech Z-5500 THX 5.1 Surround Sound Speakers \| 2 Lite-On 20x S-ATA Burners \| Logitech G700 Mouse \| Logitech MX5500 Bluetooth Keyboard

Nov 9, 2009, 07:31 AM	#7
Cow_160483 HH's only cow moooooo... Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: BOTSWANA Posts: 6,821 Rep Power: 300 System Specs	Re: Framed for child porn by a PC virus - interesting article Talk about getting the short end of the stick , that is one of the reasons i periodically scan my PC for malware and other nasty bugs and keep my anti virus updated. __________________ Decode! Muhahahahah!

Nov 9, 2009, 10:04 AM	#8
comp_ali Sniper Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Egypt Posts: 10,469 Rep Power: 339 System Specs	Re: Framed for child porn by a PC virus - interesting article That sucks indeed. your life ruined by something you've never done. hope he recovers soon. __________________

Nov 9, 2009, 05:18 PM	#9
Mousey Synth's Long Lost Bro Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Web Design Hell Posts: 7,189 Rep Power: 245 System Specs	Re: Framed for child porn by a PC virus - interesting article O_o Installs AVG, Threatfire, Spybot, Anything lying around __________________

Nov 9, 2009, 05:33 PM	#10
IvanV HH Assassin Guild Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 5,917 Rep Power: 336 System Specs	Re: Framed for child porn by a PC virus - interesting article Good thing that he was able to endure for eleven months. Also, I agree, he really picked well when he married that woman. I suppose that he's a good guy too if she stuck buy him through all that. Good for them both. And it does make you think how much easier it is to get framed then it used to be. It's a lot easier to get pictures or any sort of "evidence" into someone's computer then corresponding physical object's into one's home, yet what's found in one's personal computer seems like undeniable proof of what he did at first. __________________ If anyone has Portal 2 and hasn't played the co-op and wants to do me a favour, let me know (PM me or whatever). Last edited by IvanV; Nov 9, 2009 at 05:39 PM.

Nov 10, 2009, 01:14 PM	#11
Falstaff Old Codger Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USAFA Posts: 19,048 Rep Power: 207	Re: Framed for child porn by a PC virus - interesting article there is considerably more to this story than made it to print. Our laptops are refreshed and re-imaged frequently and we notify the user if he or she has an infected computer. We also gather information frequently about VPN use, etc. I assume this fellow was using a VPN, surely someone would have alerted him. I smell a fish. __________________ "Inspiration is always a surprising visitor."