<nettime> Stupidity Tax Imposed on Romanian Hackers]

["nettime's_roving_reporters" <nettime-l@bbs.thing.net>]

Technology Journal: BizBytes
Wall Street Journal
Brussels
Nov 2, 1999
Abstract:

BUCHAREST -- Hackers tapped into the Romanian Finance Ministry's Internet
site, modifying laws to introduce taxes on stupidity and changing the
exchange rate, an official said Monday. 

According to Dorin Tiganas, spokesman for the ministry, the hackers
attacked the site at the end of last week, modifying the information. The
site was blocked early Monday and an investigation is under way, he said. 

The hackers entered the site and altered the information on taxation,
saying the ministry had introduced new taxes on stupidity, levied in
direct proportion with the importance of the position held, the Cotidianul
daily reported.  Money gathered from the new taxes would be used to bribe
North Atlantic Treaty Organization officials to take Romania into the
military alliance as soon as possible, the hacked site said.  Copyright
Dow Jones & Company Inc Nov 2, 1999

Full Text: 

Romanian Ministry Has Its Web Site Modified by Hackers

BUCHAREST -- Hackers tapped into the Romanian Finance Ministry's Internet
site, modifying laws to introduce taxes on stupidity and changing the
exchange rate, an official said Monday. 

According to Dorin Tiganas, spokesman for the ministry, the hackers
attacked the site at the end of last week, modifying the information. The
site was blocked early Monday and an investigation is under way, he said. 

The hackers entered the site and altered the information on taxation,
saying the ministry had introduced new taxes on stupidity, levied in
direct proportion with the importance of the position held, the Cotidianul
daily reported.  Money gathered from the new taxes would be used to bribe
North Atlantic Treaty Organization officials to take Romania into the
military alliance as soon as possible, the hacked site said. 

In addition, the hackers said the exchange rate for the national currency,
the leu, was 0.5 lei per U.S. dollar, a far cry from the central bank's
official rate of 16,870 lei to the dollar. 

There is no Romanian legislation to punish infringements on the Internet. 


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