‘Hacker,’ 24, Hits Military Computers : W. German Student Got Into 50 U.S. Units, Prosecutor Says

A West German computer “hacker” electronically raided about 50 U.S. military computers containing defense and aerospace information, a prosecutor said today.

The 24-year-old student gained access to the computers for almost two years through his own computer and telephone links, according to the West German newsmagazine Quick.

Some of the raided computers are at the Air Force Systems Command in El Segundo, Calif., and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., said Hans-Georg von Bock, prosecuting attorney in Bremen.

FBI spokesmen said their agency is investigating. They declined to say whether charges will be filed.

Von Bock refused to say what the student, who is from Hanover, discovered in his computer break-ins. Quick said the student was able to find out the names of U.S. Army officers in Japan and details about U.S. coastal security systems.

Lack of Evidence

However, no one said whether the man uncovered any important secrets.

Von Bock said Bremen authorities abandoned their inquiry for lack of evidence. Von Bock refused to provide any details about the suspect--including his name--because the investigation has been dropped.

“We wanted to catch the suspect committing the acts, but unfortunately that did not happen,” Von Bock said.

He said the electronic links were made by telephone via a computer at Bremen University.

“The (Bremen) court decided it could not be proven who originated these calls,” Von Bock said.

Just for Fun, They Say

Hackers are computer enthusiasts who try to gain unauthorized access to other computers through telephone lines. Some hackers say they commit their electronic break-ins just for fun.

Quick said the electronic break-ins were detected in August, 1986, by the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in Berkeley, Calif., which does unclassified research. The laboratory and its sister institution, the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, which is involved in nuclear weapons research and the Strategic Defense Initiative known as “Star Wars,” are operated by the University of California for the U.S. government.

Quick said that authorities questioned the student in June and that the break-ins stopped at about that time.

Bock said West German investigators were handicapped because German law forbids them to tap telephones unless they suspect a more serious crime, such as murder.