What is this? The introduction to the movie Hackers?
On August 10, 1988, 11-year-old Dade “Zero Cool” Murphy is banned from owning or operating computers and touch-tone telephones, until his 18th birthday, after his family is fined US$45,000 (equivalent to $120,000 in 2024) for his crashing of 1,507 computer systems, causing a seven-point drop in the New York Stock Exchange.
I started just to point out that the 7 point drop was big in 1988, but then wondered if this was a real event. (When the movie came out, I remember thinking that really happened.)
Looking at it again, I don’t know if I am finding real information , or movie publicity
Delaying the sell-off slightly the mayhem appeared to stem from a computer virus rendering key exchange systems inaccessible with NYSE registering a 7-point drop. Initial reports put the number of systems impacted at 1,507. This would make the havoc one of the biggest computer crashes in history.
A ‘‘hacker’’ believed to have instigated the turmoil from beyond state-lines in Seattle is a prime suspect. Known only by an alias or ‘‘handle’’ on computer bulletin boards as ‘‘Zero Cool’’, Federal prosecutors hope to have them arraigned quickly sending a message to other potential electronic trespassers.
Looking up “Zero Cool”, only locates a 1960’s book about a Doctor.
What is this? The introduction to the movie Hackers?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackers_(film)
More like WarGames, except with the FBI instead of NORAD.
I started just to point out that the 7 point drop was big in 1988, but then wondered if this was a real event. (When the movie came out, I remember thinking that really happened.)
Looking at it again, I don’t know if I am finding real information , or movie publicity
https://www.cyberdelianyc.com/www.nytimes.com/1988/08/10/business/wall-street-plunges-computer-crash-hackers.html, which in part says:
Looking up “Zero Cool”, only locates a 1960’s book about a Doctor.
Here is the real headline from that day.
https://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/10/world/36-said-to-die-in-burmese-protests-as-troops-battle-with-thousands.html
Ah, good times. Thanks for this
Thank you. Not a funny headline day.
If anyone wants to know how that turned out: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8888_Uprising
In Summary: Not good.
The event is mentioned in the imdb trivia for the movie. Hackers (1995) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113243/trivia?item=tr6109617
I want to claim it was me, but I am only a copy