20-year-old charged for botnet attack that endangers Hospital patients

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Seattle has sought and won indictments against Christopher Maxwell of Vacaville, Calif. for compromising computer networks at California State University, the University of Michigan, the University of California-Los Angeles, and Seattle Northwest Hospital.

At a news conference Friday morning, representatives from the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI said Maxwell and his unnamed co-conspirators compromised 13,000 computers which were used as a botnet.

Maxwell and the youths are also accused of compromising 150 of its roughly 1,100 computers at Northwest Hospital. This allegedly impaired patient treatment, delayed the processing of lab tests and surgery scheduling, and shut down computers in intensive-care rooms at the 187-bed, not-for-profit hospital.

The three allegedly also installed adware on all the compromised systems from which Maxwell allegedly made $100,000 from.

If convicted, Maxwell faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and he could also be ordered to pay restitution.