Hacker Chat

By Chris Taylor/New York

If convicted of the attack on cnn.com that he's charged with, the 15-year-old Canadian hacker known as MAFIABOY may regret his conversations on the IRC (Internet Relay Chat) network. They were transcribed by eavesdropping security expert JOEL DE LA GARZA and passed on to the FBI.

"So Mafiaboy, it was really you that hit ALL those ones in the news--buy.com E*TRADE, eBay?" writes a friend, T3.

"Maybe," says Mafiaboy. "Who knows. Would only answer that under ssh2 [an encryption program]."

"They say you're costing them millions."

"Surprised I didn't get raided yet, T3. They are fools."

Later, Mafiaboy boasts about his intended victims: "Microsoft will be gone for a few weeks," he says. "I'm thinking something big, maybe whitehouse.gov.

As the FBI investigation widens, Mafiaboy changes his handle to "anon": "Tonight I put this computer on the fireplace...I don't want to take any chances."

"Really," says Mshadow. "And talking on IRC is not a chance?"

"What can IRC prove?" asks anon.

"They can't catch you," says T3, but adds, "I need to get away from you before I get busted for being an accomplice."

--By Chris Taylor/New York