https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/08/hacker-dad-who-faked-death-to-avoid-child-support-sentenced-to-prison/
Now he owes child support, plus about $80,000 to repair state death registries.
They should instead be hired for penetration testing and then have the ability to pay their child support.
I would guess the number one way he was found was internal security systems in each of the hacked systems.
Cybersecurity involves lots of automated systems that "alert" system admins when it comes to strange patterns.
Like... This user is logging in from an unrecognized IP from an unrecognized geo-location during a time the user usually would be asleep. The user in question has never logged into the system from that area or IP, nor do they do it when they're off the clock in the middle of the night. These unusual details would trigger an alert sent to a sysadmins cell phone, and from them they would begin digital forensics to try to pick up the trail of who this was.
Not excusing his actions but, as an Australian, I find child support a predatory system, the fact it basically cyphons people's finances, hurts their potential for growth and rehab, and the fact that I've heard so many stories of the parent never using the funds on their kids, but on their own greed and self fulfilment, which is just horrific, although I don't believe I know enough about this topic to have a truly well thought out opinion.
"Identity theft" is bullshit. They didn't steal an identity, they stole credentials. But even though those credentials were created and maintained outside of our consent, control, and often contrary to our interests, somehow we're responsible when they get stolen.
He then "assigned himself as the medical certifier for the case and certified his death, using the digital signature of the doctor," the press release said.
I get what you're saying, but I'm pretty sure credentials for medical certification are pretty damn important and not contrary to anyone's interest. It's literally to ensure a professional, who has the correct Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting, is actually altering State databases about citizens' deaths, and not just some rando like this asshole.
I would say a digital signature constitutes a type of forgery, and thus would fall under actual identity theft.
Great, did you notice that the system for Dr's authorization didn't leave it up to the Doctors to protect, monitor, and repair the damage caused when the credential was stolen? Did the Doctor's entire financial life get upended until the doctor personally corrected the error with all the appropriate government bureaucracy?
Identity isn't a digital token living in a database. The whole business implies that you're not a human being without a Social Security number, and who you are is issued by the credit reporting agencies and the government. My god man, do you really think your identity belongs to a company or the government?
Okay, so you're just a crazy person. Got it.
Pro-tip: This sounds as fucking bonkers as that Sovereign Citizen shit, man. Get a fucking grip.
This sounds as fucking bonkers as that Sovereign Citizen shit, man
When I was a kid I was interested in stoic philosophy and astrophysics and history and justice. With that context Sovereign Citizens seem worth utmost respect, and I'll explain why:
All people have direct knowledge and discourses, narratives, opinions of things they've never seen and tested.
There are plenty of situations in life where other people tell you that you have obligations you hadn't taken, or that you must obey someone to whom you haven't sworn fealty, or that you must believe something that hadn't been proven to you, or that inconsistent "right" is consistent because look at that stick, or that what's yours is not just because, and so on. Or that you must fear someone and keep your head down.
Yes, there are many situations when you must accept defeat, but you don't have to like it, like in that Indiana Jones movie.
Sovereign Citizens and the like attempt to chain the state, the nation, the law to their direct knowledge, or at least make those make sense in some way other than "liking it".
It's like when an honest person has been wronged, they know this, but may consider it part of their dignity to still demand open explanation.
Now those laughing about SovCits or talking as if much is wrong with them - the direct opposite of a SovCit would be worse, don't you think? Of course moderation is better.
Which is why it's disgusting to ridicule such people.
I'm also partial to the medieval concept of god's fools.
Did the Doctor’s entire financial life get upended until the doctor personally corrected the error with all the appropriate government bureaucracy?
From the article:
Kipf also ... stole identities of real people to open two credit accounts.
I don't know if it's drugs you're on or drugs you need to be on but please take a step back and get help my dude. These are not the words of a well adjusted person.
When the system is done with him he's gonna think back to "Well, should I kill myself as opposed to faking it?" and wish he chose differently.