When colleges report their computer systems have been breached, the motives of the intruder usually remain murky. Not so at Georgia Highlands College last week. Christopher Fowler, a student, allegedly hacked into the system to change his grades, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Mr. Fowler was arrested by agents from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and charged with computer trespassing and unlawful eavesdropping. (He also allegedly broke into the college’s voice-over-Internet telephone system.)
The college administration sent an email to staff and faculty, explaining that a faculty member had noticed unusual activity on his computer account. Someone had apparently logged on to the college system using his identity. That prompted inquiries by the IT department, who—suspecting a breach—called in specialists from the University System of Georgia and Kennesaw State University. They in turn alerted the state investigation bureau, which tracked down Mr. Fowler.—Josh Fischman
