A fifteen year old from Cesena was reported by the Postal Police for a series of computer crimes which include the manipulation of school reports and even the control of oil tanker routes. The young man, gifted with considerable IT skills, used his skills to access illegally to protected systems.
Initially his goal was to improve his school grades, going from 5 to 6 in some subjects. To do this, he managed to penetrate the school’s electronic records, altering academic data. However, his activities did not stop there. Driven by curiosity and the desire to test himself, the boy tried to access much more complex and delicate systems.
Among these are the portals that manage oil tanker routes in the Mediterranean Sea. Once you gain access, it has modified the routes of some shipscausing deviations in the planned routes. Fortunately, no damage or accidents were reported, but the action raised serious concerns about the safety of maritime traffic.
An alarm bell on the fragility of the fossil system
The possibility of altering the routes of the oil tankers, although we do not know whether in this case it had environmentalist intentions, must certainly be interpreted as a wake-up call on fragility of the system that regulates the transport of polluting resources. This incident highlights how fossil fuel infrastructure is not only a risk to the environment due to pollution, but also a vulnerability.
No direct violation of the Ministry’s systems
The investigation was launched after a complaint regarding unauthorized access to navigation software. The Postal Police, with the support of the Bologna Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office, identified the young hacker and seized the devices used to carry out intrusions. The file was transferred to the Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office due to the delicacy and complexity of the case.
The Ministry of Education and Merit has clarified that, specifying that the electronic registers are managed independently by the schools. In any case, the episode highlighted the need to strengthen IT security in educational institutions to protect the sensitive data of students and teachers.
Although the boy’s computer talent is undeniable, his actions were clearly illegal and for this reason they will be there for him significant legal consequences which have not yet been specified.
