In the first case of its kind in Holland, the author of the Anna
Kournikova worm that infected millions of computers during February
has gone on trial. The prosecutor has asked that Jan de Wit, aged
20, receive a non-custodial sentence of 240 hours community
service. He also asked that de Wit's computer and a CD-ROM
containing viruses be permanently confiscated.14 Sep 2001
De Wit said shortly after releasing the e-mail worm that he did so to test a claim that e-mail users had learned nothing from the Love Bug virus of last May. The worm, a form of virus that self-replicates, without actually altering files, threatened overload systems in the sending of bulk e-mails. The worm was carried in an e-mail attachment purporting to be a picture of tennis star Anna Kournikova. The virus was only triggered by opening the attachment.
De Wit is charged with spreading data through a computer network with the intent to cause damage. The maximum sentence in Holland is four years and a fine of up to 100,000 guilders (around £28,000).