FBI Probing Ohio-based Computer Hacker: European Webhost Targeted From Cincinnati Surburb?

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The FBI's computer crimes squad is on the trail of an Ohio hacker suspected of defacing Internet sites that use a company in Finland, Scene Group Oy, as their webhost. One of the targeted 'net sites reportedly was BahiaNetStore.com, which markets Brazilian-themed women's apparel. A federal magistrate authorized a search warrant last week for a Butler County home near Cincinnati where the hacker may have operated under the online screen name, or hacker tag, "Evilthoutz." No charges have been filed.

Scene Group is a private firm based in Pori, a city of more than 100,000 residents that is the 10th largest in Finland. A company official, Mikko Kivinen, is identified in a federal court affidavit obtained by The Daily Bellwether as first reporting the hacking incidents last November 28. Kivinen later traced the suspected hacker to an online bulletin board and a page on MySpace. Kivinen told the FBI his company was a target:

"Kivinen also stated that Evilthoutz was successful in hacking into the company's server and forwarding several e-mails to the e-mail address *****. During the hack, Evilthoutz tried to change the root password of the server and was unsuccessful. Evilthoutz then called the company hosting the servers, located in Texas, in an attempt to socially engineer the root password. Again, Evilthoutz was unsuccessful in changing the root password. Kivinen noted that the last website defacement occurred on December 27, 2007. Kivinen had no idea why Evilthoutz targeted his company."

The FBI said a confidential informant has contacted the suspected hacker online and discussed website defacements. Other records about Evilthoutz were subpoenaed from Microsoft and Cincinnati Bell, which operates a highspeed Internet service called Zoomtown.