A Stanford Scientist's Cyber Vengeance

A former Stanford researcher, Naheed Mangi, faced the consequences for a cyberattack that took place seven years ago. Mangi, now 70, was found guilty of tampering with a protected computer. This incident involved a cancer patient database, where she replaced critical information with nonsense and insulting remarks. The incident occurred in 2013, but Mangi wasn't indicted until 2018. It took another year for a jury to convict her. The prosecution sought a 10-month sentence, but the judge decided on probation instead. Mangi's defense argued that she had been compliant since her arrest and that she was living a solitary life on her savings.Mangi was part of a Stanford University study sponsored by Genentech. The study focused on an experimental breast cancer treatment. Prosecutors claimed that Mangi's actions were driven by her anger over being fired. They argued that her actions betrayed the trust of the patients involved in the study. The judge ordered Mangi to pay over $10, 000 in restitution. This case raises questions about the motivations behind cyberattacks and the impact they can have on sensitive data. It also highlights the importance of trust in medical research and the consequences of betraying that trust.