Former Rutgers student ordered to pay $8.6 million for cyberattack on university
Paras Jha used a malware attack on Rutgers from November 2014 to September 2016.
A former Rutgers University student was ordered by a federal judge in Trenton on Friday to pay $8.6 million in restitution for his role in launching an internet attack on the university's computer network, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said.
Paras Jha, 22, of Fanwood in North Jersey, had previously pleaded guilty to violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act for using a malware attack on Rutgers from November 2014 to September 2016. Jha also was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp to six months of home incarceration.
The "Mirai" malware used in the Rutgers attack was later deployed in worldwide attacks for financial gain.
Jha and two others pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges late last year in federal court in Alaska for those latter assaults that knocked down thousands of websites. Jha and the others have cooperated with FBI on cybercrime investigations. Their sentences last month included 2,500 hours of community service to be spent continuing their cooperation with the FBI.