When a person calls "911," it means that there is an emergency issue and these instances must not be toyed around with. It will definitely create repercussions to security and safety.
18-year-old Meetkumar Hitesbhai Desai was arrested by Arizona police on charges on computer tampering after he publicly posted a version of an iOS-based JavaScript attack that he only thought would deliver annoying pop-ups. Apparently, it made bogus 911 calls. Engadget reported that the exploit was able to block about two thousand calls all across Phoenix. It technically threatened the emergency phone systems all over the city and possibly, the neighbouring cities as well.
Desai tells the police he was only trying to identify iOS flaws and he would report it to Apple for bug bounties and acclaim. As reported, he only intended to prank his friends with the post and made a slip-up when he released the wrong code.
According to ARS Technica, Desai is an iPhone app developer on charges of computer tampering after he unleashed a code which threatened to incapacitate the 911 emergency services on the majority of Arizona and possibly other neighboring states.
Desai published Web links causing iPhones to repeatedly dial 911 according to Arizona's Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. He published the 911-dialing code using the name "Meet Desai" and posted the link on a YouTube channel TheHackSpot. He also posted it on more than one Twitter account, coaxing people to click on the link. Police said that the evidence showed the link has been accessed 1,849 times.
According to police, even if the teenager would prove it was an innocent mistake, it would have serious effects. It will surely affect the safety and security system of a county. In the event that there would be an actual emergency, calls may not be accommodated because it was placed on queue after a prank call. Such an instance may put a person's life in danger. This context is what made Desai's case classified as a Level 2 felony.
Desai was apprehended and transported to the Maricopa County Jail where he was booked for three counts of computer tampering. Penalties and other details have yet to be made public.
