RIGHT BG
(ECNS) -- A disgruntled software engineer has hacked Beijing's online license plate lottery system and caused losses to the municipal transport department, according to the Beijing Youth Daily.
The hacker surnamed Zhang, 32, has a masters degree in computer science from a well-known Beijing university.
Zhang had owned a car before the implementation of the car plate lottery policy, but later sold the car and didn't purchase a new plate within the required six-year period. Zhang's wife entered the lottery in February 2011, but never won in the following one-year period, causing Zhang's dissatisfaction with the lottery system.
On Dec. 23, 2012, Zhang acquired 920,000 phone numbers from the official website of the Beijing car license plate lottery. He also promoted a cell phone hospital registration application that he has developed, sending over 920,000 messages containing advertisements for the cell phone app.
The Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport reportedly lost 40,000 yuan (6,540 US dollars) from Zhang's activity.
A court in Beijing's Chaoyang district held a hearing to handle the case on Thursday. Zhang may be sentenced to six or eight months in prison.
Copyright ©1999-2018
Chinanews.com. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
