Microsoft drops Blaster writer $500,000 penalty

Jeffrey Lee Parson, the teenager convicted of writing a variant of the Blaster worm, won't have to pay the $500,000 the court awarded in restitution as a result of the malware.

The damages were to be paid to Microsoft for the boy's actions, which temporarily downed the software giant's website in 2003. The tech behemoth, however, has asked that the 19-year-old's punishment be converted from a fine to 225 hours of community service.

The community service must not, however, involve the internet or computers and has been authorised by a judge.

Lee Parson was sentenced earlier this year to six months in prison after pleading guilty to creating the worm variant, which was thought to have infected almost 50,000 computers.

Tim Cranton, senior attorney, internet safety enforcement team at Microsoft said: "We’re satisfied this prosecution has been fully resolved with a prison sentence and appropriate restitution. We were pleased to see Mr. Parson take responsibility for his actions and think that additional community service will have a stronger positive impact on him."