Sasser worm suspect goes on trial in Germany

A German teenager who authorities say confessed to creating last year’s Sasser worm was due to go on trial today on charges including computer sabotage.

Sven Jaschan, 19, was to be tried behind closed doors at a court in the north-western town of Verden because he was a minor at the time of the offence. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison if convicted.

Jaschan was arrested at his home in May 2004 after Microsoft received a tip from an informant seeking a reward. The worm had raced around the world, exploiting a flaw in the company’s Windows operating system.

The worm snarled tens of thousands of computers and caused internet traffic to slow.