Jetlagged Hacker Grounded in Australia

SYDNEY, 2 September 2003 — An Australian computer whiz who hacked into his former employer’s database awarded himself 11 million frequent-flier points. Former Qantas staffer Ferri Sutan Malik claimed 230 free flights in two years, news reports Wednesday said. Malik, who pleaded guilty to fraud in a Sydney court, browsed the Qantas database to find frequent fliers who hadn’t claimed their points and took them for himself. Before he was caught, 31-year-old Malik racked up free flights worth 450,000 Australian dollars ($292,000), The Sydney Morning Herald reported.