IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. — Investigators said what may have started as a joke or curiosity landed a group of Lake Norman High School students in legal trouble.
Seven Lake Norman High School students are facing charges after they hacked into the school's computer system, according to police. Investigators said one of the students had an administrative password and passed it on to other classmates.
Channel 9 obtained arrest warrants for five of the seven students charged with misdemeanors in this case. They're all between 14 and 18 years old, and authorities said they were using their school-issued computers to trespass into the accounts of administrators and other students while on campus.
"They had access to information that could have harmed other people. They need to realize that it’s not fun. It’s not a prank. It’s not a game,” Capt. Julie Gibson said.
Iredell-Statesville Schools officials opened an investigation after Aug. 31, when investigators said a student used his school laptop to crack an administrator’s password. They said he shared the information and over the course of two days students used it to hack into other students' computers.
"He takes over of your computer while you're actually using it so your mouse might move around. Your web cam may come on," Gibson said.
Iredell-Statesville Schools told Channel 9 this type of action is unethical and violates the school's Internet policy.
Gibson said the students had access to sensitive information but they didn't manipulate grades or test scores.
And while it doesn’t appear they used any of it maliciously, parents worry they could have.
“It's kind of scary, any computer breach," parent David Collins said.
"Their grades, everything where they live, these kids are smart," parent Kelly Vanhorne said.
School officials suspended the students and changed the passwords to tighten security. The teens are back in school but due in court Nov. 10.
Most were released back into their parents’ custody but three are out on $1,500 bonds.
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