3 Detroit students charged after school computers hacked and grades changed

Three Lincoln Park High School students were charged Monday with hacking into the school’s computer system to change their grades and attendance records. Police said two of them also created a Web site informing other students that the school’s computer system had been hacked and giving steps on how to change grades. Aaron J. Kinder, Matthew J. Bennett, both 18, and Jacob B. Parker, 17, were arraigned Monday in 25th District Court in Lincoln Park. They are charged with unauthorized use of or access to a computer. Judge David Bajorek entered not guilty pleas on their behalf after they stood in silence. “The investigation started in December after several burglaries at the school,” Lincoln Park Police Sgt. Terry Stafford said. “We had several informants.” Lincoln Park High School was broken into at least three times during December; each time, Dell Optiplex computers were stolen, police said. District officials also told police they believed that someone tampered with the school’s system. Stafford said one of the youths installed a keylogger, which is used to trap every keystroke on a computer. That information allows access to passwords and personal user information, police said.