A Stanford Scientist's Cyber Vengeance

Naheed Mangi Faces Justice for Tampering with Cancer Patient Database

Key Details:

• Age: 70
• Conviction: Tampering with a protected computer
• Sentence: Probation (despite prosecution seeking 10-month imprisonment)
• Restitution: Over $10,000

The Incident

In 2013, Naheed Mangi, a former Stanford researcher, was involved in a cyberattack targeting a cancer patient database. She replaced critical information with nonsense and insulting remarks.

Legal Proceedings

• Indictment: 2018
• Conviction: 2019 (after a jury trial)
• Prosecution's Argument: Mangi acted out of anger after being fired from a Genentech-sponsored breast cancer study at Stanford.
• Defense's Argument: Mangi had been compliant since her arrest and lived a solitary life on her savings.

Impact and Consequences

The case underscores:

• The motivations behind cyberattacks
• The vulnerability of sensitive data
• The importance of trust in medical research
• The consequences of betraying that trust