Man, 27, Destroys Computers With USB Drive at Alma Mater

A former student has pleaded guilty to destroying 59 computers at his alma mater with a weaponized USB drive. Vishwanath Akuthota, 27, ruined seven monitors and computer-enhanced podiums as well at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, ZDNet reports. Zkuthota bought the device, which fries a computer in seconds, online. He filmed himself in the act, saying, "I'm going to kill this guy," and, "It's gone. Boom." The drive works by overloading the computer's surge protection, per the Verge.

School records show Akuthota graduated with an MBA in December 2017. He's an Indian citizen who was in the US on a student visa at the time of the attack, per the Times Union. Akuthota has been in custody since he was arrested in February. He's agreed to pay $58,471 in restitution and faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he's sentenced in August. Court documents made no mention of a motive. (More computer virus stories.)