Ali Butler developed several software programs that generated cyberattacks. His programs were used to disrupt services of major companies like Google and Skype. He created programs that retrieved usernames and passwords, bank information, and other data. He also set up a $$deep web$$ business $$ where internet search engines could not find it $$ to sell his programs to other potential hackers. He used a legitimate business to account for profits from his illegal business so that the government could not trace the money to the illegal activity. Did Butler commit a crime, and does he have any defense?

What If the Facts Were Different?

Assume that Butler was hired as a computer technician to develop a particular type of software, unaware that it would be used to steal people$$s information. As part of his job, he developed many different software applications that harvested public information from the internet and this new software was not different enough to give Butler reason to believe it would be used to harvest private information. Would the result be different?

The act of developing the software, without reasonable knowledge of the criminal activities,

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a wrongful act. Under these facts, Butler had

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of the plan to steal information and

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a wrongful mental state. Given Butler$$s act and mental state under these facts, Butler likely

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commit a crime.