A computer hacker admitted Thursday to writing code that was used to breach AT&T Inc.'s servers last year and gather email addresses and other personal information of about 120,000 users of Apple Inc.'s iPad.

Daniel Spitler, 26 years old, a computer hacker from San Francisco, pleaded guilty to identity theft and conspiracy to gain unauthorized access to computers. He faces up to five years in prison on each count. Sentencing is set for Sept. 28.

He and another hacker, Andrew Auernheimer, were arrested in January and accused of creating a program that attacked AT&T's servers over several days in June 2010. Federal prosecutors in Newark, N.J., alleged they exploited a flaw in AT&T's website, which made it possible for iPad users' email addresses to be revealed.

The email addresses they accessed included those of corporate chiefs, U.S. government officials and Hollywood moguls.

Full story: WSJ