Tech

FBI Nabs Alleged NullCrew Hacker

Kate Patrick Contributor
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The FBI announced Wednesday the capture of an alleged member of NullCrew, an organization responsible for cyber-attacks against universities, government agencies and corporations. The suspect, Timothy French, was arrested in Tennessee last Wednesday.

NullCrew is responsible for hacking Comcast, the World Health Organization and Canadian Bell. In the Canadian Bell incident, over 12,000 email addresses and username/password combinations were stolen and released. NullCrew also claimed responsibility for the release of over 3,000 email addresses and username/password combinations belonging to members of a foreign government’s ministry of defense, CNet reported.

“Hackers who think they can anonymously steal private business and personal information from computer systems should be aware that we are determined to find them, to prosecute pernicious online activity, and to protect cyber victims,” Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois said in a statement.

NullCrew uses Twitter accounts to advertise its latest cyber-attacks and provide links redirecting to the stolen information. Some of French’s aliases are “Orbit,” “@Orbit,” “@Orbit_g1rl,” “crysis,” “rootcrysis,” and “c0rps3.”

If French is convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

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Kate Patrick