Score One For the Good Guys!
The largest hacking and identity theft ring in history has been identified and eleven people have now been charged with stealing more than 41 million credit and debit card numbers. The ring had three members from the United States and others from Estonia, Ukraine, China, and Belarus. This is a major event for Federal Prosecutors and Law Enforcement.
The hackers were able to identify weaknesses in a several major retailers’ wireless networks by a process called “wardriving”. TJX Cos (TJ Maxx), BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc., OfficeMax Inc., Barnes & Noble Inc., The Sports Authority Inc., Forever 21 Inc., DSW Inc., and Boston Market Corp. were all affected by this ring. The criminals were able to hack into these networks and collected PINs, debit, and credit card numbers via a “sniffer” software program. The data was encrypted and placed on servers under the ring’s control in the United States and Eastern Europe. Some of the data was sold through the black market while the rest was used to create new credit or debit cards to use on ATM machines to withdraw funds.
Three of the members of this ring were charged in May for their connection with hacking into Dave & Buster’s which yielded 5,000 stolen credit and debit card numbers and a loss of $600,000.
There are many charges involved in this case including, but not limited to: computer fraud, wire fraud, access-device fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy. If convicted on all counts listed, the key people indicted will spend the rest of their lives in prison. The arrests marked the end of a three year investigation by the Secret Service and investigations headed by the FBI and the U.S. Postal Service. Now it is up to the Federal Prosecutors to bring these criminals to justice.
Information was provided by:
“A Fed Dragnet Catches Some Big Fish, But Are the Hacks Solved?” published on August 6, 2008 on http://www.digitaltransactions.net/newsstory.cfm?newsid=1870
“Identity Theft” published on August 10, 2008 on http://watertowndailytimes.com:80/article/20080810/OPINION01/484700890/Identify+theft
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