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Marcus Hutchins, the 23-year-old British security researcher who was credited with stopping the WannaCry outbreak in its tracks by discovering a hidden "kill switch" for the malware, has been arrested by the FBI over his alleged involvement in another malicious software targeting bank accounts.
According to an indictment released by the US Department of Justice on Thursday, Hutchins is accused of having helped to create, spread and maintain the banking trojan Kronos between 2014 and 2015.
The Kronos malware was spread through emails with malicious attachments such as compromised Microsoft word documents, and hijacks credentials like internet banking passwords to let its user steal money with ease.
[...] Hutchins, better known online by his handle MalwareTech, had been in Las Vegas for the annual Def Con hacking conference, the largest of its kind in the world. He was at the airport preparing to leave the country when he was arrested, after more than a week in the the city without incident.
Grauniad source: Briton who stopped WannaCry attack arrested over separate malware claims
Also covered by the BBC: NHS cyber-defender Marcus Hutchins charged in US.
Update: Detention quickly turned to arrest and indictment. Also at NPR, Motherboard, and the L.A. Times.
Previously: "Biggest Ransomware Attack in History" Hits Around 100 Countries, Disrupts UK's NHS
WannaCrypt Ransomware Variant -- Lacking Kill Switch -- Seen in Wild [Updated]
(Score: 5, Funny) by Justin Case on Friday August 04 2017, @03:02PM (3 children)
Why should he be allowed an attorney? He was arrested, therefore he is a criminal.
Plus he is doing things we don't understand, so he's probably a terrorist. You don't support rights for terrorists, do you? Do you???
Finally, that "kill switch" was only intended for the controllers of the ransomware. That means he gained unauthorized access to a computer network, and used that access to deprive its masters of huge revenue potential.
Probably circumvented the copyright protection as well. Gitmo is too good for him!
(P.S. If he truly is responsible for having helped to create, spread and maintain a banking trojan, throw the book at him. Just not until he's convicted in open court with a fair trial, please.)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 04 2017, @03:25PM
I'm not sure what's happened to the teaching of English, but "throw the book at them" means to charge someone with as many criminal charges as possible. Sentencing (and punishment) is a completely separate matter.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Friday August 04 2017, @03:48PM (1 child)
You forgot: he's a foreign national... alien, intruder, un-American, flight risk and a weirdo (well, you kinda covered the weirdo bit.)
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 0, Troll) by Ethanol-fueled on Saturday August 05 2017, @12:14AM
The White in him saved the internet, the Black in him committed computer crimes for money.
Call it a net-zero and release him as a nobody.