Posted on 08/17/2009 1:06:22 PM PDT by Cindy
Note: The following text is a quote:
Alleged International Hacker Indicted for Massive Attack on U.S. Retail and Banking Networks
Data Related to More Than 130 Million Credit and Debit Cards Allegedly Stolen
WASHINGTON – Albert Gonzales, 28, of Miami, Fla., was indicted today for conspiring to hack into computer networks supporting major American retail and financial organizations, and stealing data relating to more than 130 million credit and debit cards, announced Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Lanny A. Breuer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Ralph J. Marra Jr. and U.S. Secret Service Assistant Director for Investigations Michael Merritt.
In a two-count indictment alleging conspiracy and conspiracy to engage in wire fraud, Gonzales, AKA "segvec," "soupnazi" and "j4guar17," is charged, along with two unnamed co-conspirators, with using a sophisticated hacking technique called an "SQL injection attack," which seeks to exploit computer networks by finding a way around the network’s firewall to steal credit and debit card information. Among the corporate victims named in the indictment are Heartland Payment Systems, a New Jersey-based card payment processor; 7-Eleven Inc., a Texas-based nationwide convenience store chain; and Hannaford Brothers Co. Inc., a Maine-based supermarket chain.
The indictment, which details the largest alleged credit and debit card data breach ever charged in the United States, alleges that beginning in October 2006, Gonzales and his co-conspirators researched the credit and debit card systems used by their victims; devised a sophisticated attack to penetrate their networks and steal credit and debit card data; and then sent that data to computer servers they operated in California, Illinois, Latvia, the Netherlands and Ukraine. The indictment also alleges Gonzales and his co-conspirators also used sophisticated hacker techniques to cover their tracks and to avoid detection by anti-virus software used by their victims.
If convicted, Gonzales faces up to 20 years in prison on the wire fraud conspiracy charge and an additional five years in prison on the conspiracy charge, as well as a fine of $250,000 for each charge.
Gonzales is currently in federal custody. In May 2008, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York charged Gonzales for his alleged role in the hacking of a computer network run by a national restaurant chain. Trial on those charges is scheduled to begin in Long Island, N.Y., in September 2009.
In August of 2008, the Justice Department announced an additional series of indictments against Gonzales and others for a number of retail hacks affecting eight major retailers and involving the theft of data related to 40 million credit cards. Those charges were filed in the District of Massachusetts. Gonzales is scheduled for trial on those charges in 2010.
The charges announced today relate to a different pattern of hacking activity that targeted different corporate victims and involved different co-conspirators.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erez Lieberman and Seth Kosto for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and by Senior Trial Counsel Kimberly Kiefer Peretti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. The case is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service.
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09-810
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stepping back in time...
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/01/payment_processor_breach_may_b.html
“Payment Processor Breach May Be Largest Ever”
(January 20, 2009)
He used a simple SQL injection attack to break into what? Aside from punishing him, those responsible for security of the information should be just as liable.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/17/AR2009081701915.html
“Alleged Hackers Indicted in Largest Identity Theft Case Ever Prosecuted”
By Brian Krebs
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, August 17, 2009; 3:25 PM
SNIPPET: “The indictments returned Monday include two other people accused in the Heartland and Hannaford breaches, described only as “Hacker 1” and “Hacker 2,” both of Russia. All three are charged with two counts: Conspiracy to gain unauthorized access to computers, to commit fraud in connection with computers, and to damage computers, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Each defendant faces a maximum of 35 years in prison, as well as more than $1 million in fines, or twice the gain resulting from the offense, whichever is greater.”
The full track: Dissolved Girl
I vote for turning their fingers into mush with a 12# sledge and seeing how good they are at hacking then.
Maybe the CIA should should recruit this guy, who knows he might save us all some day :)
LOLZ.
SQL injection is; DROP TABLE CUSTOMERS -- the simplest of all possible attacks.
That’s exactly what I was thinking. Apparently, in the mind of DOJ.gov, typing tick-dash-dash-space is a “sophisticating hacking technique”.
“...the simplest of all possible attacks.”
I’m no geek, but I did recognize that term...and that means to me it could not have been too sophisticated.
“data relating to more than 130 million credit and debit cards”
How many debit and credit cards ARE there in America? I realize that some people are carrying multiple cards. But what is the total?
Alleged to be international, or alleged to be a hacker? And who does the Federal Govt. hire these days to write news releases? People who have flunked out of ticker crawl class over at CNN?
“In a two-count indictment alleging conspiracy and conspiracy to engage in wire fraud, Gonzales, AKA “segvec,” “soupnazi” and “j4guar17,” is charged, along with two unnamed co-conspirators...”
Sorry to interject but this person, and all who are like them, need to be whipped. “Co-conspirator” is not a word. Conspiracy, by its very definition, means more than one person. The use of this word by supposed intelligent people makes my head wish to explode.
Now back to your regularly scheduled thread.
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/tables/09s1148.pdf
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SNIPPET: “According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 159 million credit cardholders in the United States in 2000, 173 million in 2006, and that number is projected to grow to 181 million Americans by 2010. (Source: Census Bureau)”
Sophisticated? Give me a break. Any 12 year old with moderate computer savy could probably do the same thing-the place to really investigate should start with those in charge of computer security at these companies.
Smiling at you....kids.
The term co-conspirator is commonly used in court and in written laws. See eg.,http://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/case_docs/170.pdf
Among the corporate victims named in the indictment are Heartland Payment Systems, a New Jersey-based card payment processor; 7-Eleven Inc., a Texas-based nationwide convenience store chain; and Hannaford Brothers Co. Inc., a Maine-based supermarket chain.Instead of a prison sentence and some fines, he and his fellow grifters should have their heads chopped off on TV.
Russian involvement again ? Almost as if the Russians are born to hack. Here is an article describing some details about Russian Patriotic Hackers.
That’s interesting — thanks for the link.
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