Post by anwenwilson on Aug 9, 2017 7:49:43 GMT
Computer expert who ‘helped to end NHS cyber attack’ charged with malware offences in US
A British computer expert who helped shut down the WannaCry cyber attack that crippled the NHS has been arrested in the US for his alleged role in an unrelated malware attack.
Marcus Hutchins, also known as MalwareTech on social media, found a hidden “kill switch” in the WannaCry ransomware virus that hit more than 300,000 computers in 150 countries.
But the 22-year-old has now been charged in connection with a US cybercrime investigation that started long before his WannaCry heroics. "Marcus Hutchins ... was arrested in the United States on August 2, 2017, in Las Vegas, Nevada, after a grand jury in the Eastern District of Wisconsin returned a six-count indictment against Hutchins for his role in creating and distributing the Kronos banking Trojan," DOJ spokesperson Wyn Hornbuckle said in a statement to The Independent.
The Kronos malware, which is spread through email attachments, is used to steal banking passwords from infected computers. According to the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, the malware has been configured to access credentials from banking systems in Canada, Germany, Poland, France, the UK, and other countries.
Marcus Hutchins, also known as MalwareTech on social media, found a hidden “kill switch” in the WannaCry ransomware virus that hit more than 300,000 computers in 150 countries.
But the 22-year-old has now been charged in connection with a US cybercrime investigation that started long before his WannaCry heroics. "Marcus Hutchins ... was arrested in the United States on August 2, 2017, in Las Vegas, Nevada, after a grand jury in the Eastern District of Wisconsin returned a six-count indictment against Hutchins for his role in creating and distributing the Kronos banking Trojan," DOJ spokesperson Wyn Hornbuckle said in a statement to The Independent.
The Kronos malware, which is spread through email attachments, is used to steal banking passwords from infected computers. According to the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, the malware has been configured to access credentials from banking systems in Canada, Germany, Poland, France, the UK, and other countries.