A hacker who recorded himself accessing Apple iCloud accounts has actually appeared in a U.K. court.
Kerem Albayrak had actually required around $175,000 in ransom be paid in Bitcoin and Apple iTunes coupons for the non-disclosure of delicate user information.
Apple Hacker Charged in Connection with Bitcoin Blackmail
An IT expert from north London has actually been charged with one count of blackmail and 2 counts of unauthorised acts planning to impede access to a computer system. Albayrak appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ court where he was given genuine bail up until his case is heard at Southwark Crown Court on November 14.
According to a report in the U.K.’s Daily Mail, Albayrak had actually tape-recorded himself hacking into iCloud accounts and published the video on YouTube. He then called Apple and required $170,000 to be paid in Bitcoin and iTunes coupons. He alerted the worldwide tech giant that he would divulge the individual information drawn from the 319 million users’ accounts he had actually accessed to if they did not satisfy his needs.
Throughout court procedures today, it was exposed that Albayrak at first asked for around $75,000 prior to upping his needs to double that figure. He lastly picked $174,000 in Bitcoin and around $1,000 worth of iTunes coupons.
The prosecution’s legal agent, Lorna Vincent, specified:
” Mr Karem Albayrak is implicated of sending out e-mails to Apple making monetary needs for downloading database iCloud accounts and factory resetting those iCloud accounts … He participated in the accounts of the declared victims and published a video of his hack onto YouTube.”
Albayrak is far from the very first to make such ransom needs on huge business. His efforts are similar to in 2015’s WannaCry ransomware attack. Based upon the exact same concept of blackmailing companies with dangers of launching delicate information, the malware attack contaminated numerous countless computer systems around the world. The hacker behind it had the ability to avert authorities for over a year, however was jailed last month.
In a variety of distinctly more analogue attacks, individuals changed information as the foundation upon which to take advantage of Bitcoin blackmails. In July of this year, a business owner from Cape Town was abducted and a need of 50 BTC was produced his safe return. Liyaqat Parker was gone back to his household in September. It is unidentified if the ransom was fulfilled.
Similarly, in Ukraine last December, a crypto-analyst from the EXMO exchange platform was likewise abducted. When once again, those accountable required Bitcoin for his safe return. In this example, the needs were fulfilled and Pavel Lerner was returned simply days later on.
Thankfully, authorities had the ability to track Albayrak down prior to any damage might be made with the information he apparently handled to gain access to. This is barely unexpected, provided how unskilled the young hacker tackled collaborating his attack.
Included image from Shutterstock.
