Four men, between the age of 18 and 28 have been charged with hacking into Microsoft computer networks as well as the US Army’s. The four are allegedly members of the international computer hacking ring. Some of the software technology stolen included Apache helicopter training software, Xbox One gaming console, the Xbox Live online gaming service and pre-release copies of popular games such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Gears of War 3.
According to the Department of Justice, two of the hackers have pleaded guilty.
The four charged in the US were named as Nathan Leroux, 20, of Bowie, Maryland; Sanadodeh Nesheiwat, 28, of Washington, New Jersey; David Pokora, 22, of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; and Austin Alcala, 18, of McCordsville, Indiana. The DoJ also said a man faces charges in Australia in connection with the same allegations. It did not name him in the announcement, but he was identified by Australian media earlier this year as Dylan Wheeler, 19, from Perth.
Source: The Guardian
“Electronic breaking and entering of computer networks and the digital looting of identities and intellectual property have become much too common,” U.S. Attorney Charles Oberly of the District of Delaware said in a statement. “These are not harmless crimes, and those who commit them should not believe they are safely beyond our reach.
Source: PC World
This is the one of the second biggest hacking case that the DOJ announced this year.
The first announced case of hacking was in May when the DOJ charged five Chinese military officers and accused them of hacking into American companies to steal trade secrets.