Teenager in Argentina Arrested for Malware Scam

Theinquirer.net reported news on 16th September, 2013 stating that Argentinean authorities have arrested a teenager for allegedly running a malware scam which stole hundreds of thousands of pounds a year.

The unnamed 19 year old was arrested as a part of 'Operation Zombie' on the suspicion of operating a cyber-crime which pilfered as much as 380,000 pounds a year in a detailed scheme.

The name Zombie comes from the suspected network of compromised computers which the teen is operating.

Apparently, he gained access to computers of other people through downloaded websites of gambling software and he was able to siphon off around 30,000 Pounds a month to his own bank account.

According to experts, the teenager may have set up a "technical cave" at his home from where police have seized a host of sophisticated computing and IT equipment.

He was discovered last year only when a hosting business noticed something suspicious with its servers and transfers of money.

Former Criminal Attorney, Graciela Gils Carbo, currently serving as Chief Prosecutor of Argentina, ordered the federal police forces to start an inquiry which revealed that the same individual was embezzling money from cash transfer and online game websites.

"Internauts were sufferers of a `malware' virus which the cybercriminal hosted in a web server for downloading online gaming apps," said a statement released by the ministry, as published by cbc.ca on September 15, 2013.

To conclude the work and shun alerting the victims, the alleged hacker committed a 'denial of service' exercise using network of thousands of 'zombie' machine to inundate the podium for expenses so that Internauts could not gain admission into their accounts at the time of the attack.

His arrest also brings along the arrest and identification of six other people apparently involved in the criminal network.

The young man is being accused for three crimes and if convicted in all, he could be imprisoned for more than ten years.

Moreover, the unnamed hacker is not the sole hacker who has been charged in recent months. In August 2013, a 29 year old Russian Dmitriy Smilianets pleaded not guilty to the charge who is one of the five individuals indicted in July 2013 for taking part in a cybercriminal scheme involving theft of 160 million credit card numbers.

» SPAMfighter News - 9/21/2013