Marcus Hutchins, the 23 year old who successfully stopped the WannaCry ransomware attack this May, has appeared in a US court after being arrested by the FBI in Las Vegas last Friday. Hutchins was in Las Vegas attending a conference on hacking, and was arrested over his alleged involvement in creating and selling a form of malware called Kronos. The Kronos malware can be used by criminals to access internet banking passwords to steal money directly from accounts.
In May 2017, Hutchins discovered a “kill switch” within the WannaCry malware that effectively shut down the programme that drastically crippled the NHS and spread to computers in 150 countries. At the time, he was hailed a hero for his quick thinking and technological prowess. Now, however, he could face up to 40 years in a US prison if convicted of selling the dangerous Kronos malware. During the trail, it was brought to light that Hutchins allegedly admitted to being the author of the Kronos code and he also indicated that he had sold it on a darknet site for £1,522. Hutchins, though, continues to deny all charges against him and retains widespread support from the cybersecurity and IT community as the trial goes on.
Hutchins has been released on bail for the moment, with a complete ban on the internet, 24-hour GPS monitoring, and strict instructions not to leave the State of Nevada. Hutchins’ mother and his lawyer are adamant that he is innocent, with his mother stating that Hutchins spends most of his time preventing malware attacks rather than enabling them.
What can we do to help?
At HHA, we have a team of IT forensic experts who can look into any concerns you have regarding cyber crime and technology. We can help protect your technology from potential criminal activity, or help you retain evidence in order to prosecute or dispute foul play.
We deal with issues such as:
- Data recovery
- Employee internet misuse
- Criminal fraud and deception cases
- Suspected competitor espionage or hacking
- Unauthorised transfer or removal of confidential information including customer or supplier data
- Intellectual property theft
- Employment law investigations
After conducting a thorough analysis we will write a detailed written report and can even provide a witness statement if necessary. Our aim is to keep you and your business safe, and with our experienced and dedicated team we can do just that.
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