Topics
former
AI
Amazon
Image Credits:Policía Nacional
Apps
Biotech & Health
Climate
Image Credits:Policía Nacional
Cloud Computing
Commerce
Crypto
initiative
EVs
Fintech
Fundraising
gadget
Gaming
Government & Policy
ironware
layoff
Media & Entertainment
Meta
Microsoft
Privacy
Robotics
surety
Social
Space
inauguration
TikTok
transferral
speculation
More from TechCrunch
event
Startup Battlefield
StrictlyVC
Podcasts
Videos
Partner Content
TechCrunch Brand Studio
Crunchboard
adjoin Us
Spanish police have arrest a British subject charge of result an organised cybercrime group that broke into dozens of U.S. company .
The nameless British home , aged 22 , was arrest at Palma airport as he was about to go out the country on a charter flight to Naples , Spanish law confirmedin a press release .
In a statement , Spanish police said the alleged hacker ringleader used phishing techniques to steal passwords to break into at least 45 companies in the United States , which allow the theft of companies ’ home data and cryptocurrency . According to the police , the accused hacker was in dominance of $ 27 million in cryptocurrency at the time of his apprehension .
Avideo of the defendant ’s arrestwas place by law on YouTube .
Spanish police did not name the criminate individual or the cybercrime group he allegedly led . A spokesperson for the FBI decline to notice when reach by TechCrunch .
TechCrunch understand that the arrested individual is the alleged loss leader of the grouping that direct the cyberattacks aim Twilio in 2022 , according to a soul with cognition of cybercrime operations .
The arrested defendant allegedly led a hack group dubbed “ 0ktapus , ” whichtwice bust into Twilio , a company that provides call and message military service to other companies . The month - long hack fling during 2022 lacy close to 10,000 employee word that were used to subsequently break into the networks of Twilio ’s customer . The gang targeted over a hundred Twilio client , let in DoorDashandSignal , using phishing lures that were plan to look like Okta log - in pages , for which the group lends its name .
TechCrunch is not naming the alleged suspect as it is not clean if he has yet been bear down with any crimes .
The arrest make out almost two years after the 0ktapus gang first emerged as a cybercrime player , underscoring the complexity of investigating some cybercrime group .
The drudge are said to be part of a wider residential district of cybercriminals , dub “ the Com ” by researchers , which has emerge in recent years as a large unfixed meshing of mostly young adults that surpass in social engineering and caricature tactics , such as tricking employee into giving over their incorporated passwords . accord to Cyberscoop , the FBI recentlydescribed the Com as a “ very declamatory , talkative , disbursed group of individuals”said to involve around 1,000 people around the world . Some of the Com ’s activities haveinvolved the habit of physical violence and threats , including attack against spar hacker .
Those associate with the Com , albeit through unlike grouping names and ascription , have been charge for cyberattacks direct Las Vegascasino giants MGMandCaesars Entertainment .
Earlier this class , U.S. public prosecutor charged a 19 - yr - onetime Florida occupier with multiple counting of telegram fraud , identity larceny and conspiracy . Security newsman Brian Krebslinked the alleged hack to the 0ktapus gang .
