UK Sentences "Serial Hacker" to 20 Months in Prison

A shocking case of cybercrime has come to a close in the UK, as a 26-year-old hacker known for claiming to have hacked thousands of websites was sentenced to 20 months in prison. Al-Tahery Al-Mashriky, from Rotherham, UK, pleaded guilty to nine charges under the Computer Misuse Act earlier this year, bringing an end to his reign of digital terror.

Al-Mashriky's Notorious Reputation

According to authorities, Al-Mashriky had claimed on a forum that he had hacked over 3,000 websites. However, forensic evidence suggests that this figure may have been exaggerated. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the extent of his hacking activities, it is clear that Al-Mashriky was involved in some serious cybercrime.

The Extent of His Crimes

Analyzed by authorities, forensic evidence revealed that Al-Mashriky had stolen login details of millions of Facebook users and hacked websites belonging to the government in Yemen, an Israeli news outlet, organizations in the US, and Canada. In many cases, he defaced targeted sites with political or religious messages, causing significant disruption to their users and organizations.

The Motive Behind His Actions

According to Paul Foster, head of the NCA's National Cyber Crime Unit, Al-Mashriky's attacks were driven by his affiliation with extremist groups such as 'Spider Team' and 'Yemen Cyber Army'. "Al-Mashriky's attacks crippled the websites targeted, causing significant disruption to their users and the organisations, just so that he could push the political and ideological views of the 'Yemen Cyber Army'," Foster stated.

The Consequences of His Actions

Al-Mashriky's actions had serious consequences for his victims. He stole personal data that could have been used to target and defraud millions of people. His hacking activities also put the security of many organizations at risk.

The Sentence

In a significant outcome, Al-Mashriky pleaded guilty to nine charges under the Computer Misuse Act in March, resulting in a sentence of 20 months from Sheffield Crown Court. The sentence was seen as a significant deterrent against cybercrime and a clear message that hacking and stealing personal data would not be tolerated.

HACKER_BLOG

UK SENTENCES “SERIAL HACKER” OF 3,000 SITES TO 20 MONTHS IN PRISON