**Hacker Gets Seven Years for Breaching Rotterdam and Antwerp Ports**

A Dutch national has been sentenced to seven years in prison by the Amsterdam Court of Appeal for multiple crimes, including computer hacking and attempted extortion. The 44-year-old defendant was arrested in 2021 and convicted in 2022 by the Amsterdam District Court, but he appealed the sentence citing unlawful interception of his communications.

The case against the defendant centered around his alleged involvement in breaching the IT systems of ports in Rotterdam, Barendrecht, and Antwerp. According to the court, the hacker used remote access tools to plant malware on internal systems, enabling him to exfiltrate data from databases and intercept sensitive information during transmission.

The authorities claimed that the defendant's ultimate goal was to import drugs undetected into the Netherlands and Belgium by exploiting vulnerabilities in port logistics firms. It is alleged that he worked with others to resell malware and instructions on how to use it, and even attempted extortion in connection with his activities.

The court rejected the defendant's claims of procedural violations related to the interception of his encrypted communications on Sky ECC, citing a lack of evidence to support these allegations. The prosecution had argued that Europol's successful cracking of the end-to-end encrypted service in 2021 led to the arrest of multiple users, including the CEO.

While the defendant was acquitted of one charge related to the importation of 5,000 kg of cocaine, he was found guilty on all other counts. The court stated that the defendant "is guilty of complicity in computer hacking" and had used his skills to facilitate drug trafficking by breaching port systems.

The sentence marks a significant blow to the defendant's attempts to appeal the original conviction. As the courts continue to grapple with the complexities of encrypted communication, this case serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of exploiting vulnerabilities in computer systems for illicit gain.

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