Hacker Who Helped Disrupt Cyberattacks Is Allowed to Walk Free

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/28/nyregion/hacker-who-helped-disrupt-cyberattacks-is-allowed-to-walk-free.html

By Benjamin Weiser
The New York Times
May 27, 2014

The New York man whose cooperation helped the authorities infiltrate the 
shadowy world of computer hacking and disrupt at least 300 cyberattacks on 
targets that included the United States military, courts and private 
companies was given a greatly reduced sentence on Tuesday of time served 
and allowed to walk free.

Federal prosecutors had sought leniency for the hacker, Hector Xavier 
Monsegur, citing his efforts in helping the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation take down an aggressive group of hackers who were part of 
the collective Anonymous, with which he had been involved, and its 
splinter groups, which had taken credit for attacking government and 
corporate websites.

Mr. Monsegur’s information, the authorities said, led to the arrest of 
eight “major co-conspirators,” including Jeremy Hammond, whom the F.B.I. 
had called its top “cybercriminal target” and who was sentenced to 10 
years in prison in November.

The judge, Loretta A. Preska of Federal District Court, gave Mr. Monsegur 
time served, calling his cooperation “truly extraordinary”; he had spent 
seven months in custody in 2012.

[...]

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