A man from Kitchener has admitted to his involvement in a cyber attack on a U.S.-based cloud services company that affected over 165 organizations, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Connor Moucka, 26, confessed to conspiring with other hackers to steal sensitive information from the software service and then blackmailing the victims for ransom payments, as per a news release from the department.
Moucka pleaded guilty to four counts, including computer and wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. He is set for sentencing on Oct. 27, facing a minimum of two years in prison for identity theft and up to 30 years for the other charges.
The cyber hacking scheme, in which Moucka played a role, involved the theft of billions of sensitive customer records, which were then advertised for sale on online crime platforms. While the companies affected were not named, they included major U.S. telecommunications, retail, and health care companies.
The indictment states that Moucka and his partners extorted around $2.5 million in cryptocurrency from their victims. In one instance, Moucka used data obtained from the breach to extort funds, earning himself at least $495,000.
The impact of the hacking spree resulted in losses of over $9.5 million for the targeted companies, excluding any losses faced by their customers. Moucka was apprehended and extradited from Canada following an FBI investigation supported by law enforcement agencies in Canada, Turkey, Ukraine, Spain, and Australia.
Initially pleading not guilty to all charges, Moucka eventually surrendered for extradition in March last year.
Keyphrase: Cyber Attack Scheme