Israeli Living in Mexico Arrested on Suspicion of Blackmailing Companies
Police cyber-unit inquiry showed he hacked firms, threatened to disclose data if they didn’t pay ransom totaling $530,000.
An Israel Police cyber unit at Ben-Gurion Airport arrested an Israeli man on suspicion of blackmail and attempting to extort 2 million shekels ($530,000) from a number of companies.
- U.S. Unveils anti-ISIS Cyber Coalition
- En Garde: A Close Look at Israel's Next War
- Israeli VC Hooked on Cyber Security
According to the investigation, the suspect hacked the computers of several companies and threatened to disclose sensitive information about them unless they paid a ransom. The suspect demanded to be paid in bitcoin.
The Israeli, who lives in Mexico, was tracked by Lahav 433’s cyber unit. Detectives were deployed at the airport and arrested the man as he returned to Israel.
The arrest followed a secret investigation using a so-called Darknet file-sharing network. Darknets are private networks, participation in which is supposed to be limited only to people who know and trust each other.
The suspect will be brought before a judge in Rishon Lezion for an extension of his remand.
Click the alert icon to follow topics:
Comments
ICYMI
Yair Lapid Is the Most Israeli of All
El Al to Stop Flying to Toronto, Warsaw and Brussels
Roe v. Wade: The Supreme Court Leaves a Barely United States
How a Spanish Beach Town Became a Haven for Nazis
What's Ayelet Shaked's Next Move?
