The FBI executed 35 search warrants across the U.S. on Tuesday as part of a concerted effort to bring those responsible for hacking PayPal and other companies to justice. More information about the anti-hacker offensive was released by the organization following its conclusion, including details on a potential LulzSec connection.
When the dust settled, 14 suspected hackers with possible ties to internet group Anonymous, as well as two other individuals who may have contributed (perhaps unknowingly) to upstart group LulzSec's divisive "50 Days of Lulz" campaign, were taken into custody and charged with conspiracy and intentional damage to a protected computer, said the FBI in a press release. The operation involved law enforcement in 11 states. The bulk of those arrested are in their 20s. One's name and age was not released.
Charges ostensibly stem from the group's involvement with Anonymous' "Operation Avenge Assange" - a far-reaching effort to cripple companies - such as PayPal and Mastercard - that cut off donations and other transactions involving WikiLeaks following its controversial leaking of top-secret U.S. cables last year. WikiLeaks subsequently attempted to separate itself from Anonymous and its DDoS attacks, asserting that it had "no contact" with the hacker group.
Though not related to the suspected Anonymous members, New Mexico resident Lance Moore and Floridian Scott Matthew Arciszewski were charged with similar crimes.
Moore, 21, allegedly took advantage of his approved contract work with AT&T and illegally accessed the company's servers, making off with scads of sensitive material which he then purportedly posted online. According to court documents, LulzSec quickly jumped on the leaked files and helped disseminate them. It's unclear if Moore and LulzSec were in cahoots prior to the attack.
Arciszewski, also 21, is accused of hacking FBI affiliate InfraGuard last month and then providing instructions via Twitter to aid others in similar ventures. LulzSec, who seemingly called it quits only to have a change of heart a few weeks later, had also targeted the infrastructure protection firm's Atlanta chapter in June. The charges against Arciszewski did not mention a connection, however.
The Anonymous-related arrests follow other global efforts to stop the cyber group. In June, three suspected Anonymous members were arrested in Spain and 32 more were apprehended in Turkey. Earlier this month, Italian authorities nabbed 15 citizens believed to have ties to the group. UK police also picked up five possible Anons in January.
