A massive computer hacking conspiracy hits close to home in Illinois. The United States charged two men for their participation in a conspiracy to hack into the computer systems of over 30 public and private organizations, including the United States Navy and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. The single-count Information alleges that 20-year old Daniel T. Krueger of Salem, Illinois and 27-year old Nicholas P. Knight of Chantilly, Virginia conspired to hack computers and computer systems as part of a plan to steal identities, obstruct justice, and damage a protected computer. According to the Information, in June 2012, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service detected a breach of the U.S. Navy’s Smart Web Move database. Prior to this breach, the Navy used SWM to manage transfers for service members of all branches of the military. The SWM database stored sensitive personal records, including Social Security numbers, names, and dates of birth, for approximately 220,000 service members. The SWM hackers were initially known only by their online aliases as members of a hacking group called Team Digi7al (pronounced “Digital”). However, the NCIS investigation, later assisted by investigators of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (“DCIS”), identified Knight and Krueger as the alleged hackers. The Information alleges that Knight, Krueger, and other Team Digi7al co-conspirators hacked the computer systems of over thirty public and private organizations to steal sensitive information. The Information also charges that Krueger completed the technical hacking work of the SWM database and claimed to do so “out of boredom.” At the time of the hacking attacks, Krueger was a student at an Illinois community college where he studied network administration. The charges contained in the Information are only allegations. If convicted, Knight and Krueger face a maximum penalty of 5 years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine, in addition to paying restitution to the victims of the crime.
Posted on: Wed, 07 May 2014 16:15:52 +0000
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