Hackers charged with Xbox One, Valve, Call of Duty data theft

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The United States has charged four members of an international hacking ring with stealing up to $200 million in intellectual property and other data from Microsoft, Epic Games, Valve, Zombie Studios and the US Army. The hackers are charged with stealing software related to Xbox Live, Xbox One, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Gears of War 3.

"Specifically, the data cyber-theft allegedly included source code, technical specifications and related information for Microsoft's then-unreleased Xbox One gaming console; intellectual property and proprietary data related to Xbox Live, Microsoft's online multi-player gaming and media-delivery system; Apache helicopter simulator software developed by Zombie Studios for the US Army; a pre-release version of Epic's video game, Gears of War 3; and a pre-release version of Activision's video game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. The defendants also allegedly conspired to use, share and sell the stolen information," the US Department of Justice says in a press release.

The hacking group used SQL injection and stolen usernames and passwords to break into the targeted companies' networks. The men charged are Nathan Leroux, 20, of Bowie, Maryland; Sanadodeh Nesheiwat, 28, of Washington, New Jersey; David Pokora, 22, of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; and Austin Alcala, 18, of McCordsville, Indiana. Pokora and Nesheiwat have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit computer fraud and copyright infringement, both scheduled for sentencing in January.

"Pokora's plea is believed to be the first conviction of a foreign-based individual for hacking into US businesses to steal trade secret information," the Department of Justice says. Authorities in Australia have charged an Australian citizen in relation to this conspiracy.

You can read the story we posted with the warrant documents back in 2013 when SuperDae was arrested below.

SUPERDAE RAIDED OVER DURANGO (EXCLUSIVE WARRANT PICTURE)
http://www.thetechgame.com/News/article/sid=4125.html

Posted:
Related Forum: Xbox Forum

Source: http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/30/hackers-charged-with-xbox-one-valve-call-of-duty-data-theft/

Comments

"Hackers charged with Xbox One, Valve, Call of Duty data theft" :: Login/Create an Account :: 51 comments

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DragonPosted:

This is stupid. Hacking into big corporations, knowing you will get caught. Its just ignorant.

EnVPosted:

Dammmm. They are so young as well. If I was one of them I would've just got maybe like 10mill then leave haha.

DPMPosted:

200m is mental, at my age I go crazy when I get a tenner.

21Posted:

Damn. Hacking the US Army was obviously a really dumb idea though.

ZipsPosted:

There's always going to be hackers one way or another, just a shame.

TywinPosted:

They stole data from the US Army.
They're lucky that they're not getting an even worse punishment than they are now.

JesusOnAGoatPosted:

200m hahah thats too much! all i'd need is 1m haha

RipPosted:

Haha i need this lol i cant stop laughing

goonbagPosted:

thats a crazy 200 mil took it a step to far hahah

MandSPosted:

Why did they decide to go that far! Pretty stupid tbf