Due to a “stupid mistake”, the registration addresses of all Austrians – from the Federal President – ended up on the Internet. A Dutchman converted the treasure trove of data into money.
In the midst of the corona pandemic, it was early June 2020, an alleged hacker attack on the ORF fee receipt made headlines. At the time, data was allegedly stolen from the GIS on a large scale, with the trail initially leading to Serbia.
Today it is clear: Due to carelessness, the registration data of all Austrians – including high-ranking politicians and celebrities – ended up on the Internet for almost a week. At the time, GIS commissioned a well-known IT company to redesign their database. An employee probably made the faux pas, the Austrian population register practically went online.
BK detectives appeared as buyers
An easy game for a hacker who hid behind the pseudonym “DataBox” at the time. He siphoned off the data and tried to sell it (see excerpt above). And, in fact, he found a buyer—namely, a Federal Criminal Investigation Department detective who had already become deeply involved in the case.
The district inspector – who wishes to remain anonymous – eventually bought the dataset for a few thousand euros and also received an undertaking from the hacker that he would no longer offer the data for sale. Although this initially averted the risk of further spread, the real work for the cyber agent has only just begun. Namely, the hunt for the data thief in the real world.
The FBI was also involved
The track led to New Zealand and then via Germany to the Netherlands. In the course of the investigation, which has dragged on for more than two years, several police authorities, including the American FBI, appeared.
The handcuffs recently clicked for a 25-year-old Dutchman with Turkish roots. He is considered an international leader in the hacker scene and is said to have stripped no fewer than 130,000 (!) data records worldwide and converted them into money. Unlike in Austria, the suspect faces a long prison sentence.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
