Here’s the government’s press release on Timothy French’s plea yesterday: A Tennessee man pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges he helped launch cyber-attacks on corporations, universities and governmental entities throughout the world. As a member of the hacking group “NullCrew,” TIMOTHY JUSTEN FRENCH exploited computer vulnerabilities to obtain unauthorized access and steal confidential…
Category: Business Sector
Wyndham caves, settles charges with FTC (updated)
I did not see this coming. Wyndham has settled FTC charges, bringing an end to a closely watched court case involving FTC’s authority to enforce data security. The case was the first one that hadn’t resulted in a consent order. Today’s settlement leaves only the LabMD as a challenge to FTC’s authority to enforce data…
Ca: The Cheesecake Company personnel files found in disposal bin
Bailey Hildebrand reports: One northwest restaurant’s potential mistake is a reminder for businesses to take special care of employee files. Stephen Webster said he was walking in a parking lot last Thursday when he saw file folders scattered in and around a blue disposal bin behind The Cheesecake Company — a restaurant in the midst of closing its…
NY: Developer arrested for theft of source code from former employer
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Diego Rodriguez, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the arrest of XU JIAQIANG for theft of a trade secret, in connection with XU’s theft of proprietary source code from XU’s former…
Elephant Bar alerts customers to possible payment card breach
Ron Ruggless reports: CM Ebar LLC, parent to the Elephant Bar restaurants, warned customers who used credit cards at the 29-unit chain between August and December that their data may have been breached, the company said Tuesday. The casual-dining operator said it was alerted to the potential security breach on Nov. 3, and it has…
NullCrew hacker pleads guilty
Jon Seidel reports that NullCrew member Timothy J. French pleaded guilty this morning in federal court in Chicago. NullCrew’s attacks on Bell Canada, University of Virginia, Spokeo, Comcast, and other entities have been covered in the past on this site (search NullCrew), and many of NullCrew’s “Fuck the System!” newsletters and YouTube videos remain available online. During one…