NEW
YORK – Hackers who paid $40 for a sinister software program called BlackShades
stole sexually explicit photographs from personal computers, trained victims’
webcams on them using a remote access tool, and threatened victims who tried to
block the online intrusions, prosecutors said Monday as they announced charges
against BlackShades users.
Justice
officials said BlackShades, which had thousands of customers and infected about
half a million computers worldwide, underscored the global threat of
cybercrime.
“It
is without doubt one of the greatest threats to our country,” the U.S. attorney
in Manhattan, Preet Bharara, said at a news conference hours officials in
Washington announced charges against members of the Chinese military for
allegedly hacking into computers of U.S. companies.
Prosecutors
in New York did not provide details about victims of BlackShades and its
flagship feature, Remote Access Tool, or RAT, which let users hijack victims’
computers. But last year, officials said they found evidence that BlackShades
had been used to spy on Miss Teen USA 2013 Cassidy Wolf.
Jared
James Abrahams, 20, a college student from Temecula, Calif., was sentenced to
18 months in federal prison in March after pleading guilty to computer hacking
and extortion in that case.
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| Preet Bharara |
Bharara
said one of BlackShades’ alleged co-creators, Alex Yucel, a Swedish citizen,
had been arrested in Moldova and was awaiting extradition to the United States.
Also arrested was Brendan Johnston of Thousand Oaks, Calif., who is accused of
selling BlackShades to others and providing technical support to customers
between August 2011 and September 2012.
Others
charged with offenses such as conspiracy to commit computer hacking and access
device fraud include Kyle Fedorek of New York, who allegedly bought and used
the software; Marlen Rappa, a BlackShades customer in New Jersey; and Michael
Hogue, a co-creator of BlackShades. Hogue was arrested in June 2012 in Arizona
and cooperated with the government in the investigation.
According
to the FBI, BlackShades had sales of more than $350,000 between September 2010
and April 2014. Buyers came from more than 100 countries. The software allowed
anyone with $40, a computer, and Internet access to hack into victims’
computers anywhere in the world.
“BlackShades
made taking over a computer so easy, even a caveman could do it,” said Leo
Taddeo, chief of the cybercrimes unit of the FBI office in New York.
The
RAT feature enabled hackers to intrude on victims’ privacy “in the most
sinister way,” Bharara said.
Among
other things, prosecutors say users could “lock” victims’ files, making them
inaccessible; access victims’ keystrokes; use a victim’s webcam to spy on them;
access their passwords; view their private photographs; and send messages and
emails which, when clicked on by unwitting recipients, would cause further
infection.
Yucel,
24, a Swedish citizen, faces charges that each carry penalties of up to 15
years in prison. Johnston, 23, could face up to 10 years in prison on each of
two counts of computer hacking.
Fedorek,
26, of Stony Point, N.Y., and Rappa, 41, of Middletown Township, N.J., each
also face up to 10 years in prison on various charges.
Hogue,
23, of Maricopa, Ariz., has pleaded guilty to computer hacking and cooperated
with prosecutors in a plea deal. He has not yet been sentenced.
Prosecutors
said the arrests are the latest resulting from an investigation involving
officials in 19 countries. So far, more than 90 people have been arrested in
connection with BlackShades.
Bharara
warned anyone who bought the software to come forward. “At a minimum, they
should stop doing what they’re doing,” he said. Although it is hard to get
everyone who bought BlackShades, he added, investigators continue to search for
buyers, and the FBI has counted more than 6,000 customer accounts.
“It’s
hard to get at everyone,” he said. “We’ll keep working on getting as many other
people brought to justice as possible.”
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