14 DAY TRIAL // Dmitry Olegovich Zubakha, a man accused of launching distributed-denial-of-service (DDOS) attacks on Amazon.com, has been arrested this week by authorities in Cyprus based on an international warrant, the Department of Justice revealed.
“The investigation culminating in the arrest of Dmitry Zubakha by authorities in Cyprus was extremely complex. The apprehension of Zubakha is the result of a concerted effort by the Secret Service, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington and the Seattle Police Department,” said James Helminski of the U.S. Secret Service in Seattle.
“I would also like to commend Amazon.com for its forthrightness and assistance in dealing with this series of computer network attacks which had the potential to adversely impact the company's ability to serve its customers.”
The 25-year-old Russian, was indicted in May 2011, being accused of launching DDOS attacks on the sites of Amazon, eBay and Priceline.com back in 2008.
The hacker is charged with conspiracy to intentionally cause damage to a protected computer, possession of more than 15 unauthorized access devices, aggravated identity theft, and intentionally causing damage to a computer resulting in a loss of over $5,000 (4,000 EUR).
According to court documents, Zubakha and a Russian accomplice utilized a botnet to attack Amazon.com on June 6 and June 9, 2008. At the time, the website’s activity was disrupted for several hours.
Furthermore, on the occasion of the DDOS launched against Priceline.com, his co-conspirator called the company and offered his services in aiding to stop the attack.
Officials once again highlight the fact that cybercriminals who attack organizations from the US will be prosecuted, even if they attempt to hide in other countries.
“These cyber bandits do serious harm to our businesses and their customers. But the old adage is true: the arm of the law is long,” said U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan.
“This defendant could not hide in cyberspace, and I congratulate the international law enforcement agencies who tracked him down and made this arrest.”
If he is found guilty, the suspect could spend more than 25 years in prison.