14 DAY TRIAL // US prosecutors have finally brought official charges to the three men arrested in relation to the hacking of 12 international companies, including 9 financial institutions, between 2007 and 2014.
The three, Gery Shalon, Joshua Samuel Aaron and Ziv Orenstein, are now facing 23 charges of computer hacking, wire fraud, identity theft, illegal Internet gambling, and conspiring to commit money laundering. All three are Israeli citizens. Based on their level of involvement, they will face different charges.
9 financial institutions were breached
US Attorney Preet Bharara made the announcement at a press conference in Manhattan, on November 10.
US authorities claim the hackers managed to breach, steal and use data from companies like JPMorgan Chase, Scottrade, The Wall Street Journal, E*Trade Financial Corp, TD Ameritrade, News Corp, and seven other more, which were not yet named.
During their operations, the hackers managed to compromise data for over 100 million users of the aforementioned companies. Authorities arrested the three hackers earlier this year.
Hackers used the infamous Heartbleed bug in their attacks
To carry out their attacks, the three used the infamous Heartbleed vulnerability to compromise servers belonging to their targets.
Once information was obtained from one company, the hackers would then use it to hack another one, or make fraudulent transactions on the securities market.
Information from law enforcement points the finger at Shalon, 31, as being the group's leader and mastermind. Besides carrying out the hacks, Shalon and his partner, Orenstein, are also facing charges of illegally running 12 Internet-based casinos.
A fourth man, Anthony Murgio, 31, from Florida, USA, was also arrested on charges of illegal Bitcoin exchanges. Prosecutors did not provide other detail, but his name was mentioned during a special US Attorney press conference, so common sense makes us believe he was also involved somehow.
Based on their charges, all three, separately, face tens of years in prison.