Arion Kurtaj, an 18-year-old autistic teenager, was apprehended as the primary suspect for hacking Rockstar’s system and gaining access to GTA 6 confidential data. The game developer alleges that the stolen code and videos caused approximately $7 million in damages. It is quite shocking to discover the tactics employed by these hacker groups to infiltrate private systems and access confidential data. Classified as “Strawberry Tempest” by Microsoft, the group’s objective is to secure a substantial ransom for the compromised data.
Teenage Hacks Rockstar with FireTV Stick, TV, and Phone
Arion Kurtaj had previously been apprehended for hacking Nvidia and BT/EE, while on bail. During police protection at a hotel, he continued his hacking exploits, utilizing an Amazon Firestick, hotel TV, and a mobile phone after his laptop was confiscated. Exploiting Rockstar Games’ messaging system on Slack, Arion issued a threat: contact him on Telegram within 24 hours, or he would release GTA 6’s source code. True to his word, Arion posted GTA clips and source code on various online forums.
The Lapsus$ hackers group employs various methods to infiltrate private networks. For instance, the Rockstar network system, primarily secured and managed through proper authentication, becomes a target. According to various analyses, Lapsus$ attempts to gain access by acquiring credentials from privileged employees. This data is often obtained by hacking into employees’ SIM cards, followed by using remote desktops to breach the network.
Arion Kurtaj has been deemed a serious threat by the court, leading to a lifetime imprisonment sentence in a mental hospital. Considered violent and dealing with acute autism, he remains highly motivated to re-enter the world of cybercrime at the earliest opportunity.
Source: Dailymail.co.uk / Wikipedia