A malware entrepreneur who sold malware online to other hackers has been jailed for almost five years in New York.
Alex Yucel, a 25-year-old Swede, sold the Blackshades remote access tool that allowed hackers to access private information and lock up computers, leading to more than half a million computers being infected.
Preet Bharara, US attorney, said: "Alex Yucel created, marketed, and sold software that was designed to accomplish just one thing – gain control of a computer, and with it, a victim’s identity and other important information.
"This malware victimised thousands of people across the globe and invaded their lives. But Yucel’s computer hacking days are now over."
Yucel sold Blackshades in more than 100 countries to thousands of cyber-crooks, advertising the malware on black market forums with a combination of features from various other viruses.
In addition to the above the malware could also log keystrokes and be used to perform denial of service attacks on other computers, all without the knowledge of the victim.
The malware could be bought for as little as $40 (£26) per copy, and would be delivered by tricking victims into clicking on malicious links, a typical method of hacking.
As well as selling the malware the Blackshades group, which Yucel operated, included a customer support service, a feature which is almost becoming standard in the malware market.
Between September 2010 and April 2014 sales of the virus generated sales of $350,000 (£223,000), $200,000 (£127,000) of which Yucel has forfeited as part of his conviction, alongside computer equipment.
The hacker was arrested in Moldova in November of 2013, and later became the first defendant ever to be extradited from that country to the US, where he pled guilty to computer hacking in February of this year.
Michael Hogue, the co-creator of Blackshades, also pled guilty in January 2013 but is still awaiting sentencing, whilst the group’s admin Brendan Johnston was sentenced last week to one year and a day in prison, having also pled guilty to his part in the scheme.
Marlen Rappa and Kyle Fedorek, customers of Blackshades, pled guilty last year to having used the malware, and have since been sentenced to one year and a day, and two years in prison respectively.
