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Man Arrested For Hacking 130 Celebrities (softpedia.com)

An anonymous reader writes: A man was arrested after trying to sell Hollywood movie scripts and social security numbers to an undercover DHS agent. The hacker known online as Jeff Moxey managed to hack the computers of 130 celebrities, from where he stole, besides scripts, nude pics and sexually-explicit videos. "The scope of the crime here is potentially quite large," Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy Greenberg said, adding that the investigation began a few weeks ago.

46 of 82 comments (clear)

  1. Obviously Important by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Just ignore those two million target customers, the plethora of IRS defrauds, virtually every medical coverage provider and well literally five thousand more important and larger breaches.

    At least they have less time to spy on the public if they have to track down everyone who creeps on j lo.

  2. Security has not kept pace with technology by TWX · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why do celebrities, who literally have a portion of their trade tied-up in appearance and being desired, record sexual materials to devices that they don't fully understand the workings of? While it's not right for individuals to breach their accounts to copy their pictures, it is a known behavior that some people will do, and as it's a known danger it's the individual's responsibility to take steps to prevent this. If the technology of using Internet-connected devices and Internet services isn't understood, then the only solution is to avoid using Internet-connected devices. Use friggin' offline digital cameras if you want your naughty pictures, or go even more old-school and use an instant film camera.

    There have been examples when "share my day" services for social media sites have shared naked pictures, publicly, automatically, as a matter of course. The settings of the phone's application were to share a sample of pictures automatically. That's STUPID.

    --
    Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    1. Re:Security has not kept pace with technology by pr0fessor · · Score: 1

      There is no such thing as bad publicity?

    2. Re:Security has not kept pace with technology by coolmoe2 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Well im sure the value of lets say Danny Trejo nudes is questionable at best

    3. Re:Security has not kept pace with technology by siphonophore · · Score: 4, Insightful

      This is a failure of industry, not a failure of individuals. Do we require drivers to be mechanics? Fliers to be aeronautical engineers?

      Starting from zero, it is astoundingly complicated to maintain personal information security--we don't see it like fish don't see water. Industry's response can't be to limit the market for connected devices to themselves.

      --
      Dance like you're hurt, Love like you need money, and work when somebody's watching.
      -Scott Adams
    4. Re:Security has not kept pace with technology by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      Most likely because their spouse/boy/girlfriend harasses them until they do. That seems to be the normal reason.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    5. Re:Security has not kept pace with technology by pr0fessor · · Score: 4, Funny

      I don't know it could replace the rickroll...

    6. Re: Security has not kept pace with technology by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      They're specifically not talking about who is at fault - they're talking about protecting your assets (in the case of celebs their public image) from known risks.

    7. Re:Security has not kept pace with technology by wisnoskij · · Score: 1

      No celebrities have ever done anything but benefit from leaked sex videos and naked pictures.

      --
      Troll is not a replacement for I disagree.
    8. Re:Security has not kept pace with technology by coolmoe2 · · Score: 1

      Wow so celebrities never tell their SO's no!! I should have gone to acting school. FML

    9. Re:Security has not kept pace with technology by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      No, but we require drivers to know how to operate their vehicle safely so they are no threat to themselves or others.

      Since you can't kill someone with a computer by being a complete idiot, any moron is allowed to use one and hook it to the internet.

      If you want to find a analogy, try one where someone using the item in question doesn't require to be LICENSED to use it.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    10. Re: Security has not kept pace with technology by zlives · · Score: 1

      so... you were asking for it?

    11. Re:Security has not kept pace with technology by war4peace · · Score: 2

      Crack, Hookers and Alcohol.
      Three major reasons for recording explicit scenes on their devices.

      --
      ...gis sdrawkcab (usually not responding to ACs; don't bother posting as AC)
    12. Re:Security has not kept pace with technology by rtb61 · · Score: 2

      These pseudo celebrities are nothing but fabrications of PR=B$ studios, with a manage public personality used to sell products that in reality has very little to do with their true narcissistic self serving nature. Which when exposed, disrupts their ability to believably lie about the products they are meant to sell and thus ending their career of self serving deceit, so says family man comedian Bill Cosby, hey, hey, hey, want some candy :|. So exposing pseudo celebrity lies is a crime because it impacts advertising revenues, although in reality it is of benefit to society because it exposes the rampant deceit, immorality and down right disgusting nature of that industry.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    13. Re:Security has not kept pace with technology by AHuxley · · Score: 1

      A lot of powerful propaganda and marketing goes into every generation of US product to ensure the world knows the service is "secure".
      Political leaders bemoan the lack of US police access. City, state and federal police agencies get a lot of press coverage about how their top experts can get into domestic consumer networks.
      News stories mostly cover how a warrant was used just to get an ip from social media.
      To the wider public that is a sign of good networking products.
      The vast amounts of parallel construction in the US and UK gets less media attention over the decades.

      --
      Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
    14. Re:Security has not kept pace with technology by TWX · · Score: 1

      A different analogy that might be more relevant for you is card-skimmers. What do you really need to reliably ID a good card skimmer? An engineering degree and about 5 years of experience with electromechanical product design. Is it reasonable for the bank to require us to ID them?

      Actually I identify card skimmers based on first knowing what my bank's ATMs look like, and secondly being willing to pick-at anything on the face of the ATM that doesn't look right. To protect myself from card skimmers at other places I obscure the keypad when I enter my PIN to make it harder for even a skimmed card to be used, and I still inspect the machine for the antitampering stickers, the condition of the locks, and any bits that are not firmly affixed and might have been added by someone.

      It's not that difficult to protect one's self from this sort of thing even without electronics knowledge.

      --
      Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    15. Re:Security has not kept pace with technology by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      Because despite appearances celebrities are human beings as well. They probably crave real relationships and intimacy more than most, in fact.

      And to be fair, when the last big leak happened, it wasn't their fault. They took the proper security measures. Apple screwed up by not rate limiting guesses for account recovery questions and not enabling two factor authentication for icloud.

      Apple said it was secure. It wasn't.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    16. Re:Security has not kept pace with technology by citizenr · · Score: 1

      because rubbing your clit in front of a mirror lands you a role in De Niro movie.

      --
      Who logs in to gdm? Not I, said the duck.
    17. Re:Security has not kept pace with technology by hankwang · · Score: 1

      Your approach requires dedication and a good memory, for everyone. Good for you, but the burden should be on the banks and providers of payment terminals.

      Most ATMs here in the Netherlands show a picture on the screen of what the card slot (and anti-tamper protrusions) should look like. That's a cheap and effective solution. A bigger problem used to be the payment terminals in stores and train stations, of which there are too many models to remember what they should look like. But with the transition to chip/EMV a few years ago, we no longer swipe our card, eliminating the risk of magstripe skimming.

      And to deter magstripe skimming even more, at least one bank blocks the use of their debit cards outside Western Europe (i.e. non-EMV countries), unless the customer specifically requests a temporary unblock for a specific country.

    18. Re:Security has not kept pace with technology by houghi · · Score: 1

      Well, in some countries drivers at least have to have some knowledge of their car and need a license. Some countries ask fliers to be skilled to use the flying apparatus.

      So even though they do not need tie be mechanics or engineers, they need to have basic to advanced knowledge of the things they operate.

      So I do not think that if you want to protect your brand and image, having some knowledge is too far fetched. Especially when this is not the first time something like this happened. They ARE aware that this happens and yet they choose not to do anything about it.

      --
      Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    19. Re:Security has not kept pace with technology by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      To stay in the analogy, they know how to hit the accelerator and how to point the steering wheel. More or less. They may know how to operate the brakes. Do they know how to parallel park? Or do they just drop the car wherever they are and then complain that it ain't there anymore because they not only left it in the middle of the road but with the key in the ignition and the gear in Drive?

      There is still a bit of a difference between knowing some operations of a machine and how to operate it responsibly and safely.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    20. Re:Security has not kept pace with technology by TheGoodNamesWereGone · · Score: 1

      In this day and age of a culture that has flatlined completely, I don't know whay they're complaining. Aren't sex-tapes a career-booster? smh

    21. Re:Security has not kept pace with technology by TheGoodNamesWereGone · · Score: 1

      No, it isn't. Don't take nude pictures/video of yourself. Problem solved.

  3. Great headline there by fustakrakich · · Score: 4, Funny

    Right outta Hitchcock

    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
  4. The fappening part two by coolmoe2 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Will be on indefinite hold while the owner starts a kickstart campaign for upstart cash and bail.

  5. Re:Just... by U2xhc2hkb3QgU3Vja3M · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Yeah, pics or it didn't happen.

  6. Where he went wrong by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Where he went wrong was he got greedy.

    If he had just dumped them online, instead of trying to make a profit, then he likely wouldn't have been caught.

    Now he's in jail, and the data is gone. Thanks a lot, asshole.

  7. DHS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Why the hell would DHS being involved? This seems more like an FBI thing. I don't exactly understand how this is a homeland security issue.

    1. Re:DHS? by BlueStrat · · Score: 2

      Why the hell would DHS being involved? This seems more like an FBI thing. I don't exactly understand how this is a homeland security issue.

      Good thing the perp wasn't Muslim. DHS allowed the San Bernadino attack to happen, yet they're all over this. Listen to the interview of Philip Haney (near the bottom of the page in two parts).

      http://www.breitbart.com/big-g...

      Very telling as to where US government priorities are.

      Strat

      --
      Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.
    2. Re:DHS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Which just reinforces the question, how is celebrity nudes or movie script drafts an "Immigration and Customs Enforcement" issue?

    3. Re:DHS? by BlueStrat · · Score: 1

      Do you realize that "to Brietbart" has entered the lexicon as a verb that means "To lie about by taking statements out of context and/or maliciously editing" after willfully serving as an outlet for James O'Keefe? A thinking person would sooner trust the National Inquirer's latest report on BatBoy.

      That said, the DHS is the worst kind of administrative cancer: Instead of overseeing things and keeping them working together (like an administration is supposed to), it has instead become corruptly obsessed with perpetuating infinite amounts of red tape, preventing useful work and demoralizing everyone. You can trace the collapse of the Secret Service to the day the DHS ate it and smothered it in red tape.

      Facts are facts regardless of who reports them.

      Are you saying that Breitbart made up the interview with former DHS official and whistle-blower Philip Haney? Had him read a script?

      Sounds to me more like DHS damage control shills on the job.

      Strat

      --
      Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.
    4. Re:DHS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Sure they are.

      They're also making bank off marijuana coming from Mexico, if you believed the advertisements after 9/11.

      Meanwhile, nobody wants to say shit to Turkey - a real source of cash - because we're one big happy NATO family. Or Saudi Arabia, because our presidents all seem to love bowing and manly kisses.

      DHS is involved because the Patriot Act and accompanying security theatre was only ever meant for one purpose: plain old law enforcement.

  8. Punishment to fit the crime by Tokolosh · · Score: 1

    $20 says he gets double the sentence he would have if he had broken into a house, cracked a safe and stolen said goods.

    --
    Prove anything by multiplying Huge Number times Tiny Number
    1. Re:Punishment to fit the crime by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      $50 says he gets at least twice the sentence he had gotten for hacking into medical data of a million people.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  9. Re:I just bought an Apple Watch for my girlfriend by Calydor · · Score: 1

    This post doesn't reek of advertisement at all.

    --
    -=This sig has nothing to do with my comment. Move along now=-
  10. FBI was all over Target, perpetrators in prison by raymorris · · Score: 4, Informative

    > Just ignore those two million target customers

    Ignore it, rather than thoroughly investigating and catching the perpetrators like they did? I don't know about the outcome in every single case, but I have researched and written about Target and TJ Maxx. Those feds did their job. Several federal agencies and some state are very active in investigating the types of cases you mentioned. Also, I've spoken to the FBI team primarily interested in what seem to be small-time attacks, who track patterns of malware on consumer desktops etc. If you let them know about attacks you have experienced you may not personally hear back a out the prosecution, but they do include your report in their investigation of trends.

    1. Re:FBI was all over Target, perpetrators in prison by raymorris · · Score: 1

      I was actually thinking of Albert Gonzalez and the rest of ShadowCrew, arrested for TJ Maxx, Dave & Busters, and others.

      Indeed in the Target case the original perpetrators seem to be in Russia and Ukraine, so arrests have been of individuals with dozens to hundreds of counterfeit cards in their possession at the time of their arrest, who were responsible for anywhere between tens of thousands to millions in fraudulent transactions with the Target data. So still not insignificant, though they probably weren't the original perpetrators.

  11. Re:I just bought an Apple Watch for my girlfriend by alantus · · Score: 2

    The gift that says "I love you".

    I was initially looking at Fitbits and Android based devices, but these are ugly and not special. They just mean nothing.

    For this Christmas, I recommend "Apple Watch", if you care about someone special.

    Good idea! That way she gets to see your message every day when she charges it. Or even more often, if she actually uses it.

    Until the new version comes out in a few months, and you'll bend over and fork $500 more to buy it, and hers ends up in a landfill in a third world country.

  12. Man Arrested For Hacking 130 Celebrities .. by nickweller · · Score: 1

    "The hacker known online as Jeff Moxey managed to hack the computers of 130 celebrities

    By any chance would these 'computers' be running on Microsoft Windowsâ.

  13. Re:Just... by quenda · · Score: 1

    Yeah, pics or it didn't happen.

    You sick bastard ... oh, *that* kind of hacking. I thought this was a Charles Manson kind of story.

  14. What with? by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

    Man Arrested For Hacking 130 Celebrities

    What with, an axe?

    I hope Katie Hopkins was on the list...

    --
    systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  15. Re:I just bought an Apple Watch for my girlfriend by waspleg · · Score: 1

    I have a highly intelligent senior engineer friend with one. I asked him what it does he just stared at me. I said, "So, it's just supposed to look expensive?". No comment. I think that sums up most of what Apple does.

  16. forward as an ATTACHMENT (for full headers) by raymorris · · Score: 1

    Forward the email as an ATTACHMENT, or otherwise ensure full headers are included. Printing would also work, but be sure all the headers are included. There will be 6-30 lines headers, some of which start with the word "Received:". The "received" headers are important.

  17. Go home DHS. You're drunk. by eric_harris_76 · · Score: 1

    And why is the Department of Homeland Security involved in this particular crime? Will the unauthorized release of a movie script endanger the general public?

    Pfaw!

    --
    There's no time like the present. Well, the past used to be.
  18. never met an American programmer or sysadmin by raymorris · · Score: 1

    If you think having Americans do it will make it secure, you clearly haven't seen much American-written code. Hint - Microsoft is an American company, Linux is from Finland and all over the world.

    H1-B abuse is a problem ; a problem unrelated to security. US programmers are actually LESS cognizant of long-term consequences and security than are the Chinese, Japanese, or eastern Europe.

  19. Re:I just bought an Apple Watch for my girlfriend by bhiestand · · Score: 1

    One actual use case: a lot of waiters, waitresses, and other service workers are not allowed to check their phones at work. They are, however, allowed to wear a watch and glance at it.

    Somebody recently told me his girlfriend loved hers because she could read messages at work as they came in.

    --
    SWM seeks new sig for a brief fling