UK Tabloids Doxxed the 'Hero' Hacker Who Stopped a Global Cyberattack (theoutline.com)

The UK-based security researcher, who "accidentally" halted the spread of the ransomware Wanna Decryptor over the weekend, has been doxxed by UK tabloids. From a report: [...] Journalists have published his name against his will, bringing him unwanted attention and sending a signal to privacy-sensitive researchers that no good deed goes unpunished. The researcher, writing under the username MalwareTechBlog, published a blog post on his personal site with findings about the virus, explaining how it was stopped and what would have to be done to prevent it from coming back. News outlets, including the Daily Mail, The Guardian, and CNN called the anonymous researcher a hero. The researcher was initially responsive to press inquiries. He told reporters that he was 22, lived in the south of England with his parents, and worked for an L.A. security firm. However, he told The Guardian that he wanted to remain anonymous "because it just doesn't make sense to give out my personal information, obviously we're working against bad guys and they're not going to be happy about this." It took about a day for UK papers, including The Mail, The Sun, The Telegraph, and The Mirror, to suss out the researcher's name and publish photos of him, show up at his house, and track down his friends and associates for interviews. "It's caused a fair bit of stress," he told Forbes. "I don't want fame."

Comments

The media really is terrible

[hsmith]

They don't care what gets in their way as long as it leads to a "juicy story" and will ruin every life in the way to get it. Reporters, well anyone employed at these garbage "papers" are vile disgusting people.

It isn't really "fake news" as Orange Jesus would say, just garbage news.

Transparancy

[Avarist]

Those tabloids are a sore on humanity but we must remember, they exist because it works, because people fall for the clickbait. Tackle the cause not the symptom.

Good work

[Anonymous Coward]

Not you, UK tabloids. But the /. editor who removed the guy's name from the summary. The issue at stake is newsworthy to Slashdot reader, but at the end, the name of the person isn't.

Irresponsible and possibly dangerous

[bjdevil66]

Good press: Exposing bad actors in a conspiracy that are trying to remain anonymous.

Bad press: Exposing an accidental good actor that specifically asked to remain anonymous so he could do his work.

This was like outing a police officer's name and address after he nails a low-level gang leader. It could get very messy for this 22 year old online. Hacked social media accounts, DDOSed any personally managed online resources (web servers, etc.). And that's if it's a low-level script kiddie type trying to make some cash - and not some more malevolent group.

Celebrity isn't what you want in that line of work...

Re:F*ck the Pressitutes

[Holi]

Liberal? You mean the Daily Mail, the Telegraph, and the Sun? Those paragons a the liberal ideology?? (hint, I am being a tad bit sarcastic here).

Think this might go a bit beyond progressive/conservative ideology.

Might have more to do with Britain's complete and utter lack of respect of personal privacy. Sorry Brit's you let it happen after the IRA attacks, camera's everywhere, and now the idea of an expectation of privacy is a myth in your country.