Bleeping Computer reports that a federal grand jury has indicted two Canadian men suspected of hacking multiple U.S. universities to conduct unauthorized cryptocurrency mining operations.
Ryan James Roach, 35, and Mathiew James Stubbings, 41, face charges including conspiracy to obtain information from a protected computer and intentional damage to protected systems. Prosecutors allege the pair used virtual private servers registered under fake names between June 2016 and December 2019 to infect networks at educational institutions in New York, Tennessee, North Carolina and Massachusetts. The defendants allegedly deployed malware to steal login credentials and utilize university supercomputers for crypto-mining. In some instances, they performed vulnerability research on the compromised networks to expand their access. The Department of Justice stated the pair caused at least $5,000 in damages to more than 10 computers. Roach was extradited to the United States on Oct. 28 and arraigned in November, while Stubbings awaits extradition from Canada. If convicted, each man faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. This case highlights the ongoing security challenges facing higher education institutions, which have recently seen a surge in data breaches involving sensitive donor and alumni information.
Source: Bleeping Computer
