Kaius
June 21st, 2011, 10:05 AM
A British teenager suspected of being a mastermind behind notorious international computer hacking group LulzSec has been arrested in a joint police operation.
The arrest of the 19-year-old, from Essex, comes just days after the group claimed it brought down the US Central Intelligence Agency's website .
The alleged hack on CIA.gov occurred on the same day Lulz Security opened a telephone request line so its fans could suggest potential targets.
On Twitter, the group wrote: "Tango down - CIA.gov - for the lulz".
The FBI and Scotland Yard launched an investigation immediately and detectives from the force's e-crime unit swooped on the teen's home in Wickford on Monday.
LulzSec has risen to prominence in recent months, claiming credit for attacks on Sony and Nintendo, as well as the UK's Serious Organised Crime Agency, the public-facing site of the US Senate and the CIA.
Sky's Home Affairs correspondent Mark White said if the teen is found to be involved than he could be extradited to America to face trial.
Police said the teen is being questioned under the Computer Misuse Act and Fraud Act.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said searches at his residential address following his arrest led to "the examination of a significant amount of material".
He added: "The arrest follows an investigation into network intrusions and distributed denial of service attacks against a number of international business and intelligence agencies by what is believed to be the same hacking group."
The Met and Essex Police are working "in cooperation" with the FBI, the spokesman said.
The teenager remains in custody at a central London police station.
Source (http://uk.news.yahoo.com/essex-teen-arrested-fbi-global-hacking-probe-112812588.html)
The arrest of the 19-year-old, from Essex, comes just days after the group claimed it brought down the US Central Intelligence Agency's website .
The alleged hack on CIA.gov occurred on the same day Lulz Security opened a telephone request line so its fans could suggest potential targets.
On Twitter, the group wrote: "Tango down - CIA.gov - for the lulz".
The FBI and Scotland Yard launched an investigation immediately and detectives from the force's e-crime unit swooped on the teen's home in Wickford on Monday.
LulzSec has risen to prominence in recent months, claiming credit for attacks on Sony and Nintendo, as well as the UK's Serious Organised Crime Agency, the public-facing site of the US Senate and the CIA.
Sky's Home Affairs correspondent Mark White said if the teen is found to be involved than he could be extradited to America to face trial.
Police said the teen is being questioned under the Computer Misuse Act and Fraud Act.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said searches at his residential address following his arrest led to "the examination of a significant amount of material".
He added: "The arrest follows an investigation into network intrusions and distributed denial of service attacks against a number of international business and intelligence agencies by what is believed to be the same hacking group."
The Met and Essex Police are working "in cooperation" with the FBI, the spokesman said.
The teenager remains in custody at a central London police station.
Source (http://uk.news.yahoo.com/essex-teen-arrested-fbi-global-hacking-probe-112812588.html)