Two Hackers From Cybercrime Group ‘Vile’ Charged With DEA Portal Breach
Gizmodo earlier reported that two members of cybercrime group ‘ViLE’, Sagar Steven Singh and Nicholas Ceraolo, have been charged for their alleged role in last year’s hack of the Drug Enforcement Agency’s web portal. The two allegedly used information from the federal database to extort victims. This breach resulted in nonpublic records of narcotics and currency seizures, as well as law enforcement intelligence reports, being stolen from the DEA.
Background
The hack of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) portal occurred last year and was reported by Krebs on Security. It is believed that the hack was made possible by a vulnerability in the system that allowed the two hackers to access nonpublic records and confidential documents related to ongoing investigations. The two hackers allegedly obtained personal information of both current and former law enforcement personnel, as well as confidential documents related to ongoing investigations. Furthermore, there is evidence that the hackers attempted to extort victims by threatening to publicly release sensitive data obtained from the DEA portal.
Investigation
In May 2022, law enforcement raided Nicholas Ceraolo’s home before searching Sagar Steven Singh’s residence in September. Singh was arrested in Pawtucket, Rhode Island while Ceraolo turned himself in shortly after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced its charges. The DOJ filed charges against both Singh and Ceraolo for their roles in the breach of the DEA portal.
Impact
The breach resulted in leaked personal information of both current and former law enforcement personnel, as well as confidential documents related to ongoing investigations. Furthermore, there is evidence that the hackers attempted to extort victims by threatening to publicly release sensitive data obtained from the DEA portal.
Charges
Both Singh and Ceraolo are facing charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, as well as one count of wire fraud and one count of accessing a protected computer without authorization. The charges stem from their involvement in the breach of the DEA portal, which resulted in stolen personal information and confidential documents related to ongoing investigations. If convicted, both Singh and Ceraolo could face lengthy prison sentences.
Conclusion
Sagar Steven Singh and Nicholas Ceraolo are currently facing charges for their roles in the hack of the DEA portal. It remains to be seen how the court case will play out and what penalties they may receive if convicted. However, it is clear that cybercrime is a growing problem in today’s digital age and that hackers must be held accountable for their actions.
