Federal agents have arrested an alleged member of a well-known hacking group in connection with an attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment where more than 37,000 users had their information stolen.
Cody Kretsinger, 23, of Tempe, Arizona, was arrested Thursday and was expected to make a court appearance later in the day in Phoenix, according to the FBI.
An indictment unsealed Thursday in Los Angeles charges Kretsinger, who went by the moniker "recursion," with one count each of conspiracy and unauthorized impairment of a protected computer.
The indictment alleges that between May 27, 2011 and June 2, 2011, Kretsinger and other members of the hacking group "LulzSec" breached Sony Pictures computers, allowing the group access to nearly 37,500 users' personal information.
Kretsinger and his coconspirators posted users information on LulzSec's website and then promoted the attack on Twitter, the indictment said.
The indictment also alleges that Kretsinger tried to hide his tracks, first by using a proxy server to mask his internet IP address, then later permanently erasing the computer hard drive used in the attack.
LulzSec has been linked to the hacking, or attempted hacking, of numerous targets including various websites that represent governmental or business entities, the FBI said.
Kretsinger appeared in U.S. District Court in Phoenix, and was released on his own recognizance, however the judge imposed travel restrictions and limited his computer use. He is schedule to appear in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on October 11th for a post indictment arraignment.
The investigation is ongoing, said FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller. If convicted, Kretsinger faces up to 15 years in prison,
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