Two members of the LulzSec hacking group pleaded guilty in United Kingdom courts to taking part in cyber-attacks on several Internet sites in the U.K. and overseas, including Sony Pictures, Nintendo, HBGary and Britain’s National Health Service.
Two reputed members of the hacking group Lulz
Security (LulzSec) pleaded guilty in the United Kingdom today to charges
related to Website attacks in the U.K. and in other countries, according to reports.
Ryan Cleary, 20, and Jake Davis, 19, admitted
to conspiring with other members of LulzSec to hack a number of Websites in 2011,
including Sony Pictures, HBGary, Britain's National Health Service and
Nintendo. Cleary pleaded guilty to a total of six charges out of eight, and
Davis to two out of four.
Formed in May 2011, LulzSec has been tied by
authorities in the United States and the United Kingdom to attacks on a number
of targets, ranging from sites belonging to Irish political party Fine Gael to
the Fox Broadcasting company.
As part of his plea, Cleary admitted
involvement in hacking into U.S. Air Force computers based at the Pentagon in
Washington, D.C. However according to the newspaper
The
Guardian, both Cleary and Davis denied allegations they posted
"unlawfully obtained confidential computer data" to public Websites,
including LulzSec, Pirate Bay and PasteBin, in order to encourage offenses
contrary to the Serious Crime Act.
Earlier this month, a grand jury in
California indicted Cleary on hacking charges as well, though it remains to be
seen if he will be extradited. Cleary faces a U.S. federal indictment in
relation to his cyber-attacks, but his attorney has said she would "
fiercely
contest" any moves to extradite her client to the U.S. A spokesperson
for the U.S. embassy in the United Kingdom told a member of the media June 15
that the United States was not making an extradition request at this time.
The indictment of Cleary in the United States
followed charges being brought earlier this year against six people involved in
several attacks. Among those charged was "Sabu," also known as Xavier
Monsegur of New York City, who was also revealed to have been working as a
government informant after secretly pleading guilty last August to his
involvement in attacks on HBGary and HBGary Federal as well as Sony, Fox, the
Public Broadcasting Service and Infragard Members Alliance.
Two others, Ryan Ackroyd, 26, and a
17-year-old male from London, were also charged in the case in the United Kingdom.
They are scheduled to stand trial next year.
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