Teenage GTA 6 Hacker Sentenced to Indefinite Hospital Order for Cyber Attacks
Arion Kurtaj, an 18-year-old hacker and key member of the international hacking group Lapsus$, has been sentenced to an indefinite hospital order for leaking clips of the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) game. Operating from Oxford, Kurtaj, who is autistic, played a significant role in cyber-attacks on tech giants like Uber, Nvidia, and Rockstar Games, incurring losses of nearly $10 million for the targeted firms.
The sentencing, which includes an indefinite stay at a secure hospital, emphasizes Kurtaj’s high risk to the public due to his hacking skills and continued desire to commit cyber-crime. He will remain in the hospital for life unless deemed no longer a threat by medical professionals.
The court heard about Kurtaj’s violent behavior while in custody, with numerous reports of injury and property damage. Due to severe autism, he was deemed unfit to stand trial, leading the jury to determine whether he committed the alleged acts, not if he did so with criminal intent.
Despite being on bail for previous hacks, Kurtaj managed to breach Rockstar, the company behind GTA, stealing 90 clips of the unreleased GTA 6. He posted the clips and source code on a forum, demanding contact from Rockstar within 24 hours. The hack cost Rockstar Games $5 million for recovery, plus significant staff hours.
In a six-week trial at Southwark Crown Court, another Lapsus$ member, a 17-year-old, was found guilty of hacking tech giant Nvidia and phone company BT/EE. They stole data and demanded a $4 million ransom, in addition to stealing from individuals through cryptocurrency wallets. The 17-year-old received an 18-month Youth Rehabilitation Order, including supervision and a ban on using VPNs online.
Kurtaj and the 17-year-old are the first Lapsus$ members convicted, with others believed to be at large. Lapsus$ gained notoriety in 2021 and 2022 for audacious attacks on multinational corporations, using con-man tactics and hacking skills. The group, mostly teenagers from the UK and allegedly Brazil, celebrated their crimes on social media app Telegram.
The cyber-security world was shocked by Lapsus$’s activities, prompting US cyber-authorities to issue a report highlighting the group’s ability to infiltrate well-defended organizations. The financial gains from Lapsus$’s cyber-crimes remain unclear, with no companies publicly admitting payments to the hackers.
Life Sentence for GTA 6 Leaker: 18 Year Old Hacker Faces Severe Penalties https://t.co/Jg6jkxqTyY #PCGamingNews #GameUpdates #GamingCommunity #PCGameAnnouncements #GameNewsAlert #PCGamerUpdates #GamingIndustry #LatestPCGames #GameLaunchNews #PCGamingInsider
— Fastgame (@ffastgamee) December 23, 2023