Alleged International Hacker Indicted for Massive Attack on U.S. Retail and Banking Networks
Albert Gonzales, 28, of Miami, Fla., was indicted today (Monday, Aug. 17) for conspiring to hack into computer networks supporting major American retail and financial organizations, and stealing data relating to more than 130 million credit and debit cards, announced Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Lanny A. Breuer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Ralph J. Marra Jr. and U.S. Secret Service Assistant Director for Investigations Michael Merritt.
In a two-count indictment alleging conspiracy and conspiracy to engage in wire fraud, Gonzales, AKA "segvec," "soupnazi" and "j4guar17," is charged, along with two unnamed co-conspirators, with using a sophisticated hacking technique called an "SQL injection attack," which seeks to exploit computer networks by finding a way around the network's firewall to steal credit and debit card information. Among the corporate victims named in the indictment are Heartland Payment Systems, a New Jersey-based card payment processor; 7-Eleven Inc., a Texas-based nationwide convenience store chain; and Hannaford Brothers Co. Inc., a Maine-based supermarket chain.