[BreachExchange] Texas Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Hacking Major Tech Firm

[Destry Winant]

https://www.securityweek.com/texas-man-sentenced-57-months-prison-hacking-major-tech-firm

Tyler C. King, a 31-year-old from Dallas, Texas, was sentenced this
week to 57 months in prison for crimes related to the hacking of an
unnamed major tech company based in New York.

King was convicted on computer fraud and aggravated identity theft
charges in November 2019. In June 2020, he also pleaded guilty to
obstruction of justice charges related to fake evidence that he
provided during his trial.

According to the Justice Department, King gained access to the
technology firm’s systems in 2015 with the help of Ashley St. Andria,
who at the time was an employee of the company. The two gained access
to the company’s network and created admin accounts that gave them
access to the emails of senior executives, personnel files, financial
documents, and other proprietary information.

Once the company detected the intrusion and disabled the rogue admin
accounts, King and St. Andria once again gained access to its networks
and stole business records. Authorities say the hackers bypassed the
victim’s security systems “through a series of sophisticated steps.”

In addition to prison, King’s sentence also includes 2 years of
supervised release, a fine of $15,000 and over $21,000 in restitution.

“Tyler King hacked into a major technology company, damaged its
systems, stole its data, and laughed about it, all from the comfort of
his sofa in Texas. He will now serve 57 months in federal prison,”
stated U.S. Attorney Grant C. Jaquith. “Those interested in hiding
behind their keyboards to steal information and damage property should
take today’s sentence as a stark reminder that computer hacking is a
serious business with serious consequences. I thank the FBI for its
exceptional work in bringing King to justice.”

St. Andria was sentenced to time served and 2 years of supervised
release in March 2020, after pleading guilty to computer fraud charges
in August 2018.