Crackas With Attitude Hacking Group Member Sentenced for Targeting U.S. Officials
A key member of the notorious hacking group known as Crackas With Attitude has received a five-year prison sentence for his involvement in a series of high-profile cyber intrusions. This group gained notoriety in 2015 for compromising the personal email accounts of senior officials from the FBI, CIA, and the White House, among other federal agencies, leading to significant breaches of sensitive information.
Justin Liverman, a 25-year-old from Morehead City, North Carolina, who operated under the online alias “D3F4ULT,” was apprehended alongside another group member, Andrew Otto Boggs, in September of the previous year. The two were charged with gaining unauthorized access to several government organizations between October 2015 and February 2016, utilizing social engineering techniques to exploit personal vulnerabilities. Boggs was previously sentenced to two years in prison for his role in the attacks.
Liverman pleaded guilty earlier this year to conspiracy charges related to the hacking of U.S. government computers. In addition to his prison sentence, the court has mandated that he pay $145,000 in restitution to the victims of the attacks. The plea agreement outlined that Liverman’s actions included an attempt to intimidate U.S. officials by illegally accessing their online accounts and publishing their personal information publicly.
According to prosecutors in the Eastern District Court of Virginia, Liverman did not merely target accounts but also escalated his harassment campaign by orchestrating threatening text messages and utilizing a “phone bombing” service to inundate a victim with threatening calls. This malicious behavior showcases not just technical cyber capabilities but a disturbing willingness to harass and intimidate individuals in positions of power.
The impacts of the Crackas With Attitude group’s actions have been profound, affecting over ten U.S. government officials and resulting in financial losses exceeding $1.5 million. Among their notable breaches were the AOL accounts of former CIA Director John Brennan, U.S. spy chief James Clapper, and ex-FBI Deputy Director Mark Giuliano, all of which disclosed sensitive personal data and communications.
The group exemplified a range of tactics as outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework. Notably, initial access was gained through social engineering—tricking victims into revealing their credentials. The persistence of the group was evident in their ability to maintain access to these accounts and continuously harass their victims, demonstrating a clear understanding of privilege escalation techniques.
Liverman’s prosecution highlights the ongoing vulnerabilities present in government institutions, where social engineering tactics can lead to significant breaches. The subsequent fallout serves not only as a warning to individuals in cybersecurity but also as a reminder for organizations to bolster defenses against such attacks.
Notably, the broader blame for these coordinated attacks extends to the group’s leader, a 17-year-old British teenager known as CRACKA, whose prosecution is ongoing in the United Kingdom. This ongoing investigation underscores the need for collaborative international efforts in combating cybercrime.
As business owners contend with the increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber threats, cases like that of Crackas With Attitude reinforce the importance of rigorous cybersecurity measures. Understanding the tactics utilized by these adversaries can help organizations strengthen their defenses against potential breaches.