U.K. Cops Arrest 6 Teens Linked to Sony, Microsoft Cyber-Attacks

British law-enforcement officials have arrested six male teenagers suspected of being members of the Lizard Squad hacking crew that disabled Sony’s PlayStation Network and Microsoft’s Xbox Live last year.

The U.K.’s National Crime Agency, the equivalent to the U.S.’s Federal Bureau of Investigation, said the suspects used a tool to launch distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks to cripple online servers of “gaming companies” as well as e-retailers, a national British newspaper and a school. The NCA did not identify the targeted companies but reports said the arrests are related to several attacks on the PlayStation and Xbox networks last year. Amazon also was among the sites attacked by the group, Bloomberg reported.

[Sir_Simba]

http://vignette3.wikia.noco...

[XboxOneX]

They need to bring back the death sentence to the UK.

What these kid did is unforgivable. Ruining everyones online gaming.

[Concertoine]

They should bring back scaphism, or at least hang draw and quarter them.

[Mr Lahey]

@XboxoneX

You sound like one of those IS-tools..

[Kingdomcome247]

That's far too much... just make them play Superman 64 for their entire prison sentences. Wait... that might be a crueler fate than death.

[RedDevils]

So ruining some low life gaming experience deserve death sentences?

[XboxOneX]

@RedDevils YES it does. 100%

[garrettbobbyferguson]

How about we introduce thought crime punishments. You can be the first to meet the chair for the idiocy you just posted.

[Omegasyde]

they deserve death.... Thier crimes affected many, it was purposeful, and they need to be made examples.

[IamTylerDurden1]

Kids names were "Zero Cool" and "Crash Override"...

Glad they got them.

[CitizenFour]

LOL! Classic movie.

[christocolus]

"ranging from fifteen years old to eighteen years old"

wow.

[MasterCornholio]

Minors usually get off easy right?

I have a feeling it wont be the last time that they do this.

[christocolus]

I'm just shocked by how young they all are. These guys should be home enjoying gaming not bringing down the service.I so hope they learn their lesson. smh.

[pompombrum]

Yup, minors in the UK get off extremely light.

[PurpHerbison]

Remember to beat your kids. Nothing extreme though.

[Eonjay]

@christocolus

Don't be surprised. It makes sense actually:
Childish behavior perpetrated by children.

[NukaCola]

The arrest may be light but a class action corporate lawsuit would be a nightmare.

[AndrewLB]

They'll likely get a short sentence with the precondition that they come work for the government. Considering how long sentences can get, it's a no brainer.

[warczar]

@AndrewLB

They used a program called lizard stressor which is the only reason the authorities were even able to find them. They don't sound like genius hackers to me, they weren't even smart enough to buy there "hacker" program with cash and a fake name. I doubt any government agency would want anything to do with them.

[ramiuk1]

in UK we let adults off with bad convictions ,pathetic our justice system.

wish it was more like US for punishments.

[dcbronco]

Rami no you don't. Be very careful what you wish for. In America you can get life on a first offense drug charge based on what drugs. Or for a third strike consisting of two misdemeanors and then one felony. So twice on traffic stops and then enough marijuana, for personal use, that it is deemed enough to sell and it's goodbye forever.

[Ipunchbabiesforfun]

US justice system sucks and so do it's laws. Athletes buy their freedom all the time and the common citizen gets ravaged with bills and jail time for the simplest offenses. I was sent to jail, charged thousands, had to attend special classes and was on probation for a year because I locked my ex gf outside on the apartment balcony while she was smoking because she was being a drunk bitch and throwing shit at me. Cops deemed it was "false imprisonment" for 5 minutes and I was sober. I'm a good citizen too, I have 1 damn speeding ticket other than that.

[Kingthrash360]

@rami
I'm American. ...no you do not want our justice system...worst on the planet. I have story's too but these guys above says it all.
We have a guy who drove around a neighborhood saw a kid in a hoodie who was minding his own buisness ..picked a fight with the kid, lost the fight pulled out his gun, murdered the unarmed child...and got off Scott free...while on the other hand have a guy in jail for life for stealing a single slice of pizza because of the 3rd strike rule..smh do not wish for this broken system.

[remixx116]

@ipunchbabiesforfun

Judging by that username I'd say your sentence was justified.

@thrash

Yeah the trayvon martin case was a bunch of bullsh*t, and the guy that killed him has been in a bunch more trouble since then, when he spotted trayvon in his neighborhood and called the cops reporting "a suspicious individual" in his neighborhood, the cop told him they we're coming and they "specifically" told him not to follow the boy. He followed trayvon anyway, trayvon took notice and assumed the guy was stalking him, a fist fight broke out and he was getting his ass whipped so he pulls out a gun and shoots trayvon.

Keep in mind this was a white male in his mid 20s and trayvon was black age 17. The man who shot tray got off Scott free even though he disobeyed an order from the police, followed trayvon, who was just staying in his relatives house and went to the gas station to purchase soda and skittles (this is why protesters of the case outcome wore hoodies and carried soda and skittles) as well he essentially murdered trayvon.

Needless to say the black community was not pleased.

Sorry for posting this, just shedding some light on what thrash said.

[UnHoly_One]

You guys need to get your Trayvon facts straight if you want to bring that up.

Zimmerman is Hispanic, not white. And that doesn't matter anyway, color is irrelevant.

Also, maybe he shouldn't have followed the kid, (but following him was not a crime, just a stupid error in judgement), but he has a right to defend himself when his head is being bashed into the pavement. Trayvon was a criminal who got exactly what he deserved.

Spreading misinformation and making the little thug out to be the victim is just making everything worse. I suppose you think Michael Brown was an innocent little kid as well, right?

Stop watching main stream media and believing their racially fueled nonsense.

Anyway, on topic, the kids don't deserve the death penalty but anything less than a nice long prison sentence is a joke. If they want people to stop doing this crap they need to make an example out of them.

[morganfell]

@Master,

It won't be the last time. If anyone thinks any of these kids will ever become a productive member of society then they are kidding themselves.

[Kingthrash360]

Unholy
There are so many things I'd like to say but I wont.
What I will say is just as it was not a crime to follow the kid...it wasn't a crime for him to go to the store. I wasn't a crime to look suspicious while carrying candy.
It's not a crime to be afraid of some stranger following you for no reason and defending himself.
It's not a crime to win that struggle. .a struggle that he didn't initiate.
Zimmerman put his life in danger himself...and for all we know prolly did it because he knew he'd get away with it.
It's one thing to be in a life threatening situation and another to intentionally put yourself .
I mean he called the police for no reason...why call the police?
The race thing isn't needed..even though this man is selling confederate flag paintings after all this.
Race card or not this less than a man should be behind bars.

[UnHoly_One]

Any number of stupid things that happened before the confrontation are irrelevant.

Trayvon attacked Zimmerman.

Zimmerman defended himself.

End of story.

One less criminal around to hurt somebody else.

I say well done.

[Ipunchbabiesforfun]

My username is an inside joke with old friends and was only made because this site used to ban people for doing nothing wrong. I don't actually punch babies, don't be so sensitive.

[remixx116]

@Unholy_one

Dude I apologize for the error in statement of Zimmermann's race, also thank you for also providing his last name because I for the life of me could not remember but stating well done at the result of his death makes you a complete dick.

For starters no altercation should ever really result in death of an individual, especially when they were minding their own business.

If I was being stalked by a suspicious individual, damn right I would confront him, it was Zimmerman's own fault that he is in the position he is in now and in my opinion he should be far worse off.

Trayvon was I no way wrong but you wouldn't be able to see that, I think you have some underlying issues.

And no none of the things that happened before the confrontation are irrelevant to the situation. If Zimmerman just sat his ass down things would have never escalated. Hell after he called the police he his theoretical job could have been considered done especially when they told him no to follow the boy.

[UnHoly_One]

Remix you would confront somebody following you?? No problem.

Would you assault them and try to kill them? Because that's what little angel Trayvon did.

Don't get me wrong. Zimmerman is an idiot and I'm not a fan of him at all.

But when it comes down to the absolute crux of the matter, being who committed a crime in that altercation, it wasn't Zimmerman.

Calling me a dick wasn't really necessary either.

[aquaticDonut]

Their age is the only thing giving them the balls to do this. They know they're just gonna get a slap on the rest or home arrest or something. When they aren't Minors they'll be a heck of a lot less likely to do something like this because they'll be facing serious time if they're caught again.

[Peace_Love_and_FPS]

Would be lying if I said I haven't had those thoughts myself :) that being said I wasn't so childish to ruin others days and cost companies thousands just for entertainment, (a little harder to get caught committing victimless crime that cannot be proven, unlike these morons) hopefully the NCA scares the s*** out of them for good measure.

[ThunderPulse]

You could say the lizards are in the bag. LOL

[frostypants]

@christoculos, what? You're surprised that a bunch of idiotic script kiddies are teenagers? These were nothing more than the cyber equivalent of kids slashing tires for fun. Takes no skill and they did it for no good reason.

[SegaGamer]

The world is changing, at that age i was just enjoying games and had no idea any of these things were possible.

[Relientk77]

Good

Serves them right

[FallenAngel1984]

I just hope that they aren't able to disrupt online services again this holiday season

[Whirlwind_Fanfare_08]

Glad to hear that.

[MasterCornholio]

Good to hear.

[81BX]

Yep.... hopefully this will allow them to weed out even more of the group.

[FullmetalRoyale]

I'm glad they were teens. It may just be me, but the older someone gets the more pathetic their behavior is. Better to be a piece of crap kid, that can hopefully learn to not behave that way, whereas an adult doing it is just sickening. Even in regards to teens; how miserable do you have to be to try and make other people unhappy, in any capacity? Should they be punished? Yes. Am I glad they are? Absolutely. But I truthfully pity these people. I really pity someone that is that unhappy.

[rdgneoz3]

Seeing as they're teens, hopefully they learn their lesson. Else, being charged as minors (the ones under 18) will result in them doing it again soon enough.

[ThunderPulse]

No one ever learns there lesson.

[Ipunchbabiesforfun]

Truth in that considering it's their, so you clearly didn't learn your lessons

[wakeNbake]

International Troll Organization.

[-Foxtrot]

And watch them get a slap on the wrist and an amazing well paid job straight after

[Peace_Love_and_FPS]

Not sure what the UK is like but good luck getting any job with a criminal record, especially the one non-minor. In Canada your record doesn't wipe at 18 either if it's a major offense, and destruction of property (they lost the company money) definitely is.

Also, if they needed to buy a kit to DDOS how good are they truly?

[MCTJim]

Since they are minors and they will plea deal down to nothing, their punishment should include playing the last duke nukem forever game till they beat it...that in itself is one hell of a punishment.

[poor_cus_of_games]

Throw in aliens colonial marines and you've got yourself a problem with the Geneva convention.

[Germany7]

Great news, let's see if they can pay how much Sony and Microsoft lost on this attack. ^^

[OC_MurphysLaw]

The key to their punishment is to hit them where it will hurt the most... levy huge monetary penalties that their parents are responsible for and watch how sh*tty their lives become.

[Artemidorus]

UK law is a joke here, they will get a slap on the wrist.

Nanny state Britain i'm afraid.

[ocelot07]

Since there from here (UK) Most likely get community service picking dog crap up from there local parks for a few weeks and a minor fine.

[Peace_Love_and_FPS]

What about the non-minor?

[ocelot07]

Suspended sentence I would imagine.

[Black0ut]

What goes around comes around you immature brats.

Now get a taste of the real world =')

[DangerousDAN]

Good! Get those little bastards.

[CanadianTurtle]

These guys are like the terrorists of the gaming world

[shadowT]

"officials are investigating approximately 50 addresses linked to individuals"

So even more arrests to come...

[Revengeance]

Now watch them get a well paid job because of their "talents."

[OB1Biker]

At least one of them is 18. No 'kid' excuse for those.

[tigertron]

They'll get a slap on the wrist and a small fine.

[InTheZoneAC]

well hopefully they get sued to the point where they're going to work their whole life just to have every dime go to every company they thought was funny hacking into...

[bmky]

consequences of not getting laid. you dont appreciate freedom.

[Peace_Love_and_FPS]

Tell that to my F****** wife!!! /S

[scark92]

Good Riddance! You will get caught so next time get educated.

[DrumBeat]

I say scalp them.

Scalp them all. Don't stop until you have every scalp of every member of LS.

[lfc_4eva]

Burn them!

They be witches they are.

[MasterD919]

Turn them into actual lizards.

[IamTylerDurden1]

Bravo UK authorities, why can't good ole Murican authorities ever catch them?

Regardless, they better give those Lizard punks some cold hard time. Even 1 year incarceration (at least) and then probation and fines. They need to be scared, locked up with no freedom and it needs to be publicized.

It's absolute foolishness that the Swedish hacker kid got off virtually scot-free. Too many kids think they're Jonny Lee Miller from "Hackers" when in fact they are just dumb kids using an unsophisticated (but effective) program.

[Ethereal]

Thank the maker!

[AAWELLS09]

These guys said they were untouchable. What happened?