Teenage student ‘supplied software behind high profile cyber attacks’

Jack Chappell leaving Mancheter Magistrates' Court where he is charged with cyber security offences

teenage student has appeared in court charged with supplying computer software behind a string of high-profile cyber attacks against some of the world’s biggest companies.

Jack Chappell, from Stockport, is accused of running a web business supplying software used to attack the websites of firms including Amazon, Vodafone and NatWest

The 18-year-old appeared at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday charged with four counts, including conspiracy to do an unauthorised act or acts with intent to impair the operation of a computer or computers.

Police said the teenager was charged following an investigation led by the West Midlands Regional Cyber Crime Unit, assisted by Israeli Police, the FBI and Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre.

Prosecutors allege Chappell supplied software used in denial of service attacks, which crash websites by flooding them with huge volumes of data. He is alleged to have run an online helpdesk for hackers as part of the service.

West Midlands police said Chappel had allegedly attacked the websites of T-Mobile, EE, Vodafone, O2, BBC, BT, Amazon, Netflix, Virgin Media and the National Crime Agency.

A statement said: “He has been charged with impairing the operation of computers under the Computer Misuse Act, plus encouraging or assisting an offence and money laundering crime proceeds together with an American national.”

Magistrates sent the case to Manchester Crown Court on July 26.

[Source”timesofindia”]