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A user of the now-defunct hacking marketplace Genesis Market has paid a high price for purchasing stolen login credentials.
The Brisbane man was first arrested on 27 October 2022 after Australian Federal Police started investigating him in November 2020 after he was found to be using the market – which was shut down by an international law enforcement operation in April 2023.
The AFP assisted in the Australian arm of the operation, which saw 10 Australians arrested.
The Brisbane man was found to be in possession of almost 1,000 “bots” purchased from the market, each containing a selection of login credentials and cookies belonging to online banking services, social media sites, and more.
Electronic devices and two mobile phones were seized during the arrest, as well as several storage devices.
The man pleaded guilty to six charges: four counts of unauthorised access to restricted data and two counts of possessing data with the intent to commit a computer offence. He has been released on a five-year good behaviour bond and must serve two years of probation after being given a head sentence of two years and six month’s imprisonment.
AFP Commander Cybercrime Operations Chris Goldsmid said the operation shows how valuable personal data is for criminals.
“Cyber crime is the break-and-enter of the 21st century and will only continue to increase in frequency and severity,” Commander Goldsmid said in a statement.
“We need everyone to practise good cyber hygiene to help us make Australia a hostile environment to cyber criminals.
“Simple things like using different passwords for each of your accounts, using longer passphrases and enabling two-factor authentication can go a long way in keeping your information safe.
“I also want to warn anyone who is buying or selling stolen information online – you are committing an offence, and you can expect to hear a knock on the door from police.”
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.
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