In 2011, This popular website kernel.org was hacked by a hacker, But the Linux team didn’t get to know about him back then. Recently He was arrested in Florida, His name is Donald Ryan Austin, He is 27 years old, And he was caught at a traffic signal stop, for hacking servers, which belong to Linux organization 5 years earlier in 2011.
When Linux Kernel administrators detected the intrusion in the system, they called the FBI to investigate this incident. According to sources, 27 years old Austin used the credentials as helping hand in accessing servers of kernel.org. These servers are a location in the Bay area data center, Containing installed rootkits, trojans, and modified server configuration
Austin finally got the access to the server credentials, which were used by one of the individuals, who is associated with the Linux kernel organization.
Austin was first presented in Miami court on Monday after he got arrested on last Sunday. Miami Shores Police Department officers arrested Austin at a traffic stop on the 28th of august 2016. After Austin was first presented in the court of Miami, The officials unsealed the indictment the following day.
This crime will charge him a massive amount of money and years of time in prison. Unlike Linux Foundation, The Linux Kernel Organization is different, Linux Foundation is a separate nonprofit foundation. Whereas The Linux Kernel Organization manages Linux Kernel development system and the kernel.org. And Austin can face up to ten years of prison statement from court with $250,000.
On the 1st of Sep Austin appeared on the court and with $50,000 he got bail which is set by the judge and scheduled September 21 as Austin’s next court appearance, Which will be in San Francisco federal court. As for now, Austin was released on bond.
News about Austin back in 2011:
kernel.org website was hacked back in 2011, The hacker installed Phalanx rootkit along with other trojans, which are capable of malicious actions and getting in the system automatically by performing actions like an auto-logins act. The hacker used a volunteer’s credentials to perform all these operations in the system. But after 17 days the kernel.org team has identified the hack. What was surprising is that “an administrator didn’t expose the incident report, information about the data breach”. After five years Austin is now targeted as a suspect.