18-year-old hacker behind GTA VI leak sentenced to life in secure hospital facility

[2qr3]

Eighteen-year-old Arion Kurtaj from Oxford, UK, was one of two teens behind the hack on Rockstar Games last year that led to a flood of GTA VI content hitting the internet. Kurtaj carried out the attack while on bail for hacking Nvidia and British telecom provider BT/EE. Despite staying in a hotel under police protection and having his laptop confiscated, Kurtaj was able to hack Rockstar using the room's included Amazon Fire Stick and a newly purchased phone, keyboard, and mouse, writes the BBC. He broke into Rockstar's internal Slack system and threatened to release the source code if the company did not contact him on Telegram. The incident led to his final arrest.

https://www.techspot.com/images2/news/bigimage/2023/12/2023-12-22-image-8-j.webp

Back in July, it was reported that Kurtaj, who was also behind an attack on Uber, had been deemed mentally unfit to stand trial in a London court, meaning a jury could only determine whether he committed the crimes he was accused of, rather than judging him guilty or not guilty.

A mental health assessment used as part of the sentencing hearing said Kurtaj continued to express an intent to return to cybercrime as soon as possible, adding that "he is highly motivated."

The court also heard that Kurtaj had been violent while in custody, with dozens of reports of injury or property damage. He will remain at a secure hospital for life unless doctors deem him no longer a danger.

Rockstar Games told the court that the hack cost it $5 million to recover from, as well as thousands of hours of staff time. Kurtaj's defense team tried to argue that the success of the recently revealed official GTA VI trailer showed his hack had not caused serious harm to the developer, but the judge said there were real victims and harm caused by his Lapsus$ attacks on various individuals and companies.

The other Lapsus$ member, who is 17 and cannot be named for legal reasons, was found guilty in the same trial. He was sentenced to an 18-month Youth Rehabilitation Order, including intense supervision, surveillance, and a ban on using VPNs. He was also sentenced for an "unpleasant and frightening pattern of stalking and harassment" of two young women.

https://www.techspot.com/news/101310-18-year-old-hacker-behind-gta-vi-leak.html

It's truly lamentable and regrettable that an individual, 18 years old, finds himself condemned to a life behind bars, in a sense, due to an inability to restrain his insatiable compulsion for cyber hacking.

[jstern]

The other Lapsus$ member, who is 17 and cannot be named for legal reasons, was found guilty in the same trial. He was sentenced to an 18-month Youth Rehabilitation Order, including intense supervision, surveillance, and a ban on using VPNs. He was also sentenced for an "unpleasant and frightening pattern of stalking and harassment" of two young women.

A 17 year old, also sentenced for "Unpleasant and frightening pattern of stalking and harassment" of two young women.

Interesting. Does he also happen to be Japanese and obese?

[BurningHammer]

Kurtaj was able to hack Rockstar using the room's included Amazon Fire Stick and a newly purchased phone, keyboard, and mouse

Woah. What an evil genius.

[Nanners]

A 17 year old, also sentenced for "Unpleasant and frightening pattern of stalking and harassment" of two young women.

Interesting. Does he also happen to be Japanese and obese?

probably not, obese japanese people are extremely rare

[ILLsmak]

I feel like it's a waste to put people with this level of talent behind bars. haha. They prol see reality in a different way. Put em to work, give em good money, and be like yea you ****ed up, but now we need your help. And keep an eye on him so he doesn't do ****ed up shit like stalking.

I'd have to meet him tho, but I can't believe he's that bad. Prol just a really weird dude.

But if he's built for cyber crime, like I said, put him in the right situation, make dude feel like a superspy hacker and put him somewhere we need him and PAY HIM HIS MONEY.

It's not equal to compare shit like that to real life violence because a person who does cpu shit is so much more valuable than even an elite soldier heh.

-Smak

[Nanners]

I feel like it's a waste to put people with this level of talent behind bars. haha. They prol see reality in a different way. Put em to work, give em good money, and be like yea you ****ed up, but now we need your help. And keep an eye on him so he doesn't do ****ed up shit like stalking.

I'd have to meet him tho, but I can't believe he's that bad. Prol just a really weird dude.

But if he's built for cyber crime, like I said, put him in the right situation, make dude feel like a superspy hacker and put him somewhere we need him and PAY HIM HIS MONEY.

It's not equal to compare shit like that to real life violence because a person who does cpu shit is so much more valuable than even an elite soldier heh.

-Smak

I'd bet the farm that this kid is working for the govt or some giant tech company right now... being able to say that you hacked rockstar using a fire stick and a cell phone while already in police custody for hacking nvidia is an insanely good resume for an 18 year old

[ILLsmak]

I'd bet the farm that this kid is working for the govt or some giant tech company right now... being able to say that you hacked rockstar using a fire stick and a cell phone while already in police custody for hacking nvidia is an insanely good resume for an 18 year old

agree lol

-Smak

[ArbitraryWater]

Woah. What an evil genius.

Evil?


Using evil very loosely there..

[highwhey]

I'd bet the farm that this kid is working for the govt or some giant tech company right now... being able to say that you hacked rockstar using a fire stick and a cell phone while already in police custody for hacking nvidia is an insanely good resume for an 18 year old

100%

nvidia is a high tech company producing the most powerful GPUs in the world not only for consumers but for the private sector, the government has a special interest with them. you just don't hack them and go back to being a regular civilian. that's the type of activity that gets you a visit from the US government no matter where you are in the world.

btw, their GPUs are very good for brute force hacking hacking bc nothing else in the world can make as much calculations as quickly...so you know if you hacked them with a firestick LOL

[highwhey]

i know the going joke is this is axe LOL but this kid is actually bad ass. i mean...he was in police custody and still hacked very powerful companies with a FIRE STICK LMAO

[highwhey]

A 17 year old, also sentenced for "Unpleasant and frightening pattern of stalking and harassment" of two young women.

Interesting. Does he also happen to be Japanese and obese?

:roll:

[jstern]

probably not, obese japanese people are extremely rare

Precisely why Axe really stands out when he goes out in public. It's something that I've mentioned to him in the past.

August 12, 2022
"When you look at pictures of the people of Japan, the vast majority of them are very slim. But Yokozuna really stood out. And when I saw (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?506091-Who-is-the-coolest-actor-The-actor-you-d-want-to-be-real-life-friends-with&p=14649602&viewfull=1#post14649602)that video that you posted of Abe (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?505691-Breaking-Former-Japanese-Prime-Minister-Shinzo-Abe-shot-in-the-chest), I imagined that you also really stand out when you go out in public."

That thread reminds me. I completely forgot that I was going to stop making fun of Axe's weight.

[Axe]

Has asperger greg already gotten a renewal of his adderall prescription yet? Because judging by the way he's still thinking about me this christmas, it seems he still hasn't. :confusedshrug:

[bladefd]

i know the going joke is this is axe LOL but this kid is actually bad ass. i mean...he was in police custody and still hacked very powerful companies with a FIRE STICK LMAO

I can definitely see Axe as that kid. Axe is one smart dude unlike that guy whose nick begins with 'j'

[jstern]

I can definitely see Axe as that kid. Axe is one smart dude unlike that guy whose nick begins with 'j'

It's nice to see Blade sticking up for Axe. Part of the crew. Even though he's kind of putting down Jasper.

[ILLsmak]

It's nice to see Blade sticking up for Axe. Part of the crew. Even though he's kind of putting down Jasper.

I'll give you a point for that haha. I was just thinking how weird most of your post are. IMO you are faking being strange.

I am the resident psychology expert. I see everything.

Edit: plus afaik, you didn't used to be like this, but you gotta stop googling people's shit. That's mad weird.

-Smak

[jstern]

I'll give you a point for that haha. I was just thinking how weird most of your post are. IMO you are faking being strange.

I am the resident psychology expert. I see everything.

Edit: plus afaik, you didn't used to be like this, but you gotta stop googling people's shit. That's mad weird.

-Smak

Is this Jasper, but more coherent?

[highwhey]

I'll give you a point for that haha. I was just thinking how weird most of your post are. IMO you are faking being strange.

I am the resident psychology expert. I see everything.

Edit: plus afaik, you didn't used to be like this, but you gotta stop googling people's shit. That's mad weird.

-Smak

agree 100%

[ILLsmak]

Is this Jasper, but more coherent?

You already did that. I remember reading some post from you about someone else on some forum you met a long time ago who signed their name. You gotta start googling more of my posts my dude haha.

Nah, but... stop it plz. Like I said, shit is mad weird. I don't even know you, and I wouldn't be saying shit if you weren't always saying I was Jasper.

I don't mind Jasper. I don't mind anyone really, but if you can't tell the difference between our style you are nuts. IT'S THE YOUTUBE EMBED THEORY. C'mon man haha.

Learn to just sit back and be cool like everyone else. Crack some jokes, if they miss, go on to another thread. No need to keep cyber-stalking people.

-Smak

[jstern]

You already did that. I remember reading some post from you about someone else on some forum you met a long time ago who signed their name. You gotta start googling more of my posts my dude haha.

Nah, but... stop it plz. Like I said, shit is mad weird. I don't even know you, and I wouldn't be saying shit if you weren't always saying I was Jasper.

I don't mind Jasper. I don't mind anyone really, but if you can't tell the difference between our style you are nuts. IT'S THE YOUTUBE EMBED THEORY. C'mon man haha.

Learn to just sit back and be cool like everyone else. Crack some jokes, if they miss, go on to another thread. No need to keep cyber-stalking people.

-Smak

If you read the post that I quoted, you have a very similar feel to Jasper when he's telling a story from his life, past, etc. Random example (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?505865-Rescuing-Seals-with-embedded-fishing-lines&p=14641253&viewfull=1#post14641253), but there are lots. Reading it, them, they have a similar feel.


jstern hit on something quite frankly I would never say : I was wrong about dumping fishing line in lakes. (I assumed it sunk and went into the muck)

Many many fisherman do this , and this summer in a neighboring lake had a loon stuck with fish line.
Last year I fished with two fish biologists , and I broke my line off, they retrieved it and never said a word.

Just this past week 3 loons in Wisconsin had fish hooks in their ears .... what (yep that is correct ) :facepalm

-Jasper


You're also referring to the Is Illsmak Jasper? (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?512937-Is-Illsmak-Jasper) thread. Where always active Jasper had not made a single post in, up to that point, 5 days (I thought he was dead), and at the same time you appeared out of nowhere in the Off the Court. (low probability.) Jasper is a very old man, and you, despite having a username, you ended so many of your post with a signature (-Smak). Which is something that oldheads used to do back in the 70s and 80s on bulletin boards. Which I felt was a very astute observation, because not many people would be able to make such a connection.

Whether you're Jasper or not, the Usenet/age connection is the type of connection, observation that only the top detectives make.

I also mentioned that back in that era, the entire process was more technical and complex, and Jasper didn't know how to embed YouTube videos.

[Nanners]

If you read the post that I quoted, you have a very similar feel to Jasper when he's telling a story from his life, past, etc. Random example (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?505865-Rescuing-Seals-with-embedded-fishing-lines&p=14641253&viewfull=1#post14641253), but there are lots. Reading it, them, they have a similar feel.



You're also referring to the Is Illsmak Jasper? (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?512937-Is-Illsmak-Jasper) thread. Where always active Jasper had not made a single post in, up to that point, 5 days (I thought he was dead), and at the same time you appeared out of nowhere in the Off the Court. (low probability.) Jasper is a very old man, and you, despite having a username, you ended so many of your post with a signature (-Smak). Which is something that oldheads used to do back in the 70s and 80s on bulletin boards. Which I felt was a very astute observation, because not many people would be able to make such a connection.

Whether you're Jasper or not, the Usenet/age connection is the type of connection, observation that only the top detectives make.

I also mentioned that back in that era, the entire process was more technical and complex, and Jasper didn't know how to embed YouTube videos.

The fvck are you talking about "oldheads"... nobody was posting on basketball message boards in the 70s and 80s. PCs barely existed until the 90s, and the only people using the internet back then were millitary intelligence or people who got an aol CD in the mail.

[highwhey]

The fvck are you talking about "oldheads"... nobody was posting on basketball message boards in the 70s and 80s. PCs barely existed until the 90s, and the only people using the internet back then were millitary intelligence or people who got an aol CD in the mail.

damn, jstern getting roasted by every1.

please don't reply with condescending titan post about how i got roasted previously, etc....it's played out by now j, perhaps your schtick is becoming tired.

[jstern]

The fvck are you talking about "oldheads"... nobody was posting on basketball message boards in the 70s and 80s. PCs barely existed until the 90s, and the only people using the internet back then were millitary intelligence or people who got an aol CD in the mail.

Before the World Wide Web there was Usenet and BBS. (In my post I mentioned both.) People used to buy home computers and connect to them. (For example, the Apple I came out in 1976.)


https://youtu.be/MnvBQB9BLEo

There are many ISH threads dedicated to basketball posts from the 80s, early 80s, I'm Still Ballin is the expert on this. The most interesting one for me was one claiming that Larry Bird wasn't going to be any good in the NBA because he's not athletic, because it's a similar argument that people use now to discredit him and how he will do in today's game.

Since it wasn't your modern ISH like internet forum with user accounts, often times people used to sign their post. If a person signs their post like -Smak does, chances are that it's due to habit from using similar services.

[Nanners]

There are many ISH threads dedicated to basketball posts from the 80s, early 80s, I'm Still Ballin is the expert on this. The most interesting one for me was one claiming that Larry Bird wasn't going to be any good in the NBA because he's not athletic, because it's a similar argument that people use now to discredit him and how he will do in today's game.

link it


Since it wasn't your modern ISH like internet forum with user accounts, often times people used to sign their post. If a person signs their post like -Smak does, chances are that it's due to habit from using similar services.

I have received a million emails from people who sign their correspondence like -Smack does

[jstern]

link it



I have received a million emails from people who sign their correspondence like -Smack does

It's a difficult search, two threads from like 8+ years ago. I might have to wait for Im Still Ballin, though I don't think he was the OP of the original.

People were typically nice in such a setting, but a guy posting up a post about a new interest in pro wrestling, triggered an "ex collegiate wrestler." (https://youtu.be/Pq1UbGQpmu0?t=98) One of the earliest angry posts. There's a mention of a hair match, which took place on October 6, 1985 (https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=632189758617123). So I guess the post was made in 1985. It reminded me of Burning Hammer.

[dunksby]

I'd bet the farm that this kid is working for the govt or some giant tech company right now... being able to say that you hacked rockstar using a fire stick and a cell phone while already in police custody for hacking nvidia is an insanely good resume for an 18 year old
His method of attack was actually pretty rudimentary, he and his buddy sent mass phishing emails to staff of several big hitters until someone ****ed up and clicked on the embedded links and gave them access. The brilliant black hats are the ones who leave no trace, this kid got caught every time he "hacked" a company, these exploits are available if one cares to look hard enough. Just like traditional crime, it's about not getting caught.

[ILLsmak]

dude you can pull all the stats you want, if you have a true feeling that I am Jasper you are just wiling the **** out. I'm sorry lool. The GimmeThat thing was a little funny cuz people (sobe? who kinda reminds me of aj) were saying we both make trollweird posts, I guess? But Jasper? haha.

I ain't mad tho.

-Smak

[ILLsmak]

His method of attack was actually pretty rudimentary, he and his buddy sent mass phishing emails to staff of several big hitters until someone ****ed up and clicked on the embedded links and gave them access. The brilliant black hats are the ones who leave no trace, this kid got caught every time he "hacked" a company, these exploits are available if one cares to look hard enough. Just like traditional crime, it's about not getting caught.

ah, worth it to hear that info, but what about the stuff where he was in the hotel room?

-Smak

[ILLsmak]

Burning Hammer.

OH ****. hahaha. Sorry. It's alil too funny to me.

-Smak

[jstern]

https://youtu.be/dS_8CZy8DbI

13 years old, his father recently died. Makes me wonder if it was the clot shot.


dude you can pull all the stats you want, if you have a true feeling that I am Jasper you are just wiling the **** out. I'm sorry lool. The GimmeThat thing was a little funny cuz people (sobe? who kinda reminds me of aj) were saying we both make trollweird posts, I guess? But Jasper? haha.

I ain't mad tho.

-Smak

I'm not saying that you're Jasper, just that your story telling reminded me of Jasper's story telling.

[highwhey]

https://youtu.be/dS_8CZy8DbI

13 years old, his father recently died. Makes me wonder if it was the clot shot.



I'm not saying that you're Jasper, just that your story telling reminded me of Jasper's story telling.

it sure seems like you spend all of your day browsing youtube videos.

[highwhey]

I'll give you a point for that haha. I was just thinking how weird most of your post are. IMO you are faking being strange.

I am the resident psychology expert. I see everything.

Edit: plus afaik, you didn't used to be like this, but you gotta stop googling people's shit. That's mad weird.

-Smak


You already did that. I remember reading some post from you about someone else on some forum you met a long time ago who signed their name. You gotta start googling more of my posts my dude haha.

Nah, but... stop it plz. Like I said, shit is mad weird. I don't even know you, and I wouldn't be saying shit if you weren't always saying I was Jasper.

I don't mind Jasper. I don't mind anyone really, but if you can't tell the difference between our style you are nuts. IT'S THE YOUTUBE EMBED THEORY. C'mon man haha.

Learn to just sit back and be cool like everyone else. Crack some jokes, if they miss, go on to another thread. No need to keep cyber-stalking people.

-Smak
great advice that i wish jstern could understand, but he has zero self-awareness :(