High School hackers busted in Korea

The Busan Police Agency in South Korea announced Thursday that it has shut down a high school hacking ring that targeted online gambling websites.

The Korean newspaper JoonGang Daily reports that the six high school students used captive ‘zombie’ computers, (machines that have been compromised by hackers to function as platforms for malicious activity), in order to launch Distributed Denial of Service assaults.

The students revealed that their criminal activity began when one of their number uploaded a Trojan horse, which looked like a pornographic game but turned systems into zombie computers, to 10 online storage sites.

About 6,000 computer users downloaded the game, and the students then went to portal websites and advertised their ability to conduct DDoS attacks upon request, charging 70,000 won ($60) per hour to execute these attacks, and deploying their army of remote controlled computers.

Some 30 individuals commissioned the gang to launch attacks on 35 online gambling websites.

According to police investigators, five of the 30 people who made requests were affiliated with other illegal gambling sites. The five were also booked without physical detention.

The Police Agency, however, did not take any measures against the 35 illegal gambling sites that came under attack.

In addition to the DDoS attack, the high schoolers profited by about 15 million won by purchasing the IP addresses of zombie computers for around 200 won and selling them at twice the price.

According to police, the students met online to share methods on how to use hacking tools, conduct DDoS attacks and operate zombie computers.