A Singaporean man, Chia, has been arrested in Thailand for allegedly hacking into over 70 organizations worldwide, stealing sensitive data, and extorting companies for payments to prevent data leaks. His apprehension followed a complaint from a Thai organization, leading to a raid where luxury goods valued at $300,000 were seized. He faces multiple charges, including extortion and unauthorized access to computer systems.
Thai authorities have apprehended a Singaporean man, identified as Chia, suspected of executing cyber attacks against over 70 organizations across a dozen nations. The 39-year-old was detained in Bangkok following a collaborative operation with law enforcement in Singapore.
Chia is accused of infiltrating numerous corporate databases, pilfering sensitive information, and offering it for sale on the dark web. His arrest was prompted by an extortion complaint from a Thai company that received threats via the Twitter account ‘@0mid16b’, demanding payment to refrain from disclosing stolen customer data.
Atip Pongsivapai, the commander of the Technology Crime Suppression Division in Thailand, noted that their surveillance of the suspect’s activities commenced after the complaint was filed. According to police reports, Chia has admitted to hacking into company databases and illegally selling the data. He has reportedly breached more than 70 organizations, with 20 of them being based in Thailand, since 2020.
Authorities recovered gold ornaments, luxury items, and designer goods valued at approximately $300,000 during the raid. Following his arrest, Chia has been charged with extortion, unauthorized access to computer systems, and overstaying his visa in Thailand.
Assistance from the Singapore cybersecurity firm Group-IB revealed that Chia operated under multiple aliases such as Altdos, Desorden, GhostR, and 0mid16B, and he is connected to over 13 terabytes of stolen data targeting multiple sectors, including healthcare, finance, retail, and government.
In conclusion, the arrest of the Singaporean suspect highlights the increasing global concern regarding cybersecurity threats and data breaches. Thai authorities, in collaboration with their Singaporean counterparts, successfully detained a cybercriminal involved in extensive cyber attacks, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation in tackling cybercrime. The case remains under investigation as authorities aim to safeguard sensitive information from such malicious activities.
Original Source: tuoitrenews.vn
