The Spanish police have made a significant breakthrough in their fight against cybercrime. The police have arrested 19-year-old José Luis Huertas, also known as “Alcaseca,” “Mango,” and “chimichuri,” for several high-profile cyberattacks. Huertas is considered to be the most dangerous hacker in Spain and has been described as “a serious threat to national security.”
The police have accused Huertas of creating a search engine called Udyat (the eye of Horus), which was dedicated to selling stolen sensitive information in large numbers. He is also accused of impersonating Paolo Vasile, the CEO of Gestevisión Telecinco/Mediaset España, and stealing EUR 300,000 from him.
During November 2022, Huertas became the subject of an investigation for allegedly hacking into the computer network of Spain’s national council of the judiciary (CGPJ). In the course of this attack, he illegally obtained the personal data of 575,000 taxpayers and compiled it into a database that he intended to sell to other cybercriminals.
The database contained personally identifiable information, account numbers, bank numbers, and more.
Tracking down the dangerous hacker in Spain
The Spanish police launched a complex investigation to track down the individual responsible for the attacks. Specialists in the cyber threat investigation of the General Information Police Station were eventually able to identify Huertas, a 19-year-old man with a long history in the world of cybercrime.
The Spanish police were able to track Huertas by following the money trail for the hosting services of the “Eye of Horus” server.
Despite Huertas’ use of cryptocurrency that had been “cleaned” through mixing services, the police were able to trace the payments with the assistance of experts at the National Cryptological Center.
Upon arresting Huertas, law enforcement agents confiscated significant amounts of cash, documentation, and computers that will aid in uncovering the hacker’s activities. Huertas will be held in custody until his trial date due to investigators deeming him a high flight risk, likely to destroy evidence and continue committing similar crimes.
A growing risk of cybercrime
The case highlights the growing risk of cybercrime and the need for improved cybersecurity measures. The Spanish police have made significant progress in their fight against cybercrime. However, it is clear that cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated and using more advanced methods to avoid detection.
The case also highlights the importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies and technology experts. The Spanish police were able to track Huertas by working closely with experts at the National Cryptological Center. This collaboration was critical in identifying and arresting Huertas, who was considered to be the most dangerous hacker in Spain.
Conclusion
The arrest of Huertas is a significant achievement in the fight against cybercrime.
Huertas was accountable for numerous noteworthy cyberattacks and was regarded as a significant peril to the security of the nation. The case highlights the growing risk of cybercrime and the need for improved cybersecurity measures. It also demonstrates the importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies and technology experts in the fight against cybercrime.
