The PCeU released a statement today confirming the arrest after its “investigation into network intrusions and distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks against a number of international business and intelligence agencies by what is believed to be the same hacking group”.
The UK police agencies did not specify which group it was referring to, but suspicion has fallen upon hacker groups Lulz Security and Anonymous.
Both groups have either claimed responsibility for website attacks over the last several weeks, or been fingered in such attacks, most notably affecting websites for the US Senate, the CIA, and Sony.
It was just yesterday that the UK’s Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) was the victim of one such DDoS attack, which Lulz Security has reportedly taken credit for.
Frank Gardner, the BBC’s security correspondent, reported the PCeU “have confirmed the raid was linked to the recent intrusion attacks on the websites of the CIA and SOCA”.
The Essex teenager, identified by the BBC as Ryan Cleary, was arrested Monday night at a residence about 35 miles north of London and will likely faced charges for violating the UK’s Computer Misuse Act and Fraud Act. PCeU says the young man still “remains in custody for questioning” and that there is an ongoing investigation of materials sized at the residence.
The takedown appears to be a multi-national effort, with the PCeU being assisted by local police in Essex, in co-operation with the FBI.