A Miami man and two co-conspirators have been charged for conspiring to hack into computer networks and stealing data relating to more than 130 million credit and debit cards. It’s believed to be the largest such prosecution in U.S. history.
The Miami hacker and two other hackers living near Russia indicted today by a federal grand jury in Newark, New Jersey, for stealing data from retailers such as Heartland Payment Systems Inc., 7-Eleven Corp., and Delhaize Group’s Hannaford Brothers Co., according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Albert Gonzales, 28, allegedly used a high-tech hacking technique called an “SQL injection attack,” which exploits computer networks by finding a way around the network’s firewall to steal credit and debit card information.
The hackers found their victims by “reviewing a list of Fortune 500 companies and then visiting retail stores to identify the payment processing systems and their vulnerabilities,” prosecutors told Bloomberg.
If convicted, Gonzales faces up to 20 years in prison on the wire fraud conspiracy charge. He may also face an additional five years in prison on the conspiracy charge, as well as a fine of $250,000 for each charge.
Gonzalez is no stranger to federal authorities. In 2003, he was arrested in New Jersey for his role in ATM and debit card fraud.
