It looks like the LinkedIn hack — which resulted in over 117 million user passwords going out for sale on the internet — seems to have caught a break, as an alleged Russian hacker has been arrested in the Czech Republic following an FBI-coordinated tip-off.
“Following the 2012 breach of LinkedIn member information, we have remained actively involved with the FBI’s case to pursue those responsible,” company officials said in a statement. “We are thankful for the hard work and dedication of the FBI in its efforts to locate and capture the parties believed to be responsible for this criminal activity.”
According to local reports out of the Czech Republic, an unnamed man was arrested in Prague on suspicion of connection to the hack in a raid carried out in collaboration with the FBI.
The 2012 LinkedIn hack is believed to have lost 117 million user passwords and corresponding e-mail addresses. While the passwords were scrambled using what’s known as one-way cryptographic hashing, the underlying function — SHA1 — ensured that it was easy for criminals to harvest the data. LinkedIn has since updated.
The Russian suspect was apprehended in a local hotel. He did not resist arrest and was by all accounts driving around the city in a luxury car with his girlfriend. There have been wide reports hat he was briefly hospitalized after collapsing.
FBI officials have confirmed the arrest but have yet to provide details. This post will be updated as warranted.
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