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Hacker, 22, who released personal data of German politicians charged

German prosecutors said Tuesday they had brought charges against a 22-year-old hacker who released personal data of dozens of politicians, journalists and other public figures online, embarrassing national authorities.

Hacker, 22, who released personal data of German politicians charged
Photo: DPA

The German man — arrested in January last year — is accused of multiple computer crimes, as well as making false reports to the police and attempted blackmail.

Police at the time of his arrest said he had confessed to stealing and leaking online private data — so-called “doxxing” — from hundreds of politicians and public figures, among them Chancellor Angela Merkel.

READ ALSO: Suspect, 20, arrested over massive German politician data hack

The accused said his motive was being “annoyed” at some of their public statements.

The 2018 case prompted German authorities to promise beefed-up IT security, coming just three years after the federal parliament's computer network was crippled by a hacking attack since pinned on the Russian state by Berlin's intelligence services.

Tuesday's charges cover 73 cases where the accused acquired “personal data, especially telephone numbers, addresses, credit card data, photos and communications” belonging to his targets.

Investigators said he used email providers' password reset facilities to gain access to the people's accounts, as well as trawling a “hacker website” shut down by American authorities in January 2020 for login details already acquired by third parties.

When arrested, officials said the suspect had made a “comprehensive” confession and shown “clear remorse” for his hacking attacks on around 1,000 people.

Between December 1 and December 24, 2018, he released a drip-feed of personal data on his Twitter account with the display name “G0d” in a so-called “advent calendar”.

He repeated the data drop the following month using the Twitter account of a YouTube personality to which he had acquired access.

Further charges include a blackmail attempt against six German MPs, in which the hacker demanded Bitcoin payments worth around €900 in exchange for withholding their personal data.

He is also accused of making three false reports to the police of imminent bomb attacks or mass shootings between June 2016 and December 2018, as well as triggering two investigations against other people with false crime reports in the same period.

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LIVING IN FRANCE

France to roll out ID cards app

Technology is being rolled out to allow people to carry their French ID cards in an app form - and could be rolled out to other cards, including driving licences and cartes de séjour residency cards.

France to roll out ID cards app

Holders of French carte d’identité (ID cards) will soon be able to carry certified digital versions of them on their smartphone or other electronic devices, a decree published in the Journal Officiel has confirmed.

An official app is being developed for holders of the newer credit card-format ID cards that have information stored on a chip. A provisional test version of the app is expected at the end of May.

Users will be able to use the ID card app, when it becomes available, for a range of services “from checking in at the airport to renting a car”, according to Thierry Breton, EU Commissioner for the Internal Market.

All French citizens have an ID card, which can be used for proving identity in a range of circumstances and for travel within the EU and Schengen zone – the new app will be in addition to the plastic card that holders already have.

Under the plans, after downloading the app, card holders will need merely to hold the card close to their phone to transfer the required information. According to officials, the holder then can decide what information is passed on – such as proof of age, or home address – according to the situation.

The government has not given any examples of situations in which the app would need to be used, but has set out the main principles and the ambition of the plan: to allow everyone to identify themselves and connect to certain public and private organisations, in particular those linked to the France Connect portal.

READ ALSO What is France Connect and how could it make your life simpler?

Cards will continue to be issued for the foreseeable future – this is merely an extension of the existing system.

Only French citizens have ID cards, but if successful the app is expected to be rolled out to include other cards, such as driving licences, cartes de séjour residency cards or even visas. A digital wallet is being developed at the European level – Member States have until September to agree what it could contain.

READ ALSO Eight smartphone apps that make life in France a bit easier

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