The Australian police have arrested a 33-year-old man accused of hacking into nearly 100 online accounts.
The Australian Federal Police's high-tech crime unit has been monitoring the suspect since last September. This surveillance began when a local telecom company alerted the authorities to suspicious activity within its network. The man allegedly hacked into private and business Internet accounts, downloading data and engaging in other fraudulent activities.
The suspect was arrested yesterday, and police confiscated his computer equipment. He now faces charges related to computer intrusion, including unauthorized access, modification, or impairment with intent to commit a serious offense.
Neil Gaughan, the national manager of high-tech crime operations and assistant commissioner, stated that this arrest serves as a reminder for people to protect their online safety.
"Anyone can be targeted by criminals online; it's important to be aware of the risks and take appropriate action to protect personal information," he said. "Members of the public need to ensure they choose strong passwords for online accounts, updating them regularly and using a combination of capital letters, numbers, and symbols to ensure they are difficult to decipher."
