The Hacker News
Cybersecurity
A French hacker has been arrested for spreading a virus through fake smartphone applications. Prosecutors say he stole tiny sums from 17,000 people, amassing about 500,000 euros (£405,000) since 2011.

Working from the basement of his parents' home in Amiens, France, he created malicious software that looked like normal smartphone apps, but these programs stole money through hidden transactions. He also used programs that sent him the usernames and passwords for gambling and gaming websites.

The man admitted his crimes to police after he was arrested in the northern French city of Amiens. He told officials that he was motivated by a strong interest in computers and the desire to be a software developer.

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