Police charge UK teenagers in relation to LAPSUS$ hacking group investigation

Two teenagers from the UK have been charged by police over hacking offences in relation to an international investigation into the LAPSUS$ group. 

The cyber criminal gang is believed to be behind several recent high-profile cyber attacks including the data breach of internal systems of cloud-based authentication software provider Okta. The news comes after police announced last week that they had arrested seven people between the ages of 16 and 21 around the UK as part of their investigation into LAPSUS$.

Teens charged with multiple cyber offences

In a statement, Detective Inspector Michael O’Sullivan, City of London Police, said: “The City of London Police has been conducting an investigation into members of a hacking group. Two teenagers, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, have been charged in connection with this investigation and remain in police custody.” 

Both teenagers have been charged with three counts of unauthorised access to a computer with intent to impair the reliability of data, one count of fraud by false representation, and one count of unauthorised access to a computer with intent to hinder access to data, he added. 

“The 16-year-old has also been charged with one count of causing a computer to perform a function to secure unauthorised access to a program," he said.

As both people charged in connection with the investigation are juveniles, automatic reporting restrictions currently apply prohibiting the identification of the name, address, school or any matter likely to identify the individual. Both individuals were due to appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on 1 April.