Man acquires suspect status in cyber-attack investigation into state forest company
In investigating a computer crime against "Latvian State Forests", law enforcement has discovered that a citizen without authorisation attempted to conduct negotiations with hackers regarding ransom payment.
Man acquires suspect status in cyber-attack investigation into state forest company
Law enforcement continues to investigate a computer crime directed at the computer systems of "Latvian State Forests". The case was opened on 26 June of this year. Recently, investigators have carried out new procedural actions, during which an unexpected fact came to light.
It turned out that a citizen with no connection whatsoever to the company had independently and without authorisation decided to act in the interests of the state forest capital company. This individual had neither powers nor any agreement with the company's management. Nevertheless, he took several actions, including contacting the criminals who had attacked the computer network. The purpose of the conversations was to agree on a sum of money to be paid in order to restore access to encrypted data.
The investigating authority explains that the focus of law enforcement attention is on this citizen's conduct, rather than his public statements about the incident. His arbitrary actions, which he carried out while posing as a representative of the state enterprise, are being assessed.
A new criminal case has not been initiated against this person. Instead, in the existing criminal proceedings he has been given a status — a person against whom criminal proceedings have been initiated. He was not detained, but came to the police station of his own accord to provide explanations. Law enforcement indicates that he co-operated willingly. His residence was also searched, during which one electronic device was confiscated.
Initially, this crime was classified in accordance with Article 243, paragraph five of the Criminal Law. This article provides for liability for deliberate disruption of an automated information processing system containing data on the state's political, economic, military or social security. Later, a second qualification was added to the case — under Article 279, paragraph one of the Criminal Law. This article applies to actions taken arbitrarily, circumventing the procedure laid down by law, where a state institution disputes such conduct and it has caused considerable harm.
Source: LVportals.lv
Source: Google News LV — Crime (lv)