Can you believe this happened? Two 17-year-old boys from the Netherlands were arrested on charges of spying on Europol, which sounds almost Hollywood-story, but then it turned out they were working on behalf of the Russians.
The good news is that Europol's systems were never compromised, and their systems were not altered in any way. The bad news is no sixteen-year-old teenager should think to do this next to an intelligence agency.
Leading authorities have taken their charge responsibility understanding that they have the responsibility, acting in their best interest as they want to stay ahead of something that escalates or turns into something much worse.
What Happened
The two boys were contacted through the Telegram app and given software to help them hack. Their primary tool was called a wifi sniffer, which allowed them to see the wireless networks in the area and capture some of the information. Apparently, the boys attempted to use this tool next to Europol, Eurojust, and the Canadian Embassy in The Hague.The good news is that Europol's systems were never compromised, and their systems were not altered in any way. The bad news is no sixteen-year-old teenager should think to do this next to an intelligence agency.
Family In Shock
One of the young adults is arrested at home while he works on some homework, busily engaging his mind without considering what was about to unfold. After the arrest, one father commented, "We raised our kids about smoking, vaping, drinking, and drugging - we never raised them about this." This is a clear testimony to how easy it is for young adults to engage in serious cyber crime without the families knowing.Why It Matters
While this story isn't simply an anecdote, Europe has witnessed the use of young people in relation to espionage, sabotaging networks, or hacking. A WiFi sniffer may not sound like a great big deal, however, it does provide hackers some discovery tools for planning multiple attacks, mapping networks, collecting WiFi networks.Leading authorities have taken their charge responsibility understanding that they have the responsibility, acting in their best interest as they want to stay ahead of something that escalates or turns into something much worse.
What Comes Next
The boys will be detained for at least two weeks while police investigate what happened. Their intention is to send a clear message: young hackers can get themselves into trouble, too.
