There have now been 3 convictions meaning prison time for hacking DraftKings! The full story now unfolds in the US press. (Photo by Max Bender on Unsplash)
When hackers got away with a hefty sum of money through what can only be described as a smart move to bypass Draft King’s sports betting security system, they must have felt great when they netted their fortune.
However, fortune has turned into a disaster for 3 individuals involved in the cyberattack. This is yet another example of a spree of cyber attacks on wealthy casino businesses that have been happening over the past few years. It is not only casinos that are being hacked; we’ve read our fair share of cryptocurrency exchanges are also being looted. Yet, it seems when it comes to crypto, authorities never seem to get to the bottom of who did the dirty deed.
On the other hand, when it comes to good ‘ole’ US Dollars, or fiat currency for that matter, a paper trail seems to lead back to culprits. Well, maybe not a paper trail per se, but the digital footprint for hackers of fiat currencies appears to be much easier for the authorities to decipher. Follow the money, as they always say!
This is why I never keep my crypto on an exchange or a custodial wallet. For those of you that haven’t, get yourself a hard wallet! But, if you do, don’t forget to keep that private key safe or you won’t need hackers to lose your crypto. We have a guide if you are looking for more advice on how to use crypto at online casinos.
The good news is, even before the DraftKings Hackers were caught, the company reimbursed customers immediately. That’s what any decent reputable online casino would do! I’d say the top picks here on Casinoplusbonus are LeoVegas, William Hill, and 888Casino, who all match the prowess of DraftKings.
19-year-old Joseph Garrison will be serving 18 months behind bars for hacking into over 1,600 DraftKings sports betting accounts and stealing a whopping 600 grand. He pulled it off by taking advantage of a security weakness, allowing him to access the accounts with stolen login info. Pretty crazy stuff.
Garrison apparently bragged about it to his friends, saying “fraud is fun.” Guess he’s not laughing now that he’ll be wearing an orange jumpsuit for the next year and a half. In addition to the prison stay, Garrison has to pay back the $1.3 million that was stolen. And once he gets out, he’ll be on supervised release for 3 years.
The hack didn’t just hurt the victims either. It shook people’s trust in DraftKings protecting their accounts and money. So you can bet they’ll be boosting their cybersecurity big time.
The full story has been published in the Washington Post – Hacker gets 18-month sentence.
Two Further Individuals Indicted for the DraftKings Data Breach
The two men – 19-year-old Nathan Austad and 21-year-old Kamerin Stokes – allegedly conspired with others to illegally access DraftKings user accounts. They took advantage of credentials stolen in other website breaches to log into the accounts.
Once inside, they stole money through various means like adding new payment methods. They also sold account login info in underground online markets. One defendant, Stokes, reportedly bought account access in bulk from a hacker ring member named Joseph Garrison.
In total, the group is estimated to have drained around $600,000 from some 1,600 DraftKings customers.
Heavy Prison Sentencing: For their involvement, Austad and Stokes both face 20-year prison sentences if found guilty. Garrison previously pleaded guilty and is awaiting his fate as well. DraftKings has paid customers back but warns that cyber-attacks remain an ongoing threat. The company says securing people’s personal and financial data is a top priority.
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