{"id":67779,"date":"2014-11-23T14:52:27","date_gmt":"2014-11-23T14:52:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=67779"},"modified":"2014-11-23T14:52:27","modified_gmt":"2014-11-23T14:52:27","slug":"computer-hijacking-arrests-uk-across-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2014\/11\/computer-hijacking-arrests-uk-across-europe\/","title":{"rendered":"Computer hijacking arrests in UK and across Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"
Fifteen people have been arrested, including four in the UK, in connection with the hijacking of computers.<\/p>\n
Police say the individuals were using software designed to remotely control computers – allowing for the stealing of information.<\/p>\n
The other arrests were made in Estonia, France, Romania, Latvia, Italy, and Norway.<\/p>\n
The practice, which in some instances can grant access to a victim’s webcam, is known as “Ratting”.<\/p>\n
The phrase takes its name from the malicious software used to gain control – Remote Access Trojans (Rats).<\/p>\n
Using Rats to view people through their own webcams, without their knowledge, is becoming “increasingly common” according to the UK government-backed Get Safe Online advice website.<\/p>\n
The National Crime Agency (NCA) said it arrested two 33-year-old men, and a 30-year-old woman, in Leeds.<\/p>\n
A 20-year-old man was arrested in Chatham, Kent, while a 19-year-old man had his home searched in Liverpool and was brought in for “voluntary questioning”.<\/p>\n
They are all accused of knowingly using Rats to spy on multiple targets.<\/p>\n
“Victims are typically infected by being convinced to click on a link purporting to be a picture or video, or disguised as a legitimate file, but is instead an installer for the Rat,” the NCA explained in a statement.<\/p>\n
“In many cases, those who unwittingly install such trojans will have no indication that their machine is infected.”<\/p>\n