A Swedish man who created malware which infected half a million computers around the world has been jailed in New York.
Alex Yucel, 25, owned the Blackshade organisation which sold sophisticated software to thousands of hackers in more than 100 countries. The program allowed hackers to access private photographs, passwords, and spy on victims through webcams. Data could also be locked, with victims then sent “ransom notes” to extort money.
In some cases, hackers obtained access to webcams to spy inside private homes, and victims could also be harassed using messages which computers would read aloud.
