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Marcus Hutchins, the security researcher known for helping to put an end to the widespread attack of the WannaCry ransomware, has pleaded guilty to charges related to malware unrelated to the 2017 attack.
"As you may know, I pleaded guilty to two counts of writing malware in the years leading up to my security career," Hutchins said in a statement posted on its website. "I regret these acts and accept responsibility for my mistakes. Having grown up, I have been using the same skills that I misused many years ago for constructive purposes. "
According to a plea agreement filed with the Eastern District of Wisconsin, the British researcher agreed to plead guilty to two out of ten counts, while the remaining eight were dropped. Each charge is punishable by imprisonment for up to five years and a fine of up to $ 250,000, although the agreement of Advocacy states that an "acceptance of responsibility" could help alleviate the sentence.
Hutchins was responsible for developing and, in partnership with another person identified in court documents, "Vinny", to disseminate the UPAS-Kit and Kronos malware, the latter being used for years to steal banking information. This activity occurred between July 2012 and September 2015, by judicial record, in the years prior to Hutchins being awarded the WannaCry Firearms discovery.
The researcher was arrested by the FBI in 2017, just months after helping to put an end to the destructive malware attack, under Kronos' indictment. Last year, after being hit by a new charge related to UPAS-Kit, Hutchins, now a prominent and respected researcher in the security field, was indicted –called the accusations "bullshit".
According to ZDNet, Hutchins was reportedly released on bail and based in Los Angeles in anticipation of a lawsuit scheduled for later this year. Hutchins said in his statement this week that he "will continue to dedicate [his] It's time to protect users against malware attacks. "
[ZDNet]
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