In September 2022, over 3 GB of GTA 6 data, comprising numerous videos and images, surfaced on the internet. The source behind this massive leak was the infamous Lapsus$ group, previously notorious for targeting companies such as Uber and Nvidia. At the heart of the breach against Rockstar Games stood an 18-year-old Briton named Arion Kurtaj, now sentenced to indefinite hospitalization.
The Judicial Consideration
The judge’s verdict stems from viewing Arion Kurtaj, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, as an ongoing threat due to his exceptional skills and inclination toward further cyber offenses. Testimonies during the trial revealed Kurtaj’s history of violent behavior during his arrest, with numerous allegations of injuries and property damage, as reported by the BBC. Medical evaluations deemed Kurtaj unfit for trial due to his autism spectrum severity, prompting the jury to determine his actions rather than solely focusing on criminal intent.
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A Perpetual Pursuit of Cyber Mischief
During the trial, revelations surfaced that while on bail for hacking Nvidia and BT/EE, and under police protection in a hotel, Kurtaj persisted in his unlawful activities, orchestrating the assault on Rockstar Games. Stripped of his laptop, Kurtaj ingeniously leveraged an Amazon Fire Stick, the hotel’s television, and a mobile device. He breached Rockstar Games’ Slack, issuing an ultimatum: contact him within 24 hours, or he’d unleash the source code. Subsequently, he disseminated the GTA 6 material and code on a forum under the alias TeaPotUberHacker.
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Arrest, Trial, and the Fallout
Post the Rockstar Games breach and GTA 6 leak, Kurtaj was re-arrested and detained until trial. During the proceedings, the defense argued that the immense success of GTA 6’s initial trailer, amassing 155 million views, suggested the hack caused no harm to the publisher, requesting the court to consider this for sentencing. Nonetheless, the judge deemed real victims and substantial damages in the attacks by Lapsus$, highlighting Rockstar Games’ assertion of a $5 million recovery cost and thousands of work hours.
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Lapsus$ and Its Young Offenders
Last August, another underage member of Lapsus$ was found guilty and sentenced to an 18-month Youth Rehabilitation Order, inclusive of supervision and a VPN ban. Authorities believe Lapsus$ predominantly comprises teenagers, with unidentified members being fugitives.
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