Reuters editor Matthew Keys accused of aiding group Anonymous' hack of Trib Co. site

wfgodot · Mar 14, 2013

The world of social media journalism was in shock Thursday after Matthew Keys — deputy social media editor for Reuters — received a federal indictment alleging that he helped Anonymous hack his former employers.

Keys, 26, is a popular figure on Twitter, with 23,000 followers and a reputation for tweeting breaking news.
---

Feds Charge Reuters Editor With Aiding Anonymous Attack (mashable.com)

Reuters editor Matthew Keys accused of helping Anonymous hack news site (Guardian)

---
According to a federal indictment first obtained by the Huffington Post, Keys used a chat site to pass information to Anonymous. Using the name AESCracked, Keys handed over the login credentials and told hackers to "go *advertiser censored** some sh** up", the indictment says.
---
The hacker accessed at least one Los Angeles Times story and altered it, the charges say.
---
If convicted, Keys faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 for each count.

Keys is charged with one count each of conspiracy to transmit information to damage a protected computer, transmitting information to damage a protected computer and attempted transmission of information to damage a protected computer.

Keys has worked at Reuters just over a year. He has a widespread following on Twitter among journalists.
---

more at the links

wfgodot · Mar 14, 2013

According to the federal grand jury indictment handed down in Sacramento, a hacker altered a Times news story posted Dec. 14 and 15, 2010, to read "Pressure builds in House to elect CHIPPY 1337."

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/former-calif-journalist-charged-conspiracy

i.b.nora · Mar 14, 2013

HuffingtonPost has a copy of the indictment here:

http://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/MatthewKeysIndictment.pdf

wfgodot · Mar 14, 2013

Matthew RT'd his own indictment:

Breaking News ‏@BreakingNews
Deputy Reuters editor indicted for conspiring with hacker group Anonymous,
Justice Department announces - @politico http://politi.co/12TS2g6
Retweeted by Matthew Keys

wfgodot · Mar 14, 2013

....and how he learned of the indictment:

Matthew Keys ‏@TheMatthewKeys
I am fine. I found out the same way most of you did: From Twitter. Tonight I'm going to take a break. Tomorrow, business as usual.

matou · Mar 14, 2013

So is there any credence to the allegations? This is my main go-to guy for live news updates. AESCracked is linked to him? Scapegoat?

matou · Mar 14, 2013

I can't see him saying "go and *advertiser censored** some sh** up" to hackers. JMO
I call BS and that anonymous hacked in without help from Keys.

wfgodot · Mar 14, 2013

The government have already given us one Aaron Swartz. Intent here fairly clear: take down another, this one popular in the social media/journalist crew. Sends message, no matter what charge they attach.

Yes, MK also my go-to for breaking news. Only 26 so this alleged act - he would have been no older than 24. I myself was wild at that age.

And it allegedly produced this?

Pressure builds in House to elect CHIPPY 1337

House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer sees 'very good things' in the deal cut which will
see uber skid Chippy 1337 take his rightful place, as head of the Senate, reluctant House
Democrats told to SUCK IT UP.

By CHIPPYS NO1 FAN

Oh, fear and loathing run rampant in the land! ah! the academy in peril! etc. etc.

wfgodot · Mar 14, 2013

Adrian Chen ‏@AdrianChen
Here's the DOJ statement on @thematthewkeys. Says he gave login credentials for his old work to Anonymous hackers
Retweeted by Matthew Keys

http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2013/March/13-crm-311.html

wfgodot · Mar 14, 2013

The company did not comment on Keys's employment status. However, a Thomson Reuters employee at the New York office where Keys worked said that his computer was being dismantled and that his security pass had been deactivated.

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE92D1CM20130315?irpc=932

i.b.nora · Mar 15, 2013

The Reuters article is the best so far and a recent correction says:

"(This story corrects wording of fifth paragraph to make clear that work station, not computer, was being dismantled)"

wfgodot · Mar 15, 2013

.....

Jay Leiderman
‏@JayLeidermanLaw
The rumors are true @TorEkelandPC and I will be representing @TheMatthewKeys

wfgodot · Mar 15, 2013

(Reuters) - Suspended Thomson Reuters employee Matthew Keys, indicted Thursday on federal hacking charges involving the group Anonymous, "maintains his innocence," his attorney told Reuters on Friday.

New York-based attorney Tor Ekeland said Keys "looks forward to contesting these baseless charges."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/15/thomson-reuters-matthew-keys-idINDEE92E0EV20130315

Dr. Know? · Mar 16, 2013

Wow. Mathew Keys I read it too. I didn't know all of this stuff but do follow him on twitter. I've quoted him too. He usually has the news out first or added info. hmmm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/...d=maing-grid7|main5|dl1|sec1_lnk2&pLid=284640

thesaint · Mar 16, 2013

Weird. These cms's are far from secure. Doubt any experienced network system penetrator would've had any trouble getting into a large CMS like this one, fmr employee's credentials not required or even desired really.

One major security flaw is the tendency to use default passwords that never get changed (often some iteration of the username e.g., for John Smith, jsmithfall2012) and a lack of vigilance in enforcing password policies and, in this case, not deleting the ex-employee's account on termination.

I'm guessing that they (the DOJ) decided to follow through with this to

(i) have the deal they cut with Sabu Hector Xavier Monsegur bear as much fruit as possible;

tho they've had the goods on Keys for almost 2 years now. these events took place from December 2010 to March 2011, and Sabu was turned out by the FBI in June of 2011.

(ii) like the prosecutions of celebs like Willie Nelson/Wesley Snipes/Martha Stewart, the DOJ likes to throw the book at--or even prosecute in the first place--high profile defendants as a means of "visible deterrence".

If Keys weren't a visible public figure--I've never heard of him before, but in the context of the web, he appears to be sufficiently high profile that prosecuting him is a significant news event--he'd probably have rec'd a visit from the FBI and a stern talking to and that would've been that.

Reuters editor Matthew Keys accused of aiding group Anonymous' hack of Trib Co. site

New Posts

wfgodot

Former Member

wfgodot

Former Member

i.b.nora

I am polka dot

wfgodot

Former Member

wfgodot

Former Member

matou

#los2188

matou

#los2188

wfgodot

Former Member

wfgodot

Former Member

wfgodot

Former Member

i.b.nora

I am polka dot

wfgodot

Former Member

wfgodot

Former Member

Dr. Know?

Former Member

thesaint

Well-Known Member

DNASolves

Staff online

Members online

Online statistics

Forum statistics