US Charges Two People for Attempt to Hack DC Police Surveillance Cameras

Two Romanian nationals tried to hack into 123 computers used to run surveillance cameras at the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, DC.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The United States has charged two Romanian nationals over an alleged attempt to hack 123 computers used to run surveillance cameras at the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, DC, the Justice Department said in a statement on Thursday.

"A criminal complaint and arrest warrants were unsealed today charging two Romanian nationals with a conspiracy to illegally access approximately 123 computers associated with Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) surveillance cameras and to use those computers in connection with a scheme to distribute ransomware in January 2017," the statement said.

The two suspects — identified as Mihai Alexandru Isvanca, 25, and Eveline Cismaru, 28 — were arrested on December 15 at the Otopeni airport in Bucharest, the statement said. Both suspects are being held in Romania pending further legal proceedings.

According to the criminal complaint unsealed on Thursday, Isvanca and Cismaru took part in a ransomware scheme that compromised a number of Metropolitan Department Police cameras sometime between January 9 and January 12, 2017.

The attack occurred just days before President Donald Trump took office, complicating the Secret Service's security plans for his inauguration. The suspects face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit various forms of computer fraud, the Justice Department said.