According to London police, the adolescent was detained as part of a UK Cyber Crime Unit investigation.
Today, London City Police reported that on Thursday night, they had detained a 17-year-old from Oxfordshire. While the police have yet to confirm why, it’s been reported that the teen was arrested in connection with the recent Uber and Grand Theft Auto VI leaks. At this time, the suspect is still being held by City Police.
On the evening of Thursday 22 September 2022, the City of London Police arrested a 17-year-old in Oxfordshire on suspicion of hacking, as part of an investigation supported by the @NCA_UK’s National Cyber Crime Unit (NCCU).
He remains in police custody. pic.twitter.com/Zfa3OlDR6J
— City of London Police (@CityPolice) September 23, 2022
As reported by The Desk and reporter Matthew Keys, the arrest of the suspected 17-year-old GTA hacker by police in the United Kingdom was part of an investigation being conducted by the FBI and the UK’s Cyber Crime Unit. According to earlier reports, the FBI was probably investigating the latest attacks at Uber and Rockstar Games.
The adolescent is being held on a number of allegations, including conspiring to attack at least two distinct computer systems, a source told The Desk.
The young hacker who was detained Thursday night in Oxfordshire is allegedly affiliated with the cyber collective “Laspus$.” This hacker organisation is also allegedly responsible for high-profile hacks at other well-known corporations, such as Uber, Microsoft, Cisco, Samsung, Nvidia, and Okta. In 2021, the gang made its debut by hacking Brazil’s Ministry of Health. It was believed that the gang had stopped operating, but earlier this month, it is claimed that it resumed its operations and targeted Uber and Rockstar Games.
One of the biggest video game leaks ever was the Grand Theft Auto VI leak that took place over the weekend. 90 video files with early gameplay from the upcoming GTA game—predicted to be GTA VI—were posted on the GTA Forums and soon went viral online. The video seems to substantiate earlier stories and rumours that GTA VI will take place in Vice City and feature two distinct characters who would act as a Bonnie and Clyde-style criminal duo.
Rockstar Games acknowledged that someone had “illegally” obtained access to company files and released them online on Monday, September 19, in response to the leak. Additionally, it declared that the production of the game would not be slowed down by this leak and that it intended to make an official announcement about it soon.
