Omaha Steaks:Hacker tried to extort cash from Maserati

A US hacker who found a security flaw in a car company's website demanded money in return for keeping the breach private, a court has been told.

Bruce Mengler, 60, was arrested on Friday and has been indicted for computer intrusion and extortion. Police claim he caused damage to a protected computer of Maserati North America and also attempted to extort cash from the company in March.

Prosecutors told the court that Mengler hacked into the Maserati website on March 9 and identified potential customers' personal identification numbers and contact information. The company had been running a promotion inviting customers to test drive Maserati vehicles and receive gift certificates redeemable at Omaha Steaks. Once they signed up at the site, they used a PIN number printed on the flyer in order to receive the gift certificates.

It is alleged that Mengler downloaded the customers' information and then threatened via e-mail to publicise the security breach unless the company paid him. In threats from a Gmail account Mengler proved he had managed the hack by including the names, addresses and identification numbers of four San Diego-area customers. X

Source:ItExaminer

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