Soldier-Turned-Hacker: The Wild Ride from Army Boots to Cybercrime Suits
Former US soldier Cameron John Wagenius pled guilty to fraud and identity theft after allegedly hacking AT&T and Verizon to leak presidential call logs. Known as “kiberphant0m,” he and his crew used Telegram to share stolen data and extorted millions. Guess he learned hacking wasn’t a great retirement plan!
Hot Take:
Looks like the Army’s slogan “Be All You Can Be” took a detour through a cybersecurity breach. Cameron John Wagenius, a former soldier turned hacker, went from serving his country to serving subpoenas. If hacking into AT&T and Verizon were an Olympic sport, he might have won gold, but unfortunately for him, he’s just scored a one-way ticket to the federal slammer. Maybe next time he’ll stick to playing Call of Duty instead of living it.
Key Points:
– Former US Army soldier Cameron John Wagenius pleaded guilty to cyber crimes involving AT&T and Verizon.
– The hacking activities included stealing and selling sensitive data, which led to identity theft and extortion charges.
– The cyber gang used tools like SSH Brute and Telegram to communicate and sell stolen information.
– Wagenius’ co-conspirators include infamous hackers involved in other major telecom breaches.
– The guilty plea can result in a hefty prison sentence, with charges carrying up to 27 years max.