Authorities concluded that the suspects had bought virus software to use in their alleged scheme. By December, investigators had identified practically all of the control channels for the pirated computer network and "proceeded in a coordinated way internationally to block the domains that were being used," the statement said.
In a counterattack, the suspects, "probably as an act of revenge," carried out a cyberattack against the Canadian firm investigating them. The attack seriously affected its Internet service provider and left numerous clients without connection, including Canadian universities and government offices, the statement said. But that counterattack also allowed investigators to determine the rest of the control channels for the alleged scheme, which were finally blocked as well, except for a few small servers that controlled a relatively small number of computers.
Authorities also discovered the identity of the year-old suspect, who used the alias "hamlet," and made the arrest in the town of Balmaseda, Vizcaya province. A search of the computers found there led to the other two suspects, the statement said. The suspects were to appear before Judge Baltasar Garzon at Spain's National Court in Madrid because of the broad implications of the virus-infected computers, the statement said.
Authorities are investigating whether a fourth suspect, possibly a Venezuelan national, might also be involved, police said. Share this on:. Authorities say the virus would have allowed the hackers to mount a large cyberattack from infected computers. Most Popular. Police officers wearing face masks patrol as people sit on a terrace in Fuengirola, near Malaga, Spain, Saturday, Aug. The increase in Spain of coronavirus outbreaks associated with nightlife has set off alarms in recent days, mainly in tourist areas where pubs and discos are full before the summer tourist campaign.
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