Russian hackers detained by FBI. Americans are afraid of new attacks of Russian cyberbandits

Two hackers from Cheliabinsk, Russia, were arrested in USA, site of the company Microsoft network (MSNBC) reported the other day. Alexey Ivanov, 20, and Vasiliy Gorshkov, 25, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Seattle, site of the company Microsoft network (MSNBC) reported the other day. Ivanov, Gorshkov and other unnamed associates used the Internet to gain illegal access to the computers of more than 40 banks and e-commerce sites in 10 states, often by exploiting a known security vulnerability in Windows NT, prosecutors say. A “patch” for the vulnerability has been posted on the Microsoft Web site for almost two years, but the companies hit by the cyberbandits hadn’t updated their software. Prosecutors believe the suspects may be linked to the theft of data on 15,700 credit cards from a Western Union Web site in September 2000. Ivanov also had information in a file on his computer related to 38,000 credit cards stolen from an unnamed Web site, prosecutors charge. The break that eventually led to the arrests came when Ivanov identified himself in an e-mail while attempting to extort money from a victimized company. FBI agents then found his resumй online and, posing as representatives of a fictitious network security company called Invita, contacted him to offer him a job. After Ivanov arrived in Seattle, accompanied by Gorshkov, agents posing as Invita officials asked the men to demonstrate their prowess on a computer and arrested them when they did it. The hearing of the case is to begin May, 17. Discussing the incident at MSNBC forum, some Americans wrote that this arrest could be an incitement to a cyber-war and warned against new attacks of Russian hackers.