Two brothers, Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter, have been charged with a comically botched attempt to steal and destroy government records. The siblings, both 34 years old from Virginia, had previously been convicted of hacking into the US State Department's systems over a decade ago.
Their latest scheme began just minutes after they were fired from their jobs as federal contractors working for an undisclosed company in Washington D.C. The company provides software and services to 45 US agencies, making it a prime target for access to sensitive information.
According to prosecutors, the brothers coordinated their efforts and started trying to access the government's database shortly after being let go. One brother, however, was able to access a database stored on the employer's server before his account was terminated. He then issued commands to prevent other users from connecting or making changes to the database, effectively deleting 96 databases that contained sensitive investigative files and records.
In an attempt to cover their tracks, the brothers turned to an AI chat tool, asking how to clear system logs from SQL servers after deleting databases. Their efforts, however, were laughable in their ineptitude. They lacked knowledge of the necessary commands and relied on the AI tool for instructions.
The indictment provides a detailed account of the brothers' attempts to steal government information, including deleted Department of Homeland Security data. Despite their brazen scheme, they failed to successfully cover up their alleged crimes, leaving behind a trail of digital breadcrumbs.
The case raises questions about the employer's operational security and how they allowed the brothers access to sensitive information in the first place. It also highlights the limitations of relying on AI tools to help cover up serious cybercrimes. The men's lack of database and laptop skills is almost laughable, making them seem like inept culprits who stumbled their way into a mess of their own making.
The brothers' past offenses are no surprise. They pleaded guilty to conspiracy to hack into the State Department and a private company in 2015. They had stolen sensitive passport and visa information and personal data from dozens of colleagues. Their previous antics also included attempting to install an electronic collection device inside a State Department building to maintain persistent access to their systems.
The brothers are facing serious charges, including conspiracy to commit computer fraud and destruction of records, theft of US government records, and aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Muneeb Akhter faces up to 45 years in prison, while Sohaib Akhter could face six years.
Their latest scheme began just minutes after they were fired from their jobs as federal contractors working for an undisclosed company in Washington D.C. The company provides software and services to 45 US agencies, making it a prime target for access to sensitive information.
According to prosecutors, the brothers coordinated their efforts and started trying to access the government's database shortly after being let go. One brother, however, was able to access a database stored on the employer's server before his account was terminated. He then issued commands to prevent other users from connecting or making changes to the database, effectively deleting 96 databases that contained sensitive investigative files and records.
In an attempt to cover their tracks, the brothers turned to an AI chat tool, asking how to clear system logs from SQL servers after deleting databases. Their efforts, however, were laughable in their ineptitude. They lacked knowledge of the necessary commands and relied on the AI tool for instructions.
The indictment provides a detailed account of the brothers' attempts to steal government information, including deleted Department of Homeland Security data. Despite their brazen scheme, they failed to successfully cover up their alleged crimes, leaving behind a trail of digital breadcrumbs.
The case raises questions about the employer's operational security and how they allowed the brothers access to sensitive information in the first place. It also highlights the limitations of relying on AI tools to help cover up serious cybercrimes. The men's lack of database and laptop skills is almost laughable, making them seem like inept culprits who stumbled their way into a mess of their own making.
The brothers' past offenses are no surprise. They pleaded guilty to conspiracy to hack into the State Department and a private company in 2015. They had stolen sensitive passport and visa information and personal data from dozens of colleagues. Their previous antics also included attempting to install an electronic collection device inside a State Department building to maintain persistent access to their systems.
The brothers are facing serious charges, including conspiracy to commit computer fraud and destruction of records, theft of US government records, and aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Muneeb Akhter faces up to 45 years in prison, while Sohaib Akhter could face six years.
, like they really thought they could pull off something crazy after getting fired and having no idea what they're doing? I feel bad for the employer who got hacked but at the same time, it's like they should've seen this coming, you know? And don't even get me started on the AI tool thing, that's just laughable 
. Like, if you're going to use a tool to help cover up your tracks, make sure you actually know what you're doing first. The brothers' lack of skills is almost impressive in its ineptness 
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. They deleted 96 databases, which is just laughable (pun intended) considering the complexity of a database system. It's like they thought the government would be all like "oh noes, the databases are down" and then just magically fix everything 
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. I mean, it's not that hard to prevent something like this from happening in the first place 
. You need actual skills and knowledge to pull off a job like this. The employer really messed up by letting them access sensitive information in the first place 
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. For now, it's just a reminder to always double-check your security measures and don't rely on AI tools to cover up for you 
. I mean, who tries to hack their way into the system and then asks an AI chat tool for help? 
. The only thing more laughable is how the company let them work on sensitive info in the first place 
And then they use an AI chat tool to try and cover their tracks? "Hey AI, tell me how to clear system logs"... it's like something out of a movie. 
It's not like they're some new hackers or anything, they've been convicted before. This whole thing is just a big mess. And now these two guys are facing serious charges... I mean, I guess you can't fool everyone with your lack of database skills 
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. and what really gets me is that they're using this as an excuse... "oh, we didn't know how to do it"... yeah, sure 
. let's hope they get the sentence they deserve and learn from their mistakes 
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