Suspected ShinyHunters Leader Arrested in the Netherlands
Dutch authorities have arrested a suspected leader of ShinyHunters, a prolific hacking group responsible for numerous high-profile data breaches.
The 24-year-old Amsterdam man was taken into custody on September 15th, according to a Dutch police press release. While authorities have not publicly named the suspect, Krebs on Security and Reuters report that he is Pepijn van der Stap, who had previously been convicted for data theft and extortion.
ShinyHunters has been linked to cyberattacks against Ticketmaster, Rockstar Games, and more recently claimed responsibility for breaching an FBI website and stealing employee data. The timing of the arrest—just days before the group announced the FBI breach—suggests the operation may have been in progress when the suspect was taken into custody.
The arrest highlights ongoing international efforts to combat cybercriminal organizations that operate across borders, with Dutch authorities cooperating with the FBI on the investigation.