Pierluigi Paganini April 29, 2020

Matthew Keys, a former Reuters journalist, who was sentenced to 2 years in prison for hacking attacks on California media is now charged with an attack on a magazine.

Matthew Keys is a former Reuters journalist who was convicted in October 2015 of supporting the Anonymous collective and that was sentenced to 24 months in prison for computer hacking charges in April 2016.

Keys was accused of providing Anonymous login credentials that allowed the group to deface access and deface the website of the Los Angeles Times in 2013.

When Keys left Tribune Company-owned Sacramento KTXL Fox 40 in 2010, he shared login credentials of the CMS used by the website with members of Anonymous. The Journalist shared the credentials on a chatroom that was ordinarily used by Anonymous members to coordinate their attacks.

Anonymous logged into the Los Angeles Times and modified an article that remained online until a journalist noticed the changes.

Keys always denied any accusation, he was released from prison in 2018.

According to the Sacramento Bee, now probation officials filed a petition accusing the journalist of violating the conditions of his release by hacking into and deleting the YouTube account of Comstock’s Magazine.

“Now, federal officials say, Keys has done it again.” states the Sacramento Bee. “In a petition filed in federal court late Monday, probation officials say Keys violated the conditions of his supervised release from prison by hacking into Comstock’s magazine web accounts and deleting the Sacramento magazine’s YouTube videos and account.”

Keys was the digital editor for the Sacramento business magazine, but he left the magazine in January after a dispute with management.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the probation officer recommended Keys remain out of custody pending during violation proceedings. The man could face an additional two years in prison.

“Due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the probation officer respectfully recommends the court issues a summons to appear in court and that Mr. Keys remain out of custody during violation proceedings,” U.S. Probation Officer Miriam Olea wrote in a court filing.

“We welcome the opportunity to read all the relevant materials and work with the government before the next hearing,” Keys’ attorney, Mark Reichel, told the Bee.

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Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs – Matthew Keys, hacking)

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