In 2016 May, an phishing attack, targeting Los Angeles county employees. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Cyber Investigation Response Team (CIRT) launched a investigation into the email phishing attack.
The District Attorney’s office announced on Friday that of the 1,000 county email users that received the phishing message, 108 were actually affected.
According to the Los Angeles Daily News says that,”confidential client/patient information” were hacked through the phishing email. Forensic investigation revealed up to potentially 756,000.
Austin Kelvin Onaghinor, 37, is charged with nine counts in connection with the intrusion. Those charges include unauthorized computer access and identity theft in a felony complaint. If convicted he could face a sentence of up to 13 years in state prison.
According to District Attorney Jackie Lacey said that,”My office has devoted significant resources to developing cutting edge expertise and relationships that allow us to hold transnational cybercriminals accountable.”
“My office will work aggressively to bring this criminal hacker and others to Los Angeles County where they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” he added.
Still there is no evidence but they are indicating that confidential information was released, on Thursday officials began notifying those whose personal information may have been compromised. Deputy District Attorney Donn Hoffman remarked on the “time-consuming process” of investigating these types of cases.