Two Romanian hackers are allegedly charged with infiltrating over two-thirds of the outdoor surveillance cameras in Washington, DC, days before President Trump’s inauguration, according to the Department of Justice.
Mihai Alexandru Isvanca and Eveline Cismaru were the two hackers, who infiltrated 65% of the outdoor surveillance cameras as a part of ransom scheme. The attack affected 123 of the D.C. police department’s 187 outdoor surveillance cameras, as a result, the cameras were not functioning for several days.
On 15 December, both of them were arrested along with other three Romanian hackers in Romania and will face prosecution in Europe.
“This case was of the highest priority due to its impact on the Secret Service’s protective mission and its potential effect on the security plan for the 2017 Presidential Inauguration,” Bill Miller, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, said in a statement.
According to court filings, prosecutors are planning for the extradition of Isvanca and Cismaru. They both might face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.