September 2, 2016
Donald Ryan Austin, 27, of El Portal, Florida, was charged yesterday with hacking servers belonging to the Linux Kernel Organization (kernel.org).
According to a four-count indictment, Austin gained access to server credentials used by an individual associated with the Linux Kernel Organization.
Austin used the credentials to access four kernel.org servers located in a Bay Area data center, modified server configurations and installed rootkits and other trojans.
Linux Kernel Organization administrators detected the intrusion and called on the FBI to investigate the incident.
FBI agents tracked down the intrusion to Austin, and a federal grand jury issued a four-count indictment on June 23, 2016.
Officers from the Miami Shores Police Department arrested Austin during a routine traffic stop last Sunday, on August 28, 2016.
The suspect made an initial appearance in a Miami court on Monday, and officials unsealed the indictment the following day.
Austin appeared in court yesterday again, where a judge set bail for $50,000 and scheduled the next court appearance for September 21, 2016, in a San Francisco federal court. The suspect was released on bond.