Introduction to the Case
Two sibling contractors, Muneeb Akhter and Sohaib Akhter, both 34 years old from Alexandria, Virginia, have been charged again for attempting to steal and destroy government records. This time, the incident occurred just minutes after they were fired from their contractor jobs. The Department of Justice announced that the brothers deleted databases and documents belonging to three government agencies.
Background of the Contractors
The brothers were federal contractors working for a company in Washington, DC, that provides software and services to 45 US agencies. They had previously been convicted a decade ago for hacking into US State Department systems. On February 18, at roughly 4:55 pm, the men were fired from the company, according to an indictment unsealed on Thursday.
The Alleged Crime
Five minutes after being fired, the brothers allegedly began trying to access their employer’s system and access federal government databases. By then, access to one of the brothers’ accounts had already been terminated. However, the other brother allegedly accessed a government agency’s database stored on the employer’s server and issued commands to prevent other users from connecting or making changes to the database. Then, prosecutors said, he issued a command to delete 96 databases, many of which contained sensitive investigative files and records related to Freedom of Information Act matters.
Attempt to Cover Up the Crime
Despite their brazen attempt to steal and destroy information from multiple government agencies, the men lacked knowledge of the database commands needed to cover up their alleged crimes. So they allegedly turned to an AI chat tool for help. One minute after deleting Department of Homeland Security information, Muneeb Akhter allegedly asked an AI tool “how do i clear system logs from SQL servers after deleting databases.” Shortly afterward, he queried the tool “how do you clear all event and application logs from Microsoft windows server 2012,” prosecutors said.
Failure to Cover Their Tracks
The indictment provides enough details of the databases wiped and information stolen to indicate that the brothers’ attempts to cover their tracks failed. It’s unclear whether the apparent failure was due to the AI tool providing inadequate instructions or the men failing to follow them correctly. Prosecutors say they also obtained records of discussions between the men in the hours or days following, in which they discussed removing incriminating evidence from their homes. Three days later, the men allegedly wiped their employer-issued laptops by reinstalling the operating system.
Conclusion
The case of Muneeb Akhter and Sohaib Akhter serves as a reminder of the importance of cybersecurity and the need for individuals to be aware of the potential consequences of their actions. The brothers’ attempt to use an AI chat tool to cover up their alleged crimes ultimately failed, and they now face charges for their actions. This incident highlights the need for individuals to be responsible and ethical in their use of technology.
FAQs
- Q: Who are the two sibling contractors charged in this case?
A: Muneeb Akhter and Sohaib Akhter, both 34 years old from Alexandria, Virginia. - Q: What were the brothers charged with?
A: The brothers were charged with attempting to steal and destroy government records. - Q: How did the brothers try to cover up their alleged crimes?
A: The brothers allegedly used an AI chat tool to try to clear system logs and delete event and application logs. - Q: What was the outcome of the brothers’ attempt to cover up their alleged crimes?
A: The brothers’ attempt to cover up their alleged crimes failed, and they now face charges for their actions.
