Bulgarian police arrest 19-year-old suspected of hacking state broadcasters BNT and BNR

Bulgaria's Chief Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP) has detained a 19-year-old suspect in Sofia. He is accused of gaining unauthorized access to the systems of state and municipal institutions, private companies, and state broadcasters BNT and BNR. BNT and the newspaper 24 Chasa reported this, citing the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office.

According to investigators, the young man copied databases holding personal data of thousands of users, including names, phone numbers, addresses, emails, personal identification numbers and purchase histories. He allegedly offered the data for sale on hacker forums and the dark web. He is also accused of promoting the "Cobra Stealer" malware, which steals saved passwords, banking details and cryptocurrency wallets. Searches turned up computers, hard drives, phones and documents.

Prosecutors brought three charges, including unauthorized access to information systems and copying personal data for financial gain. According to 24 Chasa, the offenses carry five to seven years in prison. The suspect is being held for up to 72 hours, and on Saturday prosecutors will ask the Sofia City Court to remand him in custody. He is presumed innocent.