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Hamza Bendelladj | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1988-06-03)3 June 1988 (age 37) Tizi Ouzou, Algeria |
| Other names | BX1 Smiling Hacker |
| Alma mater | University of Science and Technology Houari Boumediene |
| Occupations | Computer engineer,hacker |
Hamza Bendelladj (Arabic:حمزة بن دلاج,romanized: Ḥamza ben Delāj; born 3 June 1988)[1][2] is an Algerian cyberhacker and carder who goes by the code nameBX1[3] and has been nicknamed the "Smiling Hacker".
This led to a search for him that lasted 5 years. He was on the top 10 list of the most wanted hackers byInterpol and theFBI[4] for allegedly embezzling tens of millions of dollars[5] from more than two hundred American and European financial institutions via a computer virus, the "SpyEYE Botnet", which infected more than 60 million computers worldwide, mostly from the United States,[6] and was developed with his Russian accomplice Aleksandr Andreivich Panin, a.k.a. "Gribodemon",[7] to steal banking information stored on infected computers.[8]
Usingmalicious software called "SpyEye", Bendelladj under the pseudonyms "BX1" or "Daniel HB", broke into the computers of banks and private individuals to acquire passwords and identification codes. Once he took control of an account, he emptied it.[9]
After a three-year chase, Bendelladj was arrested on January 7, 2013 by Thai police while making a stopover inBangkok in transit betweenMalaysia andEgypt. He did not resist arrest. He said goodbye to his family as he was arrested and his wife and daughter continued their journey to Egypt without him. He earned the nickname "Smiling Hacker" due to the smile on his face during his media presentation on all the photos taken after his arrest even when handcuffed.[10] According to Thai police, Bendelladj was in the top 10 most wanted by theFBI.[11]
Despite much information on the internet Bendelladj did not get sentenced to death, and claims saying he donated any money to charity are almost impossible to verify. Trial documents did not mention any donations or charity activities, making the claim of charity disputed and not known for sure.[2][12]
He wasextradited in May 2013 to the United States. He was tried inAtlanta where he pleaded guilty on June 25, 2015. He faced a sentence of up to 30 years in prison and a fine of fourteen million dollars.[13]
His accomplice Aleksandr Andreevich Panin was arrested on July 1, 2013, atAtlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and pleaded guilty in January 2014 to the Atlanta Federal Court.
Rumours began spreading online that he was facing the death penalty.[14] A petition was launched demanding that theAlgerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs andPresident Barack Obama intervene for his release.[15] The US ambassador to Algeria,Joan A. Polaschik wrote on herTwitter account that "computer crimes are not capital crimes and are not punishable by the death penalty".[16]
The ODU hack reveals links to past events involving Palestine, as seen inTrend Micro's Operation Arid Viper research. Arid Viper targets high-profile organisations in Israel and Kuwait to show solidarity for Palestine.[17]
Bendelladj has been in prison in the United States since May 2013, with the US court sentencing him on April 20, 2016, to 15 years in prison and 3 years of probation.[18] Bendelladj is currently held at the Terminal Island - Federal Bureau of Prisons, a minimum security facility.[19] His Russian accomplice Panin, 27, a.k.a. "Gribodemon", was sentenced to 9 years and 6 months.[20]
In their report, theUnited States Department of Justice estimated the "SpyEye" virus had stolen approximately a billion dollars. Between 2010 and 2012, the affected banks repaired the damage caused by thismalware. Bendelladj's lawyer announced that he intended to appeal against the court's decision.[21]
Public attention has once again turned to Hamza Bendelladj, following the completion of his sentence in the United States. After years of imprisonment, having been arrested in 2013 and 2015 on charges of involvement in cybercrimes, Bendelladj was released and returned to Algeria.
Upon his arrival, Bendelladj shared a photo on his Instagram page, captioning it "ALGERIE Mi Amor" (Algeria, my love), the title of one ofL'Algérino's songs reflecting his passion for his own country. RapperDidine Canon 16 also celebrated his release, sharing his joy at Bendelladj's return.
His release from prison has sparked a wave of debate. Many see him as a symbol of resistance against unjustbanking systems, while others question the potential impact of his return on society andcybersecurity in Algeria. While some call for his skills to be used in positive fields, others raise concerns about the potential risks his freedom might bring.[22]