Updated July 18th, 2019
Two 14 year old freshmen from Secaucus N.J. high school were recently arrested after being accused of hacking their school’s WIFI system. The two boys allegedly knocked down their school’s WIFI system so as to avoid taking a test. With the WIFI down, the teachers were not able to teach any lessons or give any tests that depended on the use of the internet.
One of the students from the school, Athana Siachandris, admitted that she knew the two boys. According to her statement, she saw the two boys and even asked them about the hack.
“They thought it was funny because they didn’t want to go to school,” Siachandris said.
“I couldn’t access the internet. I couldn’t really do any work. My teachers were annoyed. We couldn’t take tests, couldn’t take notes,” she added.
The school’s Superintendent Jennifer Montesano also confirmed the story, stating that, “Our Wi-Fi connection was compromised over the past week. We have determined that two students may have been involved in the disruption of our system.”
How did the kids do it?
It is believed that the teenagers possibly used a malware as a service deal to create the situation. A variety of such services are offered on the dark web, and it is quite possible that the private company used by the two is linked to, or is, the dark web.
According to the police’s statement, the two boys possibly used an app or they may have paid someone online to carry out the deed for them.
The dark web is quite famous for such hacks and worse. These dark web marketplaces can go as far as selling their victims’ accounts. Other services are also advertised on the Darknet. Not so long ago, a proof-point researcher named Mathew Mesa discovered a Gibon ransom-ware being sold on a Darknet marketplace for $500. Apparently, the ransom-ware has the ability to infect all data on a machine except files in windows folders. These teenagers might have found such an advert through the dark web.
The two, who have already been released to their parents, were charged with computer criminal activity as well as conspiracy to commit computer criminal activity.
Teenagers and the dark web
The rate at which teenagers are engaging in criminal activities using the dark web is quite alarming. In a different scenario, two teenagers, aged 16 and 17, were arrested for acquiring fake cheques on the dark web. The two Cernay teenagers bought fake identity cards together with the fake cheques and used them to buy game consoles, professional coffee machines, and several other things teenagers would likely think of buying. The equipment added up to a total of 15,000 euros.
In yet another case, an 18 year old woman used fake tokens acquired via the dark web at a casino in Le Pharaon and was awarded 2,500 euros in chips. The young woman was arrested after an employee from the casino discovered the two fake cheques she had used.
It is quite shocking that a 19 year old would want to kill his parents. Gurtej Singh Randhawa was arrested for buying an explosive weapon on the dark web with the intention of bombing his parents. According to sources familiar with the news, Gurtej had a disagreement with his parents because they wouldn’t let him start a relationship with a woman of his choice.
The police came across Gurtej’s order and henceforth laid a track on him. The police responded to his order and instead sent him a dead device. The teen later was arrested by The National Crime Agency Armed Operations Unit.
Drug dealing is another common crime connected to the dark web. In May 2017, an 18 year old student, Daniel Kennett, sold Defqon ecstasy pills to a fellow student who took an overdose of the drug which led to his death. After the 17 year old died, investigations into Kennet were sparked. Apparently Kennet had a business partner who had been buying the pills on the Darknet and reselling them to prisoners.
It is not clear how these teenagers obtain access to the dark web, what’s clear though is the fact that the dark web is a dangerous site that is causing much damage to society, and many think it has to be shunned.