UK Hacker Sentenced for Yemen Cyber Army Ties and Cybercrimes
A UK-based hacker, Al-Tahery Al-Mashriky, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for his involvement with the Yemen Cyber Army (YCA) and related cybercrimes. The YCA, active since 2015, supports the Houthi movement in Yemen's conflict and is known for its propaganda-driven operations.
Al-Mashriky pleaded guilty to nine offences, including website defacements and possession of stolen personal data that could have targeted millions of people. His actions caused significant disruption to targeted websites and users, including Yemen's Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Security Media, as well as an Israeli news outlet.
In a three-month period in 2022, Al-Mashriky claimed to have hacked over 3,000 websites. Despite the extent of YCA's ties to Iran-backed actors remaining uncertain, the National Crime Agency (NCA) successfully pursued and identified Al-Mashriky, bringing him to justice.
Al-Mashriky's sentencing sends a clear message that cybercrime will not be tolerated. The NCA's technical capabilities continue to protect UK citizens and hold cyber offenders accountable, regardless of their international ties.
