Security researcher Marcus Hutchins pleads not guilty returns to Twitter

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Security researcher Marcus Hutchins pleads not guilty, returns to Twitter

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After being nabbed by the FBI while leaving DefCon, the security researcher who singlehandedly neutralized the WannaCry malware attack earlier this year is back online. Marcus Hutchins, a.k.a. @malwaretech, appeared for his arraignment at a federal court in Wisconsin on Monday where he entered a not guilty plea and successfully argued that he should be allowed internet access. Hutchins faces six charges related to his alleged involvement in the Kronos banking malware in 2014.

Initially, Hutchins was prevented from going online after his arrest. In court today, Hutchins was granted nearly unfettered access to the internet, with the only stipulation being that he not access the “sinkhole” he created that stopped WannaCry. Naturally, he tweeted for the first time since his arrest, addressing his case and thanking his many supporters.

i'm still on trial, still not allowed to go home, still on house arrest; but now i am allowed online. Will get my computers back soon.

— MalwareTech (@MalwareTechBlog) August 14, 2017

Things to do during defcon:
Attend parties
Visit red rock canyon
Go shooting
Be indicted by the FBI
Rent supercars

— MalwareTech (@MalwareTechBlog) August 14, 2017

Notably, as the International Business Times reports, the government appeared to acknowledge that the case against Hutchins was “historical” in nature, suggesting that it no longer considers Hutchins a threat in a seeming acknowledgement of his role preventing the spread of more recent malware. That kind of language could bode well for his case.

Hutchins, a British citizen, will now be allowed to move around the U.S. freely and relocate to Los Angeles as he awaits his trial, which is set to begin on October 23.

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via Twitter – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com

August 15, 2017 at 01:19PM