Huge hacking ring busted

One of the largest hacking rings, responsible for $300 million over the course of seven years as well as the loss of 160 million credit and debit card numbers will be charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of New Jersey.

According to an indictment unsealed Thursday, five men living in the Ukraine and Russia, are responsible for breaking into the computer systems of NASDAQ, Visa, 7-Eleven, J C Penny, Hannaford Brothers, Wet Seal, Jet Blue Airways, and Dow Jones Inc. from 2005 until at least last summer.

A report on the Wall Street Journal this morning claims the hackers would get a chunk of money for each card number stolen. “Prices ranged from about $10 for each stolen American credit-card number, $50 for each European number and $15 for the Canadian variety,” the report said.

The charges include conspiracy charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, computer hacking conspiracy, unauthorized computer access, and wire fraud.

U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman plans to hold a press conference in Newark later today to discuss the case.