A pro-Houthi cybercriminal who hacked thousands of websites from his home in the UK has been jailed for 20 months.
Al Tahery Al Mashriky, 26, was arrested by the National Crime Agency after it was tipped off by US law enforcement investigating extremist hacker group the Yemen Cyber Army.
NCA investigators were able to link Al Mashriky to the group through social media and email accounts.
The Yemen Cyber Army emerged around 2015 with a series of attacks against Saudi Arabian targets and is aligned with Houthi rebels in Yemen. It is also suspected of being a front for Iran-backed hacking activities.
Al Mashriky, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, hacked into websites including the Yemen Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Yemen Ministry of Security Media and Israeli Live News, analysis of his laptop and several mobile phones revealed.
After gaining access to the sites he created web pages containing his online monikers and messaging to promote his religious and political ideology.
Using one of his many online aliases, Al Mashriky claimed on one cybercrime forum that he had hacked in to more than 3,000 websites during a three-month period in 2022, the NCA has revealed.
He was in possession of personal data for more than four million Facebook users and several documents containing usernames and passwords for services such as Netflix and PayPal, which could be used for further acts of cybercrime.
NCA deputy director Paul Foster, head of the agency’s National Cyber Crime Unit, said: “Al Mashriky’s attacks crippled the websites targeted, causing significant disruption to their users and the organisations, just so that he could push the political and ideological views of the Yemen Cyber Army.
“He had also stolen personal data that could have enabled him to target and defraud millions of people.
Al Mashriky was arrested in August 2022 and had been due to stand trial at Sheffield Crown Court in March this year for 10 offences under the Computer Misuse Act but pleaded guilty instead. He has now been jailed at the same court for 20 months.
He was also found to have targeted faith websites in Canada and the US, as well as the website for the California State Water Board. Hacking victims revealed the significant cost and inconvenience caused by his activities.
“Cybercrime can often appear faceless, with the belief that perpetrators hide in the shadows and can avoid detection,” said Mr Foster.
“However, as this investigation shows, the NCA has the technical capability to pursue and identify offenders like Al Mashriky and bring them to justice.”
An account on X bearing the group's name lists its activities, including hacking the University of Bristol earlier this year.
The account also reposts the messages of 313 Team, an Iran-aligned group which took credit for hacking US President Donald Trump’s Truth Social platform within hours of US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Houthi-aligned hackers were last year blamed for cyber attacks on military personnel from Middle Eastern countries.
Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
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Kathryn Hawkes of House of Hawkes on being a good guest (because we’ve all had bad ones)
- Arrive with a thank you gift, or make sure you have one for your host by the time you leave.
- Offer to buy groceries, cook them a meal or take your hosts out for dinner.
- Help out around the house.
- Entertain yourself so that your hosts don’t feel that they constantly need to.
- Leave no trace of your stay – if you’ve borrowed a book, return it to where you found it.
- Offer to strip the bed before you go.
UAE jiu-jitsu squad
Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Alita: Battle Angel
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Stars: Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Keean Johnson
Four stars
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Infobox
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August
Results
UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets
Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets
Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets
Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs
Monday fixtures
UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
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