A Russian citizen who tried to hack Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) last year and the launch of malware for the compromise, the company has pleaded guilty in the US and could face up to ten months in prison, according to a report by The Associated Press.
What happened: Egor Igorevich Kriuchkov pleaded guilty to conspiracy to intentionally damage a protected computer, according to the report.
Last August, a federal lawsuit was filed against Kriuchkov in Nevada. The Russian citizen is accused of offering $ 1 million in bribes Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) to an employee at a company in Nevada – who was then only identified as Company A – to secretly place malware in the company’s systems.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk later confirmed that the carmaker was the subject of a burglary attempt by a Russian citizen and his accomplices.
Kriuckkov said the inside work would be camouflaged with a scattered attack on outside service computers to overwhelm the servers with junk traffic, according to the Associated Press, which quoted court documents. The hackers then planned to blackmail Tesla for a ransom.
See also: Why Tesla’s Charging Stations Are a Important Benefit for Its Future
Why it matters: The data breach shows how companies need to take more effective steps to address the threat of cyberattacks that have escalated amid the pandemic. It also shows how hackers can take data from companies, including Tesla, hostage in exchange for ransom funds.
Earlier this month, Tesla was one of several companies affected by a major breach of security cameras, and hackers gained access to live footage from electric car factories and warehouses.
Price action: Tesla shares closed about 0.3% higher at $ 654.87 on Friday.
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