Plea Deal for Kiberphant0m

Federal authorities have arrested and indicted a 20-year-old U.S. Army soldier on suspicion of being Kiberphant0m, a cybercriminal who has been selling and leaking sensitive customer call records stolen earlier this year from AT&T and Verizon. As first reported by KrebsOnSecurity last month, the accused is a communications specialist who was recently stationed in South Korea.

The Case for Offering a Secret Plea Deal to "Kiberphant0m"

The arrest of the individual suspected of being "Kiberphant0m" presents a unique opportunity for the federal government to transform a potential threat into a valuable national security asset. Below are the reasons why a secret plea deal should be offered, with the aim of recruiting this individual into the National Security Agency (NSA) or other cybersecurity programs:

• The skills displayed in infiltrating major telecom companies like AT&T and Verizon highlight a sophisticated understanding of modern communication systems and data breaches.

• These abilities could be leveraged to strengthen the NSA’s capabilities in offensive and defensive cyber operations, particularly against foreign threats.

• Such talent is rare and can be redirected from illegal pursuits to defending U.S. infrastructure against adversaries in cyberspace.

• Offering a plea deal that includes mandatory service in a government cybersecurity role provides a path to rehabilitation.

• It also sends a message that the U.S. is willing to invest in reforming and redirecting talent rather than purely punishing it.

Strategic Precedent

• Historically, similar approaches have yielded positive results, such as the recruitment of former hackers into law enforcement and cybersecurity roles.

• This strategy aligns with the concept of “hacker rehabilitation,” a practice embraced by countries like Israel and Russia to bolster their cyber capabilities.