Fukui Prefectural Police have indicted a 15-year-old junior high school student from Saitama Prefecture for allegedly creating and distributing malware.
The young suspect, who was only 14 at the time of the incidents, faces charges under Japan’s Unauthorized Access Prevention Act for storing and deploying unauthorized electromagnetic records of instructions.
According to Fukui Police Station and the Cyber Crime Division, the suspect admitted to the allegations, stating, “I learned how to create computer viruses by myself, and I wanted to test my skills.”
The case has raised alarm about the accessibility of hacking tools and knowledge among young individuals.
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According to the Fukuishimbun report, the boy is accused of infecting a fellow teenager’s computer in Fukui Prefecture on April 1.
Reports indicate that both teenagers were connected via an online platform. The malware enabled the suspect to extract and store the victim’s web service IDs and passwords on his own computer.
Additionally, the student was found to have stored another piece of malware on his device on October 11.
Authorities revealed that the victim’s personal information, including their name and address, had been posted on a social networking site.
Concerned about potential misuse, the victim reached out to the police for assistance in April, which led to the investigation and eventual identification of the suspect.
While the suspect claimed his actions were motivated by curiosity and a desire to test his skills, the case has highlighted the growing challenges of cybercrime enforcement in the digital era.
As the legal process unfolds, it underscores the importance of fostering responsible technology use among young people to prevent future cases of cyber misconduct.
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