Brazilian federal law enforcement has arrested a hacker suspected of being involved in multiple high-profile cyberattacks, including breaches of the FBI’s InfraGard platform, Airbus, and National Public Data. The arrest, part of “Operation Data Breach,” was announced by Brazil’s Department of Federal Police (DFP) in a statement on Wednesday.
The DFP said that a search and seizure warrant and a preventive arrest warrant were executed in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, against an individual linked to cyber intrusions both in Brazil and internationally. The suspect is accused of selling sensitive data from Brazil’s Federal Police on two occasions, in 2020 and 2022, and claiming responsibility for other major cyber breaches.
The suspect, who was not named by the authorities, is widely believed to be a hacker known as USDoD, who has previously boasted about several cyber intrusions, including the December 2022 breach of the FBI’s InfraGard platform. This platform is used by the FBI to coordinate with private companies in critical infrastructure sectors across the U.S. The hacker also claimed involvement in breaches of Airbus, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and National Public Data, although some of these claims could not be independently verified.
The hacking group linked to the suspect made headlines earlier this year when they posted a database on the criminal marketplace “Breached,” allegedly containing 899 million Social Security numbers from U.S. background check giant National Public Data. This breach was particularly concerning as it included personal data of both living and deceased individuals. A bankruptcy filing by National Public Data explicitly identified USDoD as the hacker behind the breach.
The DFP confirmed that the individual arrested was responsible for leaking large databases, including those from Airbus and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The suspect faces charges related to hacking and the commercial sale of stolen data. The investigation is ongoing to determine whether the individual was involved in additional cyber intrusions.
In August, a person claiming to be USDoD gave an interview admitting responsibility for the attacks. The individual, identifying himself as Luan G., a 33-year-old from Minas Gerais, Brazil, said he was ready to face the consequences of his actions. He claimed to have been traced by cybersecurity experts from companies like Crowdstrike and Intel471, who had shared their findings with Brazilian authorities.
The arrest is the latest in Brazil’s ongoing efforts to crack down on cybercrime. Earlier this year, Brazilian law enforcement disrupted a criminal group responsible for the Grandoreiro banking malware, which had been used to steal millions of euros since 2019. Additionally, in 2022, the police executed multiple search and seizure warrants in an investigation into the Lapsus$ Group, a hacking collective responsible for several high-profile attacks.
This case underscores the growing sophistication of cybercriminals and the international collaboration needed to combat them. Brazilian authorities, with assistance from cybersecurity firms, continue to take decisive action against hackers operating within their borders, aiming to limit the scope and reach of cybercrime worldwide.
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