Alleged Hacker Arrested in Sony Pictures Data Breach

Los Angeles - An alleged member of a computer hacking group was arrested today in Phoenix and is expected to be transferred to Los Angeles to face federal charges of hacking into Sony Pictures Entertainment's system, officials said.

Upon the arrest of 23-year-old Cody Kretsinger, an indictment was unsealed in Los Angeles federal court charging the Phoenix resident with conspiracy and the unauthorized impairment of a protected computer for his alleged role in the cyber attack against Sony Pictures, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

According to the indictment, Culver City-based Sony's computer system was hacked from May 27 through June 2 by a group known as LulzSec, or Lulz Security, whose members anonymously claimed responsibility on the group's website.

Kretsinger, allegedly also known by the moniker "recursion," is believed to be a current or former member of the group.

The extent of damage caused by the compromise at Sony Pictures is under investigation, according to Steven Martinez, assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles field office.

The indictment accuses Kretsinger and co-conspirators of stealing confidential information from Sony Pictures' computer systems and distributing the material on LulzSec's website before announcing the attack on Twitter.

LulzSec is known for its affiliation with the international hacking collective known as Anonymous, which conducts cyber attacks and disseminates information stolen from individuals and companies perceived to be hostile to its interests, officials said.

In the recent past, LulzSec has been linked to the hacking, or attempted hacking, of numerous targets, including various websites that represent governmental or business entities.

Kretsinger is expected to make his initial appearance today before a federal magistrate in Phoenix, at which time the government will request he be transferred to Los Angeles, prosecutors said.

If convicted, Kretsinger faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison, prosecutors said.