Man sentenced after admitting hacking offences

A disgruntled employee who compromised computer systems owned by his former company when he was sacked has been sentenced after he admitted hacking offences.

Kane Baker, 23, pleaded guilty at Birmingham Crown Court to a number of offences after targeting his former employer and more than 50 other companies last year. He also targeted his ex-girlfriend and a fellow computer expert.

The incidents happened in December 2015, during his employment and also after Baker, from Solihul, left the company over failed contract negotiations.

He targeted the Innovation Centre in Birmingham where the technology company was based.

Baker accessed an online service run by international cyber criminals to purchase Denial of Service (DoS) programmes. The site sold packages to hackers under a variety of different subscriptions.

Using these packages, Baker performed 284 DoS attacks; disrupting the operations of 55 companies causing significant financial and reputational harm. He also accessed sensitive business databases.

The offences were reported to and investigated by the West Midlands Regional Cyber Crime Unit (WMRCCU), a specialist team investigating cyber-dependant criminality, and Baker was arrested .

He was sentenced on 20 December at Birmingham Crown Court and was given a two-year suspended sentence.

Hannah Sidaway for the CPS said: “Kane Baker used his position in the company to create backdoor access to their computer systems.

“He used his skills to commit cyber-attacks on individuals against whom he had a personal grudge in order to cause maximum impact.

“These attacks create risks to sales, livelihoods and data security and are far from a victimless crime. The cost of mitigating against future attacks to the Innovation Centre alone was over £41,000.”