A man has pleaded guilty to hacking multiple US government systems after bragging about it on Instagram using the handle “ihackedthegovernment.”
Nicholas Moore, 24, admitted in court that he illegally accessed systems tied to the US Supreme Court, AmeriCorps, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. According to prosecutors, he repeatedly logged into restricted platforms in 2023 using stolen usernames and passwords, sometimes returning multiple times in a single day.
The case quickly drew attention due to Moore’s decision to publicly document the breaches. Using the Instagram handle “ihackedthegovernment,” he shared screenshots and personal information belonging to victims, including details pulled from a veteran’s health records.
Court filings show Moore accessed the US Supreme Court’s electronic filing system at least 25 times over two months. He also breached AmeriCorps accounts and the VA’s MyHealtheVet platform, exposing private data in each instance.
Man called ‘ihackedthegovernment’ gets probation after apologizing for hacking
Moore ultimately pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge related to computer fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of up to one year in prison and fines reaching $100,000.
However, prosecutors did not push for jail time at sentencing. Instead, Moore was handed a year of probation after telling the judge, “I made a mistake” and apologizing for his actions.
“I am truly sorry. I respect laws, and I want to be a good citizen,” he said.
A recommendation considered Moore’s situation and how likely he was to reoffend.
“Moore is a vulnerable young man with long-term disabilities, limited financial means, and virtually no employment experience or opportunities. Moore does not appear to pose a danger to the community and at 25 years old still has ample time to redirect his interests,” it read.
Furthermore, the government noted that Moore didn’t use the information for nefarious purposes or to make money.
“He viewed various pages on the platforms that he accessed, and then boasted about it online,” they said. “Moore seems to have acted more to show off to online acquaintances than to leverage the accounts he accessed for financial gain.”
US District Judge Beryl Howell also joked during sentencing that Moore has high potential to do good, given how easily he accessed government systems.
Despite avoiding prison, the case highlights the risks tied to weak credential security and the growing trend of hackers broadcasting exploits on social media.
This isn’t the first major hacking story to make headlines this month. Earlier in April, a lone hacker leveraged public Artificial Intelligence programs Claude and ChatGPT to breach a reported nine Mexican government agencies, stealing “hundreds of millions of citizen records” in the process.
Also in April, hackers gained access to private files from Rockstar Games, leading to fears that new information about GTA 6 would be released, but it mostly ended up being impressive sales figures for GTA Online.
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