Man Sentenced to 76 Months for Snapchat Account-Hacking Scheme
Summary
Kyle Svara was sentenced to 76 months in prison after admitting he phished Snapchat access codes from more than 750 women and accessed about 517 accounts to steal intimate photos. He also distributed and solicited CSAM.
Key points
- Svara received a 76-month prison sentence and three years of supervised release.
- He admitted using social engineering to phish Snapchat access codes from more than 750 women.
- From May 2020 to February 2021, he targeted more than 4,500 victims while posing as a Snap representative.
- He accessed approximately 517 accounts, downloaded nude or semi-nude photos, and enabled two-factor authentication to lock victims out.
- Investigators found approximately 530 images and 600 videos depicting CSAM in his Mega account.
- Former Northeastern University coach Steve Waithe hired Svara to target student and athlete accounts.
Article Details
- Event Type
- Criminal sentencing for phishing and unauthorized access to Snapchat accounts, theft and sale of intimate images, and distribution of child sexual abuse material.
- Impact
- Kyle Svara was sentenced to 76 months in prison and three years of supervised release. He accessed approximately 517 accounts after phishing access codes from more than 750 women, stole intimate images, and locked some account holders out by activating two-factor authentication. The article also reports that he distributed and solicited child sexual abuse material. Steve Waithe hired Svara to target Northeastern students and athletes and was separately sentenced to five years in prison.
MITRE ATT&CK
Threat Actors
Kyle SvaraAdmitted to phishing Snapchat access codes and accessing accounts without permission; he was sentenced for hacking more than 750 women's accounts and distributing child sexual abuse material.Steve WaitheThe article reports that Waithe hired Svara to hack Northeastern students' and athletes' accounts. Waithe was separately found guilty of targeting women and sentenced for cyber fraud, cyberstalking, and sextortion.
Products
Kikimages, offering to “get into girls snap accounts,” and asking potential clients to reach out through the Kik encrypted messaging app.MEGASvara also distributed and solicited child sexual abuse material through his Mega account.SnapchatAn Illinois man, Kyle Svara, was sentenced to 76 months in prison for hacking more than 750 Snapchat accounts, stealing nude photos, and trading or selling them online.