Latvian Police Arrest 23-Year-Old in Cyber Extortion Scheme Targeting Businesses
Latvian authorities have arrested a 23-year-old man suspected of hacking at least two companies, stealing sensitive customer data, and attempting to extort payments in exchange for silence. The first attack was detected in February, with a second breach uncovered in early September at TSC, an electronics repair firm under the LMT telecommunications group.
The suspect allegedly exploited vulnerabilities in company websites to access databases, extracting personal information including names, contact details, device passcodes, bank account numbers, and even building access codes. Using anonymous email accounts, he then demanded ransom payments to prevent the data’s public release. Investigators believe he employed automated tools to scan for security weaknesses rather than targeting specific victims, while also masking his location with digital obfuscation techniques.
A search of the suspect’s Riga home revealed evidence of potential attacks on additional businesses in Latvia and abroad, though those cases remain under investigation. Arrested on September 15, the unnamed individual now faces charges that could result in up to five years in prison. Authorities confirmed the stolen data does not appear to have been shared with third parties.
TSC, which operates in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, disclosed the breach earlier this month, attributing it to an unpatched vulnerability in its website that exposed a database of customer repair requests. The company clarified that its systems are separate from LMT’s broader infrastructure, and there is no indication the telecom network was compromised. The number of affected customers and the specific vulnerability exploited have not been disclosed.
Source: https://therecord.media/latvia-hacker-arrest-cyberattack
TSC Auto ID Technology cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/tsc-auto-id-technology
LMT Innovations cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/lmtinnovations
"id": "TSCLMT1790173503",
"linkid": "tsc-auto-id-technology, lmtinnovations",
"type": "Breach",
"date": "9/2026",
"severity": "25",
"impact": "1",
"explanation": "Attack without any consequences"{'affected_entities': [{'industry': 'Electronics/Telecommunications',
'location': 'Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia',
'name': 'TSC',
'type': 'Electronics Repair Firm'}],
'attack_vector': 'Website Vulnerability Exploitation',
'customer_advisories': 'Breach disclosed to affected customers',
'data_breach': {'data_exfiltration': 'Yes',
'personally_identifiable_information': 'Names, contact '
'details, device '
'passcodes, bank '
'account numbers, '
'building access codes',
'sensitivity_of_data': 'High',
'type_of_data_compromised': 'Personal and financial '
'information'},
'date_detected': '2023-02-01',
'date_publicly_disclosed': '2023-09-01',
'description': 'Latvian authorities have arrested a 23-year-old man suspected '
'of hacking at least two companies, stealing sensitive '
'customer data, and attempting to extort payments in exchange '
'for silence. The suspect exploited vulnerabilities in company '
'websites to access databases, extracting personal information '
'and demanding ransom payments to prevent public release.',
'impact': {'data_compromised': 'Names, contact details, device passcodes, '
'bank account numbers, building access codes',
'identity_theft_risk': 'High',
'payment_information_risk': 'High',
'systems_affected': 'Customer repair request databases'},
'initial_access_broker': {'data_sold_on_dark_web': 'No evidence of '
'third-party sharing',
'entry_point': 'Website vulnerabilities'},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing (additional potential victims under '
'investigation)',
'motivation': 'Financial gain (extortion)',
'post_incident_analysis': {'root_causes': 'Unpatched website vulnerability, '
'automated scanning tools'},
'ransomware': {'data_exfiltration': 'Yes', 'ransom_demanded': 'Yes'},
'references': [{'source': 'Latvian Police'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'legal_actions': 'Charges filed (up to 5 years in '
'prison)'},
'response': {'communication_strategy': 'Public disclosure of breach',
'law_enforcement_notified': 'Yes (Latvian Police)',
'remediation_measures': 'Unpatched vulnerability addressed'},
'threat_actor': '23-year-old Latvian male',
'title': 'Latvian Police Arrest 23-Year-Old in Cyber Extortion Scheme '
'Targeting Businesses',
'type': 'Cyber Extortion',
'vulnerability_exploited': 'Unpatched vulnerability in website'}