Russian hacker arrested at Barcelona Airport

WORKING closely with the FBI, officers from the Guardia Civil have arrested a Russian hacker thought to be responsible for stealing $5 million (€4.7 million) from victims around the world.

After receiving information from the USA that the 32-year-old identified as Lisov S.V. was in Catalonia, officers put him under surveillance and arrested him at Barcelona El Prat airport as he was about to board a flight.

Lisov is credited with creating a piece of malicious software known as ‘NeverQuest’ which allowed him to obtain unauthorised access to personal computers and financial institutions in order to steal online bank information and credit card details.

He is understood to have collected this information in servers in both France and Germany and subsequent access to these computers revealed that he was storing files with millions of login credentials, including user names, passwords, and security questions and answers.

The actual arrest was made through use of an international detention order issued in the USA.