The FBI has apprehended a suspect in Pennsylvania connected to the ShinyHunters hacking group, which has recently targeted both Rockstar Games, the developer of the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 6, and the FBI itself. According to The New York Times, sources identified the arrested individual as a primary co-conspirator in the hack against the FBI.
The FBI announced the arrest on Friday, though the suspect's name and the specific charges have not yet been disclosed. This development follows the recent apprehension of one of ShinyHunters' leaders by Dutch National Police last month. FBI Director Kash Patel stated that the agency will continue collaborating with partners to disrupt the remaining elements of the ShinyHunters group and their associates.
ShinyHunters has been implicated in numerous high-profile breaches this year, including attacks on GrubHub, the European Commission, and JCPenny. The FBI's cyber division has previously reported that the group has extorted over $70 million by breaching more than 140 institutions since last year.
While ShinyHunters' hack of Rockstar Games in April resulted in the release of financial data after a ransom demand was not met, the studio has expressed more significant distress over a series of gameplay leaks for Grand Theft Auto 6 that occurred in August. These leaks, which included extensive gameplay footage, were described by Rockstar as "heartbreaking for our team." The leaks continued recently with further footage of the game, which is scheduled for release on November 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.