'Celebrity' Computer Hacker Helps Feds Stop Hundreds Of Cyber Attacks

A notorious computer hacker who switched sides to help the U.S. government has helped stop over 300 cyber-attacks in three years.

Hector Monsegur helped the FBI thwart cyber-attacks on Congress, NASA, and other government agency websites, according to U.S. documents obtained by the Associated Press. Using the alias "Sabu," Monsegur had previously infiltrated major corporate websites and was arrested in 2011 on charges related to theft and fraud.

Thanks to his cooperation, the hacker may escape a 26-year prison sentence.

Monsegur "provided, in real time, information about then-ongoing computer hacks and vulnerabilities in significant computer systems," federal prosecutors wrote according to the AP.

Monsegur belonged to hacking groups Anonymous and LulzSec that in 2011 wreaked havoc on major corporations by hacking into or disabling their websites, KSPR reported. Corporations included PBS, Fox Television and Sony Pictures.

The groups justified their hacks by claiming they were making a political statement and then bragged about it on social media.

When federal agents arrived at Monsegur's Manhattan apartment in June 2011, he agreed to become an informant. Since then he has helped the FBI locate his hacking comrades, including FBI's most wanted cybercriminal, Jeremy Hammond.

"Monsegur engaged his co-conspirators in online chats that were critical to confirming their identities and whereabouts," prosecutors said according to KSPR. "Monsegur convinced LulzSec members to provide him digital evidence of the hacking activities they claimed to have previously engaged in, such as logs regarding particular criminal hacks."

Hammond, who was found Chicago, was sentenced last year to 10 years in prison, the AP reported.

Monsegur plead guilty to charges of identity theft and credit card fraud and is to be sentenced on Tuesday. He has already served seven months, but could possibly receive no additional prison time, according to KSPR.

The hacker's former Anonymous friends released an open letter about Monsegur's actions.

"Sabu snitched on us. As usually happens FBI menaced him to take his sons away," the group said according to KSPR. "It's sad and we can't imagine how it feels having to look at the mirror each morning and see there the guy who shopped their friends to [the] police."