ISIS-linked hacker arrested in Malaysia on U.S. charges, DOJ says

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Malaysian authorities have detained a Kosovo citizen who hacked into the computer system of a victim company located in the United States and stole the personal information of thousands of people, the Department of Justice said on Thursday.

In a press release, the Department of Justice said Malaysian authorities detained Ardit Ferizi on a U.S. provisional arrest warrant alleging that he provided material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and committed computer hacking and identity theft violations.

"National security is compromised by computer intrusions and Ferizi is charged with obtaining the identity information of United States military service personnel and providing it to ISIL to support the cause of that terrorist organization," said U.S. Attorney Boente in a DOJ press release. "We will investigate and prosecute these cyber-attacks to fullest extent of the law."

According to the DOJ, Ferizi is the leader of an Internet hacking group called Kosova Hacker's Security (KHS). Prosecutors say he obtained personal information of more than 1,000 U.S. service members and federal employees and gave the data to ISIS "for the purpose of encouraging terrorist attacks against those individuals."

"This case is a first of its kind and, with these charges, we seek to hold Ferizi accountable for his theft of this information and his role in ISIL's targeting of U.S. government employees," said Assistant Attorney General Carlin. "This arrest demonstrates our resolve to confront and disrupt ISIL's efforts to target Americans, in whatever form and wherever they occur."

If convicted, Ferizi faces up to 35 years in prison.