Hacker Behind Microsoft, Sony, EA Origin DDoS Attacks Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison

Thompson said he carried out the DDoS attacks "to spoil everyone's holiday", "to make people spend time with their families" and "for the lulz".

Advertisement
By Indo-Asian News Service | Updated: 5 July 2019 13:12 IST

A hacker who broke into Microsoft and Sony gaming services in 2013-14 has been sentenced to 27 months in prison in the US.

Utah-born 23-year-old Austin Thompson, known as 'DerpTrolling', launched distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on Microsoft's Xbox Live, Electronic Arts' Origin service and the Sony PlayStation Online, The Inquirer reported on late Thursday.

Advertisement

Arrested four years later in 2018, he pleaded guilty to the cyber-attacks.

Thompson said he carried out the DDoS attacks "to spoil everyone's holiday", "to make people spend time with their families" and "for the lulz".

In a DDoS attack, multiple compromised computer systems attack a target, such as a server, website or other network resource, and cause a denial of service for users.

"Thompson has also been ordered to pay $95,000 in restitution to Daybreak Games, formerly Sony Online Entertainment," said the report.

Advertisement

Thompson is believed to have been the brain behind the "DerpTrolling" hacking group, active since 2011.

 

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Further reading: Microsoft, Sony
Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Vivo X500, X500 Pro, X500 Pro Max Launched Globally
  1. MacBook Pro With PROLED XDR Display Launched in India as Apple’s First Touchscreen Laptop: Price, Specifications
  2. Lava Diwali Sale Offers Announced on Smartphones and Feature Phones in India
  3. Coinbase, Bithumb and South Korean Financial Firms Report Data Leaks
  4. Third-Party Android App Stores Can Now Enrol in Google's Registered App Stores Programme
  5. Ai+ Smartphone Prices Hiked by Up to Rs 3,000 in India From November 15: Check New Prices
  6. Avalanche Allows Tokenised Treasury Holdings to Secure Loans and Trades
  7. iQOO Pad Pro 8.8 Launched With 165Hz AMOLED Display, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Chip: Price, Specifications
  8. iQOO Neo 12 Launched With 9,000mAh Battery, 185Hz Super AMOLED Display: Price, Specifications
  9. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 9 Plus or Galaxy Z Fold 9 FE Could Launch in 2027
  10. Samsung W27 Leaked Renders Show Foldable Phone From Multiple Angles Ahead of Launch
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.