The U.S. authorities detained Marcus Hutchins, a researcher who goes by the handle MalwareTech, best known for stopping the spread of the WannaCry ransomware virus.
In May, WannaCry has infected many companies and hospitals, as well as other entities around the world. Hutchins, a researcher from cybersecurity firm Kryptos Logic, inadvertently stopped WannaCry in its tracks by registering a specific website domain included in the malware's code.
He was arrested for allegedly creating the Kronos banking malware. With the help of another person, he sold it for $2,000 online. The malware was then used to hack banking systems in Canada and Europe, the U.S. said.
The Kronos malware was spread through emails with malicious attachments and allowed users steal money using credentials such as internet banking passwords.
"We are aware a UK national has been arrested but it's a matter for the authorities in the U.S.," said a spokesperson for the UK's National Crime Agency.
"We are aware of the situation. This is a law enforcement matter and it would be inappropriate to comment further," said a spokesperson from the UK's National Cyber Security Center.
Shortly before his arrest, Hutchins was in Las Vegas during Black Hat and Def Con, two annual hacking conferences. An indictment released by the U.S. Department of Justice revealed that Hutchins faces six counts of helping to create, spread and maintain the banking Trojan Kronos between 2014 and 2015.
