NHS ransomware cyber attack: Marcus Hutchins pleads not guilty in US
GETTY Marcus Hutchins has denied six counts relating to the Kronos malware
Marcus Hutchins, 23, denied six counts relating to the Kronos malware as he faced a judge in Milwaukee on Monday. The researcher, from Ilfracombe, Devon, was arrested on August 2 in Las Vegas's McCarran airport as he prepared to leave a hacking convention, according to a friend. After the hearing, defence lawyer Marcia Hofmann said she is confident he will be found not guilty at a trial.
She said: "Marcus Hutchins is a brilliant young man and a hero. "He is going to vigorously defend himself against these charges and when the evidence comes to light, we are confident that he will be fully vindicated." Hutchins, also known as MalwareTech, is accused of creating and distributing the banking trojan between July 2014 and July 2015 alongside another defendant, who has not been named and is at large.
GETTY In May this year, Hutchins was hailed a hero
Marcus Hutchins is a brilliant young man and a hero Marcia Hofmann
In May this year, Hutchins was hailed a hero for curbing the WannaCry ransomware attack that infected more than 300,000 computers in 150 countries and crippled the NHS. Prosecutor Dan Cowhig told an earlier court hearing that Hutchins admitted to interviewers that he created the code and hinted that he sold it. Hutchins, who works for Los Angeles-based computer security firm Kryptos Logic, was freed on a £23,000 bail.
GETTY Hutchins can also now travel around the US and live in Los Angeles
His strict bail conditions were modified to allow him to use a computer for work, having been banned from using the internet at an earlier hearing. Brian Klein, also representing Hutchins, said: "We are very pleased today that the court modified his terms, allowing him to return to his important work." Hutchins can also now travel around the US and live in Los Angeles - so he can be near his legal team ahead of his trial, which has been set to begin on October 23.
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Naomi Colvin, of civil liberties group Courage Foundation, celebrated Hutchins' not guilty pleas. She said: ”I’m glad he is fighting it because the more we hear about this, the less substantial it seems.” Hutchins used his newly relaxed bail conditions to go online and thank supporters in his first public comments since his arrest.