A former CIA software developer, Joshua Schulte, has been handed a substantial 40-year prison sentence, causing astonishment on Thursday. Schulte was convicted for leaking confidential CIA data to WikiLeaks, marking one of the most significant data breaches in history.
The Southern District of New York confirmed the court's decision, which came eight years after Schulte stole archive copies personally delivered to WikiLeaks. He was found guilty of charges including espionage, hacking, and providing false statements to the FBI.
Schulte abused unauthorized privileges to copy CIA archives, attempting to conceal his actions by altering the network and deleting numerous log files. He then released a substantial collection of CIA documents to WikiLeaks, known as Vault 7 and Vault 8, in 2017. These publications utilized operating systems like Tails and Tor Browser to mask the identities of those involved.
The court emphasized how Schulte's actions harmed America's national security, risking lives and compromising CIA operations. Despite his arrest, he continued efforts to damage national security by engaging in information warfare from behind bars.
The data leak incident inflicted substantial damage on the CIA's foreign intelligence collection efforts against adversaries, costing the agency millions. Additionally, during an FBI search of Schulte's New York home, agents discovered thousands of encrypted pictures and videos involving minors in abusive situations and explicit content.
The sentencing followed a series of legal trials in 2020, 2022, and 2023, highlighting the gravity of Schulte's offenses.
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