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Hacker Who Targeted NATO, US Army Arrested in Spain

Spanish authorities have arrested an individual who allegedly hacked several high-profile organizations, including NATO and the US army.

Hacker arrested

Spanish authorities have announced the arrest of an individual suspected of being a hacker who has claimed attacks on dozens of organizations. 

Police said the unnamed man — described as a “dangerous hacker” — was arrested in the town of Calpe in Spain’s Alicante province, for allegedly launching cyberattacks on more than 40 organizations and leaking stolen data.

Investigators searched the suspect’s home, seized electronic devices, and identified more than 50 cryptocurrency accounts.

According to Spanish news outlets, the suspect is 18 years old. 

Authorities believe the man was behind attacks on several major organizations, including NATO, the United Nations, the US Army, and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

He is also accused of targeting organizations in Spain, including the country’s mint, universities, government entities, and law enforcement agencies.

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Attacks against many of the organizations named by Spanish authorities were claimed on the BreachForums cybercrime forum by a hacker called Natohub. However, it’s worth noting that investigators said the suspect had used as many as three different online monikers.

Between June 2024 and January 2025, Natohub had 18 posts announcing data breaches on the hacker forum. In some cases, the data was offered for sale, but some of it was also made available for free. 

The leaked data included personal information and documents apparently obtained from the targeted organizations. The ICAO confirmed that tens of thousands of recruitment application records had been stolen from a database.

Following news of his arrest, Natohub’s account has been permanently banned on BreachForums. 

Related: 2 Arrested in Takedown of Nulled, Cracked Hacking Forums

Related: LockBit Ransomware Developer Arrested in Israel at Request of US

Related: Rydox Cybercrime Marketplace Disrupted, Administrators Arrested

Written By

Eduard Kovacs (@EduardKovacs) is senior managing editor at SecurityWeek. He worked as a high school IT teacher before starting a career in journalism in 2011. Eduard holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial informatics and a master’s degree in computer techniques applied in electrical engineering.

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