National Digest: Swiss hacker charged with computer intrusion, identity theft in U.S.

Federal prosecutors said Thursday that Kottmann, of Lucerne, Switzerland, was initially charged in September. The range of allegations date back to 2019 and involve the alleged theft of credentials and data and publishing source code and proprietary information from more than 100 entities, including companies and government agencies.

Kottmann has described the most recent leak of camera footage taken from customers of California security-camera provider Verkada as part of a “hacktivist” cause of exposing the dangers of mass surveillance. Kottmann, who uses they/them pronouns, told the Associated Press in an online chat last week that they found the credentials needed to enter the site exposed on the open Internet.

Kottmann didn’t return an online request for comment. Swiss lawyer Marcel Bosonnet said he is representing Kottmann but declined further comment Friday.

Swiss authorities said they had raided Kottmann’s home in Lucerne late last week at the request of U.S. authorities. Prosecutors said the FBI recently seized a website domain that Kottmann used to publish hacked data online.

It’s not clear if U.S. prosecutors will to try to extradite Kottmann, who remains in Lucerne and was notified of the pending charges.

The Idaho Legislature voted Friday to shut down for several weeks because of a coronavirus outbreak.

Lawmakers in the state House and Senate moved to recess until April 6 with significant unfinished business, including setting budgets and pushing through a huge income tax cut.

At least six of the 70 House members tested positive for the coronavirus in the last week, and there are fears a variant of it is in the Capitol.

“The House has had several positive tests, so it is probably prudent that the House take a step back for a couple weeks until things calm down and it’s not hot around here for covid,” House Majority Leader Mike Moyle said before the votes.

Five of those who tested positive are Republicans and one is Democrat. Another Republican lawmaker is self-isolating. The chamber has a supermajority of 58 Republicans, most of whom rarely or never wear masks. All of the state’s Democratic lawmakers typically…