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Hawks swoop on Gautrain hacker

Jon Tullett
By Jon Tullett, Editor: News analysis
Johannesburg, 12 Nov 2014
An IT technician came under scrutiny after suspicious behaviour was detected.
An IT technician came under scrutiny after suspicious behaviour was detected.

The Hawks (South Africa's Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation) have foiled an insider attempt to defraud the Gautrain Management Agency (GMA), potentially of millions of rands.

ITWeb understands an IT technician working at the GMA had come under scrutiny after suspicious behaviour was detected during a security audit, leading to a lengthy investigation by the Hawks and culminating in the suspect's arrest today.

In a statement on the GMA Web site, transport MEC Ismail Vadi thanked the Hawks for the "speedy arrest".

The suspect will be charged with attempted fraud, corruption and contravention of, among others, the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act and the Electronic Communication and Transactions Act.

He will appear in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crime Court on 13 November, and more arrests may follow.

Vadi noted, due to the early detection of the incident, no systems were compromised, and ITWeb understands no financial losses have been incurred by the GMA.

Security at the Gautrain has come under scrutiny in the past, with attacks demonstrated against the operator's smart card ticketing system.

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