Pittsburgh Hacker Gets Probation in Law Firm Breach

PITTSBURGH – Matthew James West, 22, of Pittsburgh, was sentenced today in federal court for his role in a brazen hack of a Pittsburgh law firm, known in court documents as “VG.” The sentencing comes after West was convicted of recklessly damaging a computer and password trafficking, charges brought by United States Attorney David J. Hickton.

Judge David S. Cercone handed down a sentence of two years’ probation, 250 hours of community service, and full restitution totaling $2,445.96. West will also be subject to computer monitoring and is required to disclose his conviction to any future employer. The case highlights the growing threat of retaliatory cyberattacks and the lengths to which disgruntled former employees will go.

The scheme unfolded in late November 2011, triggered by the firing of Alyson Cunningham from the VG law firm. Cunningham, along with her associate Jonathan Cunningham, allegedly fueled West’s actions. West, acting on their encouragement, gained access to VG’s servers using an internal company password illicitly provided to him via Facebook. To mask his digital footprint, West routed the connection through a VPN proxy server located in Germany – a common tactic among those attempting to evade detection.

Once inside, West didn’t just poke around. He installed software designed to capture the passwords of anyone on the firm’s network, effectively creating a digital backdoor. The following day, a chilling email arrived at VG from the anonymous address anonymous.pittsburgh.page@gmail.com. It claimed the firm’s web servers had been compromised, backup files copied and deleted. The email’s path was circuitous – originating in Pennsylvania, bouncing through Google servers in California, and then back to VG in Pennsylvania – a digital breadcrumb trail that ultimately led investigators to West.

The email also contained a disturbing manifesto, invoking the name of the hacktivist collective “Anonymous.” It stated a motive of “capturing and recording 100% of Pittsburgh business records and operations,” and hinted at potential misuse of the stolen data. However, investigators quickly determined that this was a smokescreen, a desperate attempt to legitimize a simple act of revenge. Internet chats revealed Jonathan Cunningham actively directing West during the hack, even suggesting specific VPN servers to use. Both Jonathan and Alyson Cunningham allegedly used Alyson’s Skype account to communicate with West throughout the attack.

Assistant United States Attorney James T. Kitchen successfully prosecuted the case. U.S. Attorney Hickton praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their diligent investigation, which brought West to justice. This case serves as a stark reminder that even seemingly minor acts of digital sabotage can carry serious legal consequences, and that attempts to hide behind anonymity will ultimately fail.