JPay

2018: Cracking of the IT system in prisons of the USA

At the end of July, 2018 it became known of cracking of the IT system in several American prisons therefore prisoners stole in total $225 thousand. Announced an incident in management of correctional facilities of the State of Idaho.

364 prisoners used vulnerability in the software of JPay company which is applied by prisoners to money transfer, correspondence and Internet access.

Their actions were deliberate, but not accidental. It required knowledge  of system operation of JPay — the representative of management of correctional facilities of the State of Idaho Jeff Ray noted.

Prisoners cracked the IT system in prisons and earned $225 thousand.

However, means of which criminals took control are on prison accounts and can be spent only for purchases of books, clothes and products in shops in correctional facilities. 

More than 50 prisoners could transfer over $1 thousand into the accounts, and one of swindlers grew rich almost for $10 thousand. At the same time, for example, sending one-page email via the JPay system will cost 50 cents.

By that moment as the incident became known publicly, JPay recovered more than $65 thousand the stolen means and blocked to prisoners access to games and music while they do not offset loss of the company. In addition they are threatened by toughening of conditions of keeping.

What vulnerability consisted in, it is not reported, and, apparently, information on a bug extended on several correctional facility to normal "gossip hotline". The error was eliminated.

JPay tablets by means of which convicts can buy as music, books or games, and products in prison shop or are issued to prisoners for good behavior, or purchased by their family. The people serving sentence in four state prisons and one private correctional facility in the USA used vulnerability of a system.^[1]

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