Pop Stars Computers Accessed by German Hackers

Lady Gaga and Justin Timberlake were among a group of 50 pop stars who had their computers broken into by a pair of German hackers who then threatened to blackmail them for the return of the material, reports the Telegraph.

According to German authorities, the duo used simple programs called Trojans that can break into private computer networks to access the information. They were able to download a trove of documents, photos, credit card information and personal emails.

Included in the haul was a photo of pop star Ke$ha reportedly having sex. The hackers tried to solicit money from the 24-year-old in exchange for the picture, but no funds changed hands.

The pair took to internet forums to announce their triumph, but prosecutors think their actual goal was to sell unreleased music for high fees. Some of the material they downloaded was leaked, which led to several artists having to move the release dates for their albums.

Selected Reading: Telegraph, Newser, New York Observer

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