Proving that being a hacker is not synonymous with criminality, a 22-year-old overcame adversity after hacking into Apple’s systems and became the director of a cyber security company. Kerem Albayrak, at the time, had hacked the systems of millions of iPhones and iPads globally by finding a flaw in iOS. Amazing, isn’t it?
It all happened in 2019, when he was already working as a cybersecurity specialist. After hacking the devices, the UK’s National Crime Agency revealed that Kerem was the leader of a group of hackers called “The Turkish Family”. He was accused of blackmailing Apple, demanding cryptocurrencies worth 75 thousand dollars or iTunes gift cards worth 100 thousand dollars.
Naturally, Apple disregarded the blackmail and went to court to deal with the situation. The company sued for extortion, and although the blackmail and the number of hacked accounts continued to grow during the process, in the end, the person responsible was sentenced to two years in prison and 300 hours of community service. In addition, he was subjected to an electronic curfew, which banned him from using social networks.
Despite everything, it is undeniable that his vast knowledge of cybernetics enabled him to blackmail Apple. Four years later, he was recruited by a major corporation in the sector. OPAC Global, which specializes in combating financial fraud, appointed Kerem as its director. Today, he uses his expertise for good and, despite his youth, he already holds a high and important position.