Court documents reveal that Kloster utilized a boot disk, a specialized storage device containing an operating system that can bypass normal computer startup procedures to gain administrative control over the target machine. Nicholas Michael Kloster, 32, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to federal computer fraud charges, revealing how he exploited system weaknesses to potentially market his cybersecurity services. This type of network intrusion represents a serious violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), as it involves unauthorized access to protected computer systems with the intent to cause damage or obtain information. Additionally, the defendant faces mandatory restitution orders to compensate the nonprofit organization for remediation costs and operational disruptions caused by the security breach. Nicholas Kloster, 32, a Kansas City man pleaded guilty to hacking a nonprofit's computer network on May 20, 2024. Such techniques are typically associated with Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), where attackers maintain long-term access to compromised systems for ongoing surveillance or data exfiltration purposes. Used boot disk to bypass passwords, accessed multiple accounts, and installed VPN for remote network access.
This Cyber News was published on cybersecuritynews.com. Publication date: Fri, 27 Jun 2025 12:55:12 +0000