LulzSec mastermind helps FBI arrest notorious hacktivists

Authorities in the U.S. and the U.K. have arrested five men linked to the notorious LulzSec hacking group, including a 28-year-old New Yorker fingered as the mastermind behind several high-profile hacking attacks.

According to an FBI indictment (pdf file), Hector Xavier Monsegur was the hacker known as "Sabu" who was an influential member of three hacktivist organizations -- Anonymous, LulsZec and and Internet Feds.  Monsegur (pictured above), cooperated with federal law enforcement authorities to identify and arrest other leaders of the groups, according to a FoxNews report.

The report said Monsegur pleaded guilty on August 15 last year to  12 hacking-related charges, including hacks against Sony, Fox News, the CIA, the FBI and several international government agencies.

The other alleged LulzSec hackers rounded up included Ryan Ackroyd, aka “Kayla” and Jake Davis, aka “Topiary,” both of London; Darren Martyn, aka “pwnsauce” and Donncha O’Cearrbhail, aka “palladium,” both of Ireland; and Jeremy Hammond aka “Anarchaos,” of Chicago.

The report said Hammond is believed to have been the main person behind the December hack on U.S. security company Stratfor.

UPDATE:  Here is the official FBI announcement with the juicy details.