<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>An Australian man has pleaded guilty in connection with a scheme to steal powerful hacking tools from an American defence contractor and sell them to a buyer in Russia, the US Justice Department said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The tools were "meant to be sold exclusively to the US government and select allies," but 39-year-old Peter Williams sold them to a Russian software exploit broker that touted its ties to Moscow and other foreign governments, the Justice Department alleged.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Prosecutors say the theft caused $US35 million ($53 million) in losses for the company, which is not identified in court documents. </span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/ben-austin-young-cricketer-dies-after-training-accident-victoria/b55935be-0408-4938-a3e6-bb46b649c8b1" target="_blank"><strong><span>Teen cricketer dies after training tragedy</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But British business records list Williams as the former general manager of Trenchant, an intelligence firm owned by US defence contractor L3Harris Technologies.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>L3Harris' website describes Trenchant as a "trusted, discreet partner furnishing security products, consultancy, training and integration services to allied governments, defence, security and law enforcement agencies".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A lawyer for Williams declined to comment today, as did a spokesperson for L3Harris.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/australian-man-admits-selling-pentagon-secrets-to-russia/b4632957-b6a5-45ce-93ed-5aab92d56854" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The case shines a light on the private market for software exploits that bypass tech firms' security controls and can fetch millions of dollars from government and non-government buyers alike.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>US Attorney Jeanine Pirro called online brokers that sell hacking tools "the next wave of international arms dealers".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In Williams' case, the theft and sale of the tools "allowed non-allied foreign cyber actors to obtain sophisticated cyber exploits that were likely used against numerous unsuspecting victims," Pirro said in a statement. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Justice Department did not identify any alleged victims.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/finance/commonwealth-bank-westpac-interest-rate-cut-forecasts-high-inflation/85ab1489-c06f-4e62-839e-c88ed18b34d4" target="_blank"><strong><span>Major banks drop grim new forecast for interest rates</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Williams allegedly used the proceeds from the sale of software exploits to buy luxury watches and other items, according to prosecutors. He was promised "millions of dollars" in cryptocurrency payments, the Justice Department said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>US national security officials have long been concerned that hacking techniques that American or Western intelligence officers hone in government work will be commercialised and used against Americans.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Justice Department in 2021 charged three former US intelligence or military operatives who allegedly helped build a hacking program for the United Arab Emirates government.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"America's national security is NOT FOR SALE, especially in an evolving threat landscape where cybercrime poses a serious danger to our citizens," Attorney-General Pamela Bondi said in a statement today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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