06 Feb Higinio Ochoa, Hacktivist Turned White Hat, On The Cybercrime Magazine Podcast
This week in cybersecurity from the editors at Cybercrime Magazine
Sausalito, Calif. – Feb. 6, 2026
On Jun. 25, 2012, 31-year-old Higinio O. Ochoa, III of Dallas, Texas, the self-proclaimed associate of computer hacker groups known as “Anonymous” and “CabinCr3w” pleaded guilty, admitted that in Feb. 2012, he hacked into computers belonging to the Texas Department of Public Safety; Alabama Department of Public Safety, Houston County, Alabama; and the West Virginia Chiefs of Police Association.
Ochoa further admitted that he unlawfully downloaded personal and confidential information, deleted data, engaged in website defacement, made stolen information available to others, and boasted about his criminal activities online. He was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Now, Ochoa (aka w0rmer), 45, refers to himself as a “former hacktivist turned seasoned cybersecurity professional” and his resume includes 20 years of experience as an ethical hacker, Linux administrator, programmer, penetration tester, and speaker.
Ochoa is a member of the white-hat hacker group Sakura Samurai. He recently came on the Cybercrime Magazine Podcast to discuss his journey, including the transition from being a high-profile target of the FBI to a cybersecurity professional, the culture of hacktivism, and more.
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