Two British teenagers who ran a cyber-hacking operation from their bedrooms, causing an estimated £29million in damage, have each been jailed for five years and could face extradition to the United States. Courts heard the pair, described as isolated loners, targeted numerous organisations through hacking schemes that netted significant financial harm, highlighting the growing threat posed by young, technically skilled offenders operating largely undetected from home.

The sentencing reflects the scale of the financial damage caused and the seriousness with which UK courts are treating cybercrime carried out by minors. American authorities are reportedly seeking to have the teenagers extradited to face further charges in the US, indicating the hacking spree had cross-border implications and victims. The case underscores concerns about how young people with advanced technical skills can be drawn into serious criminal activity while remaining isolated from oversight.