Hector Monsegur

Hector Xavier Monsegur, known by the pseudonym Sabu, is an American computer hacker and co-founder of LulzSec. Born in 1983 in New York City, he was raised by his father and grandmother after his father and aunt were arrested for heroin sales. Monsegur became interested in computers at a young age but was expelled from high school for sending threatening complaints after being reprimanded for bringing a screwdriver to fix the school's computer system.

Monsegur's hacking career began at 14, when he defaced websites protesting U.S. treatment of Puerto Ricans following a military incident in Vieques. In 2010, after his grandmother's death, he turned to credit card fraud to support his two cousins. He joined Anonymous and later formed LulzSec with five other members, leading hacks targeting organizations like News Corporation, Stratfor, and the CIA during their "50 Days of Lulz" campaign.

Monsegur was identified by Backtrace Security in March 2011 through an IRC chat log. Arrested on June 7, 2011, he became an FBI informant, pleading guilty to multiple charges that could have led to 124 years in prison. His cooperation resulted in the arrest of five hackers and prevented over 300 cyberattacks. After serving seven months, he was released under probation.

Post-prison, Monsegur worked as a white-hat hacker, conducting penetration testing.