Connor Shanahan charged with unauthorised access to restricted data

A man who allegedly purchased other peoples’ bank account details on the dark web has fronted court after police raided his home.

A Brisbane man who had allegedly bought bank account details from a black market website has been granted bail.

Connor Shanahan, 25, was arrested by the Australian Federal Police on October 27, 2022, over allegations he’d bought unauthorised data two years ago.

He was charged with seven counts of unauthorised access to restricted data and one count of possessing data with the intent to commit computer crime.

Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions prosecutor Mathew Thompson told Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday Mr Shanahan had allegedly accessed the restricted data by purchasing bots through a website called Genesis.

“Genesis is the market place, (the data is) hacked by someone else,” he said.

“It’s based on the dark web, but it’s accessible via the clear web.”

Connor Shanahan fronted Roma Street Magistrates Court in Brisbane on Friday.

Mr Thompson said Mr Shanahan allegedly used this website to buy bank account details and email accounts but there was no evidence at this time to show he further used that data.

The court heard the scaffolder had been on a suspended sentence of two years for a separate matter of wilful damage at the time of this alleged offending.

Magistrate Peter Saggers said the “incriminating” data Mr Shanahan allegedly bought was not tolerable, especially with the recent events of national data breaches.

Connor Shanahan is charged with unlawfully accessing restricted data and intent to commit computer crime. Picture: Social media

“The nature of offending, especially when we’ve heard large corporations being hacked, is something the community has an interest in and a real distaste for,” he said.

“They’re a pretty concerning thing to have in your possession, but I’m satisfied that the conditions within your draft order will mitigate (concerns).”

Mr Shanahan was granted bail and will next appear before Brisbane Magistrates Court on December 2, 2022.

Originally published as Connor Shanahan charged with unauthorised access to restricted data