Rafael Núñez

Rafael Núñez Aponte (Puerto Ordaz, May 26, 1979) also known as RaFa or Rafa White Hacker, is a hacker, businessman and Venezuelan lecturer. He specializes in computer security where he has advised the media, such as the New York Times, and was accused of having cyber-tracked the website of the United States Air Force in 2001, for which he was arrested.

He was born in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela, the son of Rafael and Olga Núñez. His first contacts with computer science were through a computer with Microsoft MS-DOS, a Kaypro 4 and an NEC. Between the age of 14 and 16 he learns to interrelate network points, which allows to know the Internet, through the dial-up and the IRC.

At 17 he joined a group known as Box Network of Slovakia as a graphic designer, taking the alias RaFa. This allowed him to have his own design page known as logos4u.box.sk. The fame generated by his designs, caught the attention of one of the members of World of Hell, Robert Junior aka CowHead2000, who invites to join. In March 2001, he joined the group and soon became the leader.

Beginnings in computer security

In 1998, Núñez joins the Investigative Unit against Pedophilia (for its acronym in English CPIU), where he is appointed delegate director. Núñez has collaborated with other organizations in the fight against pedophilia such as Perverted-Justice. In 2001, he obtained a certificate from The Hackademy School for having completed the three levels of computer security training at the DMP France society.

Cyber attack against the Information Systems Defense Agency

On June 10, 2001, after having established a record of 679 defacements in a minute in conjunction with World of Hell, Núñez leads a cyber attack against the computer systems of the Information Systems Defense Agency (for its acronym in English , DISA) of the Pentagon. This attack consisted of making a web page appear on the computers that read: "WoH is Back ... and kiss my ass cause I just 0wn3d yours!" and a link to present to the group World of Hell.

Dan Verton, a journalist expert in technology and security, writing for ComputerWorld in 2002, reported that RaFa also had privileged access to design documents for NASA's experimental spacecraft, along with other confidential operating documents. According to Verton, although published these documents on other websites, Núñez said he did not understand the sensitivity of the information he had obtained.

The first attack caused the collapse of the website of the United States Air Force, which resulted in damages of more than $10,000. World of Hell continued to carry out various attacks on other DISA systems, such as deleting accounts of access, compromising the security of an administrative program, generating the inoperability of the systems for at least 10 days.

Persecution of the World of Hell members

In July 2001, Robert Junior aka CowHead2000 after an altercation in Las Vegas is arrested by the police and when searched by the FBI, they find their relationship with World of Hell. This investigation leads to his arrest at four months by stolen credit cards and child pornography, such as the arrest of two other members: dawgyg and Vandal. About Núñez only had little information provided by his partners, his nationality and his age between 17 and 25 years, making it clear that he had abandoned World of Hell around December 2001. On January 14, 2002, vnunet.com (now Incisive Media) commented that RaFa had made 500 defacements in the 14 days of that year, which caused it to be included in the 2002 book The Hacker Diaries: Confessions of Teenage Hackers by Dan Verton.

Changing objectives

In 2003, he obtained an international certificate as a Certified Ethical Hacker, which allowed him to work as a senior research scientist in Scientech (now EnergySolutions). That same year he was hired by CANTV and created his own space to fight against pedophilia: cpiu.es.

In 2014 he started a social enterprise to help non-profit foundations.

Rafael is also known for giving computer security tips for The New York Times, PC World, Computer World, Security Focus, as well as for many other media.

After four years of searching, on April 5, 2005, Núñez is arrested at the Miami International Airport as a suspect and five days later he is arrested. According to information, he was They attributed two charges, computer fraud (with a penalty of seven to eleven months) and intentional damage to a computer protected by the State (with a penalty of thirteen years).

During the trial, various details were taken into account to define a sentence. First, the attack was carried out on Venezuelan soil where the same laws regarding computer crime did not apply. Nor was there any recent illegal activity or anything incriminating on the personal computer. His work as a computer security advisor was also taken into account, both commercial enterprises and governmental and police organizations. In addition, his participation in the fight against pedophilia, it allowed the capture of at least ten subjects, as well as the recovery of a kidnapped ten-year-old girl was taken into account. Because Núñez declared himself guilty, the second charge was dismissed and he was tried only for the crime of committing computer fraud. His sentence was nine months deprived of freedom and deported to Venezuela without return for 10 years to the United States.

After his deportation, he creates his own information security consulting firm for banks and other entities.

In 2018 he presented one of the central papers at the 20th National Security Congress in the Dominican Republic, about ethical hacking, threats and cyber attacks, against which organizations can be violated and must be protected.

He is currently president of a digital marketing and information security company.