University student gets 3 years' probation in cybercrime

A Carnegie Mellon University student who admitted developing and selling malicious software that allowed others to remotely control Google Android smartphones has been sentenced to three years' probation.

A federal judge in Pittsburgh also Monday ordered Morgan Culbertson to perform 300 hours of community service.

He pleaded guilty in 2015 to conspiracy for his role in the malware distribution, which enabled those who bought the software to use the phones' cameras to spy on their owners.

He is one of 12 people living in the United States who were charged by federal prosecutors in the takedown of the Darkode.com cybercriminal marketplace.

The online forum was a place where authorities say computer hackers bought and sold malicious software.

Culbertson is currently on leave from Carnegie Mellon.