In a recent development, a British judge has sentenced Arion Kurtaj, an 18-year-old hacker, to indefinite detention in a secure hospital for leaking footage of the highly anticipated video game, Grand Theft Auto VI. According to a report by BBC, Kurtaj had also carried out cyberattacks on prominent corporations such as Uber and Nvidia. The sentencing comes after a British jury convicted Kurtaj, along with another teen, for hacking, fraud, and extortion.

The judge presiding over the case ruled that Kurtaj should be placed in a secure hospital until mental health professionals determine that he no longer poses a risk to the public. As reported by the BBC, doctors have deemed Kurtaj, who is severely autistic, unfit to stand trial.

The secure hospitals in the UK are known for balancing psychiatric care with custody and are considered to be less harsh than traditional prisons. These facilities also function as residential treatment centers, aiming to rehabilitate and discharge offenders. According to The Guardian, England and Wales are home to 60 such secure mental health hospitals, including Guild Lodge where Kurtaj will be placed.

During the court proceedings, the judge emphasized that Kurtaj remains "a high risk of serious harm to the public through skill in gaining unfettered access to computers," as reported by Bloomberg. The teenage hacker was able to carry out the Grand Theft Auto VI leak even while on bail and with his laptop confiscated. He utilized an Amazon Fire TV Stick, a hotel television, and his mobile phone to breach the company's internal messaging system. Kurtaj then publicly shared the game's source code and clips shortly after, according to BBC.

Rockstar Games, the creators of Grand Theft Auto VI, did not respond to CBS MoneyWatch's request for comment on the breach. The game, which has garnered immense anticipation, already accumulating over 60 million views on YouTube within a day of posting a trailer, is set to be released in 2025.

The sentencing of Kurtaj highlights the severity of cybercrimes and the need for stringent measures to protect intellectual property and sensitive information. This case serves as a reminder to companies and individuals alike to remain vigilant against hacking attempts and to prioritize cybersecurity.

As the hacker begins his indefinite detention, mental health professionals will closely monitor his progress and determine when it is safe to reintegrate him into society.