Cyber attack hero arrested in US

A British computer expert who helped shut down a worldwide cyber attack that crippled the NHS has been arrested in the US.

Marcus Hutchins, also known as Malwaretech, helped foil the Wannacry ransomware virus that hit more than 300,000 computers in 150 countries.

He was arrested at Las Vegas’s Mccarran International Airport on Wednesday as he was leaving a hacker conference, according to a friend. The National Crime Agency confirmed his arrest.

Hutchins was 22 when he was hailed a hero in May when he found a “kill-switch” that slowed the effects of the virus that swept through computer systems around the world.