FBI Pursuing Scattered Spider Hackers
Admin3The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is actively pursuing charges against hackers associated with the notorious Scattered Spider criminal gang, a senior official has revealed. The group, known for their aggressive tactics, is primarily based in the United States and Western countries and has breached dozens of American organizations, causing significant concern among law enforcement agencies.
Scattered Spider gained international attention last year after breaking into the systems of major casino operators MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment, locking up the companies' systems and demanding large ransom payments. Over the past two years, they have targeted a wide range of industries, from healthcare and telecommunications to financial services, putting pressure on authorities to thwart their activities. Brett Leatherman, the FBI's cyber deputy assistant director, stated that the agency is working towards charging individuals with criminal conduct, primarily under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Interestingly, the Scattered Spider gang is believed to be a rare alliance of Western hackers and veteran cybercriminals from Eastern Europe, highlighting the global nature of cybercrime. As the FBI continues to track down members of the Scattered Spider gang, it remains crucial for organizations across all sectors to bolster their cybersecurity measures to protect against the growing threat of cybercrime.
Scattered Spider, also known as UNC3944, is a hacking group comprised mostly of individuals aged 19 to 22, as of September 2023. The group's notoriety stems from their high-profile hacks of Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International, two of the largest gambling companies in the United States. Security researchers have tracked Scattered Spider since at least 2022 and have found the group to be more aggressive than other cybercrime gangs. They are particularly adept at hijacking the identities of IT helpdesk staff to penetrate company networks. Scattered Spider is believed to be primarily made up of operatives based in both the United States and the United Kingdom, though they operate as a rare alliance of Western hackers with veteran cybercriminals from Eastern Europe. In their interactions with victims, Scattered Spider has been known to sometimes threaten physical violence, raising concerns among security researchers. Caesars Entertainment paid around $15 million to free its systems from the hackers.
The FBI's efforts to charge members of Scattered Spider under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act represent a significant step towards addressing the ongoing threat posed by this aggressive cybercrime gang. Scattered Spider, the aggressive hacking group, appeared to reduce its activities in January but has since ramped up its efforts, according to Charles Carmakal, chief technology officer at Google's Mandiant security arm. The group has targeted over 100 organizations in the past two years, successfully gaining some level of access into all of them. Despite the high level of activity, there have been few arrests, leading some experts to criticize law enforcement's response, particularly since many of the group's members are based in Western countries.
Brett Leatherman, the FBI's cyber deputy assistant director, emphasized the importance of the group as a target for disruption and noted that private security firms have been assisting the FBI in gathering evidence. Leatherman acknowledged the FBI's responsibility to meet a certain burden of proof before conducting operations and expressed the agency's commitment to moving as quickly as possible. So far, only one arrest has been made in connection with Scattered Spider's activities. In January, the FBI charged 19-year-old Noah Urban from Florida with wire fraud, whom Leatherman identified as a member of the group. More arrests may be forthcoming, as the FBI considers utilizing state and local laws to prosecute juvenile members of Scattered Spider. Leatherman mentioned that this approach has historically proven effective in bringing cybercriminals to justice.
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