Prolific cybercrime gang now concentrating on airways and the transportation sector

Cybersecurity companies are warning that the prolific hacking group often known as Scattered Spider is now concentrating on airways and the transportation sector.

Executives from Google’s cybersecurity unit Mandiant and Palo Alto Networks’ safety analysis division Unit 42 say they’ve noticed cyberattacks concentrating on the aviation trade resembling Scattered Spider.

Scattered Spider is a collective of principally English-speaking hackers, usually youngsters and younger adults, who’re financially motivated to steal and extort delicate knowledge from firm networks. The hackers are additionally identified for his or her deception ways, which frequently depend on social engineering, phishing, and generally threats of violence towards firm assist desks and name facilities to achieve entry to their networks. 

The warning comes as at the very least two airways have reported intrusions this month. 

Hawaiian Airways stated late Thursday that it was working to safe its methods following a cyberattack. Canada’s second largest airline, WestJet, reported a cyberattack on June 13 that is still ongoing and unresolved. Media experiences have linked the WestJet incident to Scattered Spider.

This contemporary wave of Scattered Spider assaults comes quickly after the cybercriminal gang focused the U.Okay. retail sector and the insurance coverage trade. The hackers have beforehand damaged into resort chains, casinos, and expertise giants.