Five Charged in Massive Data Breaches, Crypto Thefts by 'Scattered Spider' Group
Five individuals, including four US citizens and one Brit, have been charged in connection with a series of sophisticated corporate data breaches and crypto thefts. The FBI investigation, led by US Attorney Martin Estrada, has linked the group to tens of millions in intellectual property and proprietary information theft, and personal data belonging to hundreds of thousands of individuals.
The group, known as Scattered Spider, operated from September 2021 to April 2023. They carried out text-based phishing attacks, often impersonating IT helpdesk staff, targeting employees of US companies and government agencies. The group's alleged leader, a British teenager named Thalha Jubair, was arrested in London and is believed to be responsible for over $115 million in extortion. Microsoft described the group as having extensive technical depth and multiple hands-on-keyboard operators, using sophisticated social engineering techniques.
The charged individuals are Ahmed Hossam Eldin Elbadawy, Noah Michael Urban, Evans Onyeaka Osiebo, Joel Martin Evans, and Tyler Robert Buchanan. The four US men are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy, and one count of aggravated identity theft. The UK citizen is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The group used stolen credentials to access corporate information, including personal identifiable information (PII) and intellectual property (IP), and performed SIM swap attacks to steal millions in virtual currency.
The charges against the five individuals follow an extensive FBI investigation into the Scattered Spider group's activities. Their actions resulted in significant financial losses and the compromise of personal data on a large scale. The case serves as a reminder of the potential threats posed by sophisticated cybercriminal groups and the importance of robust cybersecurity measures.
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