Latest news with #hacking
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Prolific cybercrime gang now targeting airlines and the transportation sector
Cybersecurity firms are warning that the prolific hacking group known as Scattered Spider is now targeting airlines and the transportation sector. Executives from Google's cybersecurity unit Mandiant and Palo Alto Networks' security research division Unit 42 say they have observed cyberattacks targeting the aviation industry resembling Scattered Spider. Scattered Spider is a collective of mostly English-speaking hackers, typically teenagers and young adults, who are financially motivated to steal and extort sensitive data from company networks. The hackers are also known for their deception tactics, which often rely on social engineering, phishing, and sometimes threats of violence toward company help desks and call centers to gain access to their networks. The warning comes as at least two airlines have reported intrusions this month. Hawaiian Airlines said late Thursday that it was working to secure its systems following a cyberattack. Canada's second largest airline, WestJet, reported a cyberattack on June 13 that remains ongoing and unresolved. Media reports have linked the WestJet incident to Scattered Spider. This fresh wave of Scattered Spider attacks comes soon after the cybercriminal gang targeted the U.K. retail sector and the insurance industry. The hackers have previously broken into hotel chains, casinos, and technology giants.
CBS News
5 hours ago
- CBS News
Jim Harbaugh added to lawsuit against ex-Michigan assistant coach Matt Weiss
Former University of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh was added Friday to a lawsuit against U of M and former assistant football coach Matt Weiss, who is accused of hacking into the computer accounts of college athletes across the U.S. to look for intimate photos. Attorneys claim Harbaugh, who is now head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, and others knew that Weiss was seen viewing private information on a computer in December 2022 but still allowed him to continue working as co-offensive coordinator in a national playoff game roughly a week later. Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel and other officials were also added to the lawsuit in federal court in Detroit. "The university's delay in taking meaningful protective action until after a high-stakes game sends a clear message: Student welfare was secondary," said Parker Stinar, who is the lead lawyer in a class-action lawsuit arising from a criminal investigation of Weiss. Messages seeking comment from Manuel and Harbaugh were not immediately returned Friday. In addition to Weiss, another lawsuit named the university's Board of Regents and the software company, Keffer Keffer Development Services, which worked with U of M. Separately, Weiss has been charged with identity theft and unauthorized computer access from 2015 to 2023. The indictment says he got access to the social media, email and cloud storage accounts of more than 2,000 college athletes, as well as more than 1,300 students or alumni from schools across the U.S., to find private images, primarily of women. He has pleaded not guilty. "Had Harbaugh implemented basic oversight of his staff, plaintiffs and the class would have been protected against predators such as Weiss," the updated lawsuit states. "Instead, Weiss was a highly compensated asset that was promoted by and within the football program, from which position he was able to, and did, target female student athletes." The lawsuit says a staff member saw Weiss viewing private information at Schembechler Hall, headquarters for the football team, around Dec. 21, 2022, and reported it before Michigan played Texas Christian University in a playoff game days later on Dec. 31. Weiss was fired a few weeks later in January 2023 during an investigation of his computer use. Earlier this year, after charges were filed, Harbaugh told reporters that he didn't know anything about Weiss' troubles until after the playoff game. He said the allegations were "shocking." Weiss worked for Harbaugh's brother, John, on the coaching staff of the NFL's Baltimore Ravens before joining the Michigan team in 2021. The lawsuit says Weiss's university computer had encryption software that had to be disabled by an external vendor as part of the investigation. Authorities disclosed in April that thousands of intimate photos and videos were found on his electronic devices and cloud storage accounts. Note: The video above previously aired on April 14, 2025.
Arab News
7 hours ago
- Business
- Arab News
Tech firms warn ‘Scattered Spider' hacks are targeting aviation sector
WASHINGTON: Tech companies Google and Palo Alto Networks are sounding the alarm over the 'Scattered Spider' hacking group's interest in the aviation sector. In a statement posted on LinkedIn on Friday, Sam Rubin, an executive at Palo Alto's cybersecurity-focused Unit 42, said his company had 'observed Muddled Libra (also known as Scattered Spider) targeting the aviation industry.' In a similar statement, Charles Carmakal, an executive with Alphabet-owned Google's cybersecurity-focused Mandiant unit, said his company was 'aware of multiple incidents in the airline and transportation sector which resemble the operations of UNC3944 or Scattered Spider.' Neither executive identified which specific companies had been targeted, but Alaska Air Group-owned Hawaiian Airlines and Canada's WestJet have both recently reported being struck by unspecified cyber incidents. Neither company has gone into detail about the intrusions or commented on any potential links between the incidents and Scattered Spider. The loose-knit but aggressive hacking group, alleged to at least in part comprise youngsters operating in Western countries, has been blamed for some of the most disruptive hacks to hit the United States and Europe in recent memory. In 2023, hackers tied to the group broke into gaming companies MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment, partially paralyzing casinos and knocking slot machines out of commission. Earlier this year, the group wreaked havoc at British retailers. More recent targets include the US insurance industry.
Reuters
8 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
Tech firms warn 'Scattered Spider' hacks are targeting aviation sector
WASHINGTON, June 27 (Reuters) - Tech companies Google and Palo Alto Networks are sounding the alarm over the "Scattered Spider" hacking group's interest in the aviation sector. In a statement posted on LinkedIn, opens new tab on Friday, Sam Rubin, an executive at Palo Alto's (PANW.O), opens new tab cybersecurity-focused Unit 42, said his company had "observed Muddled Libra (also known as Scattered Spider) targeting the aviation industry." In a similar statement, Charles Carmakal, an executive with Alphabet-owned Google's (GOOGL.O), opens new tab cybersecurity-focused Mandiant unit, said his company was "aware of multiple incidents in the airline and transportation sector which resemble the operations of UNC3944 or Scattered Spider." Neither executive identified which specific companies had been targeted, but Alaska Air Group-owned Hawaiian Airlines and Canada's WestJet have both recently reported being struck by unspecified cyber incidents. Neither company has gone into detail about the intrusions or commented on any potential links between the incidents and Scattered Spider. The loose-knit but aggressive hacking group, alleged to at least in part comprise youngsters operating in Western countries, has been blamed for some of the most disruptive hacks to hit the United States and Europe in recent memory. In 2023, hackers tied to the group broke into gaming companies MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment, partially paralyzing casinos and knocking slot machines out of commission. Earlier this year, the group wreaked havoc at British retailers. More recent targets include the U.S. .
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Tech firms warn 'Scattered Spider' hacks are targeting aviation sector
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Tech companies Google and Palo Alto Networks are sounding the alarm over the "Scattered Spider" hacking group's interest in the aviation sector. In a statement posted on LinkedIn on Friday, Sam Rubin, an executive at Palo Alto's cybersecurity-focused Unit 42, said his company had "observed Muddled Libra (also known as Scattered Spider) targeting the aviation industry." In a similar statement, Charles Carmakal, an executive with Alphabet-owned Google's cybersecurity-focused Mandiant unit, said his company was "aware of multiple incidents in the airline and transportation sector which resemble the operations of UNC3944 or Scattered Spider." Neither executive identified which specific companies had been targeted, but Alaska Air Group-owned Hawaiian Airlines and Canada's WestJet have both recently reported being struck by unspecified cyber incidents. Neither company has gone into detail about the intrusions or commented on any potential links between the incidents and Scattered Spider. The loose-knit but aggressive hacking group, alleged to at least in part comprise youngsters operating in Western countries, has been blamed for some of the most disruptive hacks to hit the United States and Europe in recent memory. In 2023, hackers tied to the group broke into gaming companies MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment, partially paralyzing casinos and knocking slot machines out of commission. Earlier this year, the group wreaked havoc at British retailers. More recent targets include the U.S. insurance industry. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
