All articles tagged with #teen hackers
Law enforcement in the U.K. arrested two teenagers linked to the Scattered Spider hacking group for their involvement in a 2024 cyber attack on Transport for London, with one also charged in the U.S. for extensive ransomware activities causing over $115 million in damages and involving sophisticated methods to remain anonymous.
An 18-year-old member of the Lapsus$ data extortion gang, Arion Kurtaj, has been convicted for hacking and stealing data from high-profile companies, including Revolut, Uber, and Rockstar Games. Kurtaj, believed to be one of the leaders of the group, demanded ransom and threatened to leak the information. Lapsus$ also targeted organizations such as Microsoft, Cisco, and T-Mobile. Kurtaj, who is autistic, was not fit to be in court, but a jury determined his involvement in the hacking activity. Another teenager with autism has also been convicted for Lapsus$-related hacking. The group used low-cost techniques, including SIM-swapping, to breach companies' cybersecurity.
A Department of Homeland Security-led review has revealed that a group of teenage hackers exploited security weaknesses in US telecom carriers and the business supply chain to breach major tech firms, including Microsoft and Samsung. The investigation found that intercepting text messages used by corporate employees to log into systems was alarmingly easy for the cybercriminals. The review recommends penalizing telecom firms with lax security practices and funding programs to steer American youth away from cybercrime. The report also highlights the need for the US to establish programs to direct young hackers away from criminal activities, similar to initiatives in the Netherlands and the UK.