As the summer vacation period kicks off, airlines are facing a new challenge from a teenage hacking collective named Scattered Spider, as reported by the FBI and cybersecurity experts. The FBI released an advisory last Friday indicating that this cybercriminal organization is now focusing on the airline industry. At least two carriers, WestJet and Hawaiian Airlines, have been impacted by these cyber attacks. Hawaiian Airlines stated that a June 23 event affected some of their IT systems, but flights continued to operate safely and on schedule. On June 13, WestJet disclosed a cyber incident they are currently managing, highlighting substantial advancements in fortifying their systems.

Scattered Spider is composed of hackers who are primarily adolescents and young adults. Researchers from Microsoft have labeled Scattered Spider as “one of the most perilous financial criminal factions.” The group is infamous for their extortion methods, frequently masquerading as employees or contractors to trick IT help desks into providing access to systems, as per the FBI. Once they gain entry, they pilfer sensitive information for extortion purposes and typically utilize ransomware.

Mandiant, Google’s cybersecurity branch, along with Unit 42, the research division of Palo Alto Networks, have noticed an increase in Scattered Spider’s focus on the transportation industry. The FBI is collaborating with aviation stakeholders to tackle the surge in cybersecurity vulnerabilities. They cautioned that hackers might target airlines and their external IT service providers, endangering everyone involved in the airline supply chain, including reliable vendors and contractors.

In September 2023, Scattered Spider rose to fame for executing multimillion-dollar hacks on MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment, resulting in MGM conceding to a ransom demand of approximately $15 million. The collective has also aimed at UK retail powerhouse Marks & Spencer and is suspected of breaching US insurance firm Aflac.