Federal prosecutors have leveled charges against five individuals alleged to be part of a hacking group known as “Scattered Spider.” The group stands accused of a series of cyberattacks aimed at individuals and businesses alike. The court documents, unsealed on Wednesday in California, reveal that the defendants purportedly pilfered sensitive data and over $11 million in cryptocurrency from late 2021 to mid-2023.
The group reportedly employed tactics such as phishing and SIM swapping to carry out their malicious activities. Phishing involves posing as trusted entities via texts to trick victims into revealing their login credentials. Meanwhile, SIM swapping allows hackers to gain control of a victim’s phone number, aiding them in bypassing security measures to gain access to accounts.
Bloomberg reports that the hackers targeted company networks to pilfer confidential information and to gain control of cryptocurrency accounts and wallets. Notably, unlike many cybercrime groups often linked to countries like Russia or North Korea, Scattered Spider includes members based in the U.S. and U.K.
Among the defendants are Noah Urban, 20, of Florida; Joel Evans, 25, of North Carolina; Ahmed Elbadawy, 23, and Evans Osiebo, 20, of Texas; and Tyler Buchanan, 22, of Scotland. They face charges connected to attacks on at least 29 individuals and several companies.
U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Martin Estrada, told Bloomberg: “This case demonstrates how a small group of individuals can cause enormous damage to businesses and individuals in a short time.” The victims spanned across several industries, including telecommunications companies, IT outsourcing firms, and a cryptocurrency exchange.
To date, approximately $4 million in stolen cryptocurrency has been recovered. However, investigators continue to assess the overall financial and data losses. Buchanan, who is currently outside the U.S., was identified through domain registrations for fictitious websites used to trick victims, according to court filings.
Most of the defendants’ attorneys were unavailable for comment at the time of reporting. However, it is known that Urban, known within the SIM-swapping community as “Sosa,” pleaded guilty to related charges earlier this year, as reported by Bloomberg.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of cybersecurity in today’s digital age, where a small group can cause extensive financial and data loss in a short period. It underscores the need for stringent security measures and constant vigilance to protect against such malicious activities.
