Cybercriminal Group ‘Scattered Spider’ is Targeting the Aviation Industry
by Bruce Parkinson
Cybercrime is a growing threat to the aviation industry. Photo: Shutterstock.com
CNN is reporting that a notorious cybercriminal group has shifted its attention to the aviation industry, successfully breaching the computer networks of multiple airlines in the United States and Canada this month, according to the FBI and private experts.
WestJet appears to be one of the victims. It reported a cybersecurity incident that began on June 13, involving internal systems and the WestJet app, which restricted access for some users. The airline responded by activating specialized internal teams in cooperation with law enforcement and Transport Canada to investigate the matter and limit impacts.
According to the FBI, the hacking hasn’t affected airline safety, but it is causing anxiety among exectuvies at major airlines because of the hacking suspects — a network of young cybercriminals called “Scattered Spider,” known for their aggressive efforts to extort or embarrass victims.
Scattered Spider gained attention in September 2023 when it was linked to a pair of multimillion-dollar hacks on Las Vegas casinos and hotels MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment.
The hackers target big companies and their IT contractors, “which means anyone in the airline ecosystem, including trusted vendors and contractors, could be at risk,” the FBI said last week in a statement that named Scattered Spider as the perpetrator of the hacks.
“Once inside (a victim’s network), Scattered Spider actors steal sensitive data for extortion and often deploy ransomware,” the FBI said.
While not naming the perpetrators, both WestJet and Hawaiian Airlines confirmed they had suffered from recent cyberattacks. More victims in the aviation industry could come forward, sources briefed on the investigation told CNN.
It is not just the airlines themselves, but other “segments of the aviation ecosystem” that are seeing increased cyberattacks, according to Jeffey Troy, the president of the Aviation ISAC, an industry group for sharing cyber threats. “Our members are keenly alert to attacks from financially motivated attackers and collateral impacts emanating out of geo-political tensions around the world,” Troy said in a statement to CNN.
