UK citizens charged in Scattered Spider ransomware attack, exceeding $115 million

According to the US Department of Justice, British citizen Thalha Jubair has been indicted for involvement in at least 120 cyber intrusion and ransomware attacks targeting 47 US entities, resulting in ransom payments exceeding $115 million. The indictment alleges that 19-year-old Jubair, known by the aliases "EarthtoStar," "Brad," and "Austin," collaborated with a cybercrime group known as "Scattered Spider" to gain unauthorized access to networks through social engineering techniques, steal and encrypt information, and then extort ransoms from victims. The group also targeted US critical infrastructure companies and the US court system. Law enforcement successfully seized approximately $36 million worth of cryptocurrency during a server seizure in July 2024. Jubair faces charges of computer fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering, carrying a maximum sentence of 95 years in prison.