British Teen Indicted in US for 'Scattered Spider' Hacking Spree

A 19-year-old British teenager, allegedly a key member of the notorious cybercrime group 'Scattered Spider,' has been indicted by the US Department of Justice for orchestrating over 120 hacking incidents targeting major corporations and institutions. The group, known as Octo Tempest, is believed to be part of a wider ransomware ecosystem.

The teen is accused of compromising employee credentials of major US companies through social engineering, sim swap, and phishing attacks. If convicted, he faces a potential sentence of decades in prison.

Extradition proceedings are underway in collaboration with British law enforcement.