A well-known cybercriminal group has set its attention to the aviation sector, breaching the computer systems of multiple airlines in the United States and Canada in June, according to the FBI and cybersecurity firms responding to the attacks.
Although flight safety was not compromised, the breaches have raised serious concerns among cybersecurity leaders at major airlines. The group behind the intrusions—known as “Scattered Spider”—is a loosely organized network of young hackers notorious for aggressive extortion tactics and publicly shaming their victims.
The attacks come at a critical time for the travel industry, as the busy summer season gets underway. Aviation is now the third major US sector, after insurance and retail, to be hit by a string of cyberattacks linked to this group in just two months.
Cybercrime has become a massive global industry and, despite ongoing efforts by governments and corporations to prevent these attacks, history shows that stopping them is no easy task. Explore the following gallery to learn about some of the most notorious cyberattacks in history.