Cybercrime Gang Targets Airlines, Brazil Court Ruling on Social Media, Chinese Hackers Attack SOHO devices

Jun 28, 2025

The list below includes the top cybersecurity news stories you need to know about from the past 24 hours. Subscribe for daily news updates on the most important stories!

Cybercrime Gang Scattered Spider Targets Airlines

Scattered Spider is launching cyberattacks on airlines and the transportation sector, causing severe security concerns.

Key Points:

Scattered Spider, a notorious hacking group, is now attacking airlines.
Recent incidents include cyberattacks on Hawaiian Airlines and WestJet.
Hackers utilize social engineering and deception tactics to breach networks.

Cybersecurity firms are raising alarms about the hacking group known as Scattered Spider, which is now reportedly targeting the airline and transportation sectors. Executives from Mandiant and Palo Alto Networks have noted a surge in cyberattacks resembling those carried out by Scattered Spider. This group, consisting mainly of English-speaking teenagers and young adults, is driven by financial motives to steal sensitive data and extort organizations. Their tactics often involve social engineering and phishing, occasionally escalating to threats against company personnel to gain unauthorized access.

The recent uptick in attacks has already been felt by at least two airlines. Hawaiian Airlines confirmed it is addressing a cyberattack that compromised its systems, while WestJet reported an ongoing cyber incident that is being linked to Scattered Spider. These attacks come on the heels of similar strikes against sectors such as retail and insurance, indicating a broader strategy to infiltrate high-value targets within various industries, including hospitality and large tech companies. Such vulnerabilities not only jeopardize the immediate integrity of airline systems but also pose risks to passenger safety and trust in the aviation sector.

What steps do you think airlines should take to enhance their cybersecurity defenses against groups like Scattered Spider?

Learn More: TechCrunch

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Brazil Supreme Court Holds Digital Platforms Responsible for User Posts

The Brazil Supreme Court has ruled that digital platforms can be held liable for harmful content posted by their users.

Key Points:

Digital platforms face increased legal responsibilities for user-generated content.
The ruling aims to enhance accountability and protect citizens from harmful posts.
Companies may need to invest more in content moderation to comply with the ruling.

In a landmark decision, the Brazil Supreme Court determined that digital platforms are not mere intermediaries but can be held responsible for the content their users post. This ruling marks a significant shift in how social media companies, message boards, and other digital services manage user-generated content. By imposing liabilities, the court aims to incentivize platforms to take greater care in moderating posts, thus shielding users from harassment, misinformation, and other detrimental repercussions.

This decision comes amid growing global scrutiny over the role of tech companies in managing online discourse. It places a greater burden on platforms like Facebook and Twitter to filter out harmful material proactively. As a result, these companies may be compelled to enhance their content moderation practices, possibly implementing more sophisticated tools or increasing personnel dedicated to monitoring posts. This shift could lead to fewer offensive posts and a safer online environment, but it may also raise concerns about freedom of expression and censorship as companies navigate these new responsibilities.

What impact do you think this ruling will have on online free speech in Brazil?

Learn More: Slashdot

1,000 SOHO Devices Compromised in LapDogs Cyber Espionage Campaign

A new report reveals over 1,000 hacked small office and home office devices linked to a cyber espionage campaign connected to China-based hackers.

Key Points:

LapDogs network has compromised over 1,000 SOHO devices across the U.S. and Southeast Asia.
The custom backdoor, ShortLeash, impersonates the LAPD and has unique persistence methods.
Evidence suggests links to a China-linked hacking group, UAT-5918, with operations focused on Taiwan.

Recent investigations by SecurityScorecard's STRIKE team have uncovered a vast network of more than 1,000 small office and home office devices that have been hacked. This operation, codenamed LapDogs, predominantly affects victims in the United States and Southeast Asia, with specific concentrations in the IT, networking, real estate, and media sectors. Known infections are found on devices from major manufacturers such as Ruckus Wireless, ASUS, and Cisco-Linksys. The presence of these compromised devices raises significant concerns about data security across multiple industries and could expose sensitive information to malicious actors.

The heart of the LapDogs network is a custom backdoor named ShortLeash. This backdoor cleverly mimics legitimate services by setting up a fake web server and generating a TLS certificate that uses the fraudulent name 'LAPD'. By targeting vulnerabilities in Linux-based SOHO devices and, to a lesser extent, Windows systems, it effectively creates a network to facilitate further cyber operations. Security researchers have identified the involvement of a China-linked group, UAT-5918, which may have utilized LapDogs for operations against Taiwan, highlighting the growing threat of state-sponsored cyber espionage in the region.

What measures do you think SOHO device manufacturers could implement to enhance security and prevent such cyber espionage?

Learn More: The Hacker News

Cybersecurity News Network (CNN)

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