Federal authorities are investigating teenage hacking groups, including one known as "Scattered Spider," that have targeted Fortune 500 companies, amassing an estimated $1 trillion in damages since 2022, according to a Fortune report. These groups are actively recruiting young individuals, sometimes as young as middle school age, through online channels, promising lucrative payouts in cryptocurrency for their involvement in ransomware attacks.
Recruitment tactics often involve seemingly innocuous job postings on platforms like Telegram, advertising opportunities for inexperienced individuals with promises of training and compensation of $300 per successful call, paid in crypto, according to a public Telegram channel post from December 15. These postings specifically target female candidates, even those without U.S. residency, as long as they possess clear speech.
The organization behind these recruitment efforts is known as "The Com," short for "The Community," which comprises approximately 1,000 individuals involved in various ephemeral associations and business partnerships, including Scattered Spider, ShinyHunters, Lapsus, and SLSH. These associations are fluid and constantly evolving, according to expert researcher Allison Nixon.
The rise of these teenage hacking groups highlights the increasing accessibility of sophisticated cybercrime tools and techniques. AI plays a role in both the attacks themselves and the recruitment process. For example, AI-powered phishing campaigns can be used to gather initial access to corporate networks, while AI algorithms can analyze social media and online forums to identify potential recruits who are technically skilled and susceptible to persuasion.
The implications for society are significant. The financial losses incurred by targeted companies can lead to job losses, reduced investment, and increased prices for consumers. Furthermore, the involvement of minors in serious cybercrime raises ethical and legal concerns about culpability and rehabilitation.
Law enforcement agencies are struggling to keep pace with the rapidly evolving tactics of these groups. Traditional investigative methods are often ineffective against decentralized, online networks that operate across international borders. The use of cryptocurrency for payments further complicates efforts to track and seize illicit funds.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are working to identify and apprehend the individuals involved in these hacking groups. They are also collaborating with cybersecurity firms and educational institutions to raise awareness about the risks of online recruitment and to develop strategies for preventing future attacks. The long-term solution will likely require a multi-faceted approach that combines law enforcement, education, and technological innovation.
Multi-Source Journalism
This article synthesizes reporting from multiple credible news sources to provide comprehensive, balanced coverage.
Deep insights powered by AI
Continue exploring
In 2025, a team of forecasters revisited 25 predictions made at the start of the year, achieving an impressive 80% accuracy rate. This exercise in predictive analysis highlights the increasing sophistication of forecasting methodologies and their potential for informing decision-making across various sectors.
The Trump administration is significantly undermining federal data collection efforts across various sectors, including environment, public health, and demographics, driven by ideological resistance and budget cuts. This degradation of data integrity will likely impede scientific advancements, obscure economic realities, and hinder the identification of critical public health trends, ultimately eroding trust in governmental institutions. The long-term impact will be a less informed and potentially less responsive government.
A Vox video recaps the tumultuous events of 2025, highlighting political shifts like a second Trump administration and Gen Z-led protests. The year also saw cultural phenomena such as the rise of Labubu and China's AI advancements with DeepSeek, amidst growing global unrest and US military action.
Vox's Future Perfect team has released its annual predictions for 2026, covering a range of global issues from the state of US democracy and potential economic recession to geopolitical hotspots like Taiwan and cultural trends in the US. The forecasts, assigned with probability ratings to reflect the team's confidence, aim for transparency in acknowledging the knowns and unknowns of predicting future events.
Aspirational goals of reducing meat consumption, prevalent in the 2010s due to health, ethical, and environmental concerns, have waned as plant-based meat sales decline and alternative diets gain traction. This shift occurs despite ongoing advancements in plant-based alternatives, like New School Foods' salmon filet, highlighting a complex interplay of consumer behavior and evolving perceptions of meat consumption. The industry now faces the challenge of reigniting interest in sustainable eating habits.
American actor Will Smith faces a lawsuit from a former tour violinist alleging sexual harassment, wrongful termination, and retaliation, potentially impacting his global image and future projects. The suit, filed against Smith and his management company, highlights power dynamics within the entertainment industry and raises questions about artist-employee relations, resonating with ongoing international conversations about workplace conduct.
Hold up, MTV didn't actually kick the bucket on New Year's Eve, despite the rumors swirling online! While some international MTV music channels did close up shop, the main network is still churning out content, even if it's more *Big Bang Theory* than Buggles these days, signaling a major shift in its cultural relevance and audience draw.
The Duffer Brothers conclude the nine-and-a-half-year journey of Stranger Things with a finale that leaves viewers questioning Eleven's fate and the implications of destroying the Upside Down. The creators address key plot points and hint at the significance of a mysterious rock, while emphasizing the completeness of the main narrative despite lingering ambiguities, sparking debate and fan theories.
The creators of "Stranger Things" are defending a character's coming out scene after it triggered a wave of negative online reviews, highlighting the challenges faced when integrating LGBTQ+ narratives into established franchises. This incident underscores the growing influence of audience feedback on creative decisions and raises questions about the ethical implications of AI-driven sentiment analysis in shaping entertainment content.
Researchers have developed random heteropolymers (RHPs) that mimic enzyme functions by strategically positioning functional monomers within the polymer structure, creating protein-like microenvironments. This innovative approach, inspired by metalloprotein active sites, enables the RHPs to catalyze reactions under non-biological conditions, demonstrating a significant step towards creating robust, enzyme-like materials with potential applications in various fields.
Researchers have created a novel "chiral fermionic valve" using the quantum geometry of topological bands in a non-magnetic material, PdGa. This device spatially separates chiral fermions with opposite Chern numbers, enabling quantum interference and demonstrating a new approach to controlling chiral transport without magnetic fields.
In 2026, expect to see the rise of smaller, more efficient AI models challenging the dominance of Large Language Models, alongside advancements in gene editing therapies for rare diseases. A mission to collect samples from Phobos and the impact of US policy changes on the scientific community are also key events to watch.
Discussion
Join the conversation
Be the first to comment