Jamie MacColl responds to the charging of two suspects allegedly linked to the Scattered Spider cybercrime network

"The news that two suspected members of the Scattered Spider cybercrime network have been arrested and charged in the UK is welcome. However, there are big questions about what happens next and ability of both UK law enforcement and the Crown Prosecution Service to sustain these types of investigations and prosecutions."

"To date, young English-speaking hackers linked to Scattered Spider have proven largely undeterrable. Some individuals affiliated with the group often act as if they operate with impunity − either because they believe they won't be caught or because of the perceived limitations of the UK criminal system when it comes to cybercrime."

"Ongoing investigations into Scattered Spider also raise questions about the ability of the UK criminal justice system to deal with the demands of combating the range of cybercrime threats facing the country. These cases require complex, suspect-focused investigations must take place in parallel with upstream, disruption-driven interventions against Russian ransomware groups. These two fronts are resource intensive and are being fought at a time when resources to tackle cybercrime are declining."

Comment by Jamie MacColl, Senior Research Fellow, Cyber and Tech