Panda SecurityYes, they are. It has been confirmed that many of the popular hacking organizations that have been terrorizing the world over the last few years have been actively recruiting teenagers and young adults located in Western countries.
The hackers offer monetary compensation in crypto funds if the youngsters agree to help commit criminal acts, such as infecting companies with ransomware. The foreign cyber-criminal groups are not particularly looking for elite hackers but for anyone willing to do the job. The hackers pretend to be part of fake businesses that offer teenagers lucrative crypto payments, free training, and “easy money” if they do as they are told without asking many questions. And in most cases, what they are being told to do is actually illegal.
Key takeaways
- Criminal hacker groups are actively recruiting teenagers and young adults to commit cybercrime.
- Recruitment happens online through everyday platforms such as social media, game chat rooms, and messaging apps.
- Law enforcement, especially the FBI, is actively prosecuting young offenders.
- Parents should watch for red flags of involvement and be vigilant.
Which hacker organizations are grooming the Western youth?
Cybercriminal organizations responsible for billions of dollars’ worth of damage, such as Scattered Spider, ShinyHunters, BlackCat, ALPHV, and Lapsus$, have been confirmed to be using the help of young native speakers. The criminals aim at youngsters as a way to get a helping hand, because they know that young offenders are more likely to get a slap on the wrist than be prosecuted as adults.
However, law enforcement agencies such as the FBI, are actively prosecuting perpetrators of any age which brings a lot of complications not only for the troubled teenagers but also for their families. The teenagers are, in some cases, even members of a threat group known as The Com, short for The Community. Which is an organization that has been on the FBI’s radar over the last year. And whose ShinyHunters members are believed to be behind the recent Pornhub attack. The Com members groom teenagers and young kids to perform acts of crime.
How do criminals approach the youth in countries such as the USA and Canada?
Members of hacker organizations recruit native speakers by approaching them on social media, Telegram, Discord, gaming websites, and through plain-text smartphone messages. Simply starting conversations or offering fake jobs that pay in crypto and require no verification.
Kids don’t do any paperwork but simply attend training and then do as they are told – no payroll, regulations, bank accounts, etc. Social media and game chatrooms are sometimes infiltrated by bad actors who use various tactics to groom and recruit.
For example, the grooming might begin by teaching the children ho to obtain in-game tokens fraudulently. If they cooperate, the cybercriminals start asking for other types of favors. Which could include participation in a social engineering scheme that grants access to the internal systems of high-profile organizations. Which are then hit by ransomware attacks.
What are the red flags to know if your teenager is involved in such a scam?
In many cases, parents and guardians learn about the illegal dealings of their kids when the FBI agents knock on the door and start asking questions. This is usually when things are already at a point with no easy coming back. Parents are advised to be vigilant and proactively ask questions if their kids suddenly start bringing expensive toys or equipment that cannot be easily explained.
Another red flag is when kids stop asking for pocket money even though they don’t have an actual job. While in many cases children can have an entrepreneurial spirit and hustle. But parents are advised to ensure that those funds are not generated through fraudulent activities.
Is the FBI actively after teenagers for involvement with criminal cyber organizations?
The FBI is indeed working to crack down on threats posed by anyone, including recruited teenagers. The FBI has made an example of a young adult from Florida who turned cybercriminal. Noah Urban is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The youngster was accused of working for Scattered Spider and serving as a ringleader of the hacker organization. Before he even turned 21. The FBI was already after him when he was 17 years old.
The FBI also charged another teenager for similar crimes. His name is Thalha Jubair, and he is a 19-year-old British national. The trial is expected to take place at some point this year. With allegations of his involvement in over 100 cyber-attacks in the USA. Including attacks on critical infrastructure. If proven guilty, Thalha Jubair could get up to 95 years in prison.
Teenagers often go down the rabbit hole just because it is fun, and it feels like a game to them. They do not realize the pain they cause to their parents and victims, nor the seriousness those crimes carry. While it may feel like a game just to hack and steal, often those kids end up getting that knock on the door from law enforcement. And then the game is over, and real-life accountability begins. Mistakes kids can make even before they grow up can haunt them for the rest of their lives.
