Cybercrime gangs have announced they’re retiring, citing they’ve achieved their objectives of exposing insecure systems. However, experts warn that these groups may still resume attacks soon.
Fifteen prominent ransomware gangs, including Scattered Spider and Lapsus$, have ceased operations, saying they’ll enjoy their “golden parachutes” as millions in accumulated funds. The groups, which carried out attacks on companies like Jaguar and Marks & Spencer, claim to have met their objectives of revealing insecure systems and will now focus on studying and improving systems used daily.
Some group members have already been arrested, while others plan to free them using their hacking skills. Although the gangs have announced their retirement, it’s likely they’ll resume attacks under new names or tactics. This is a common tactic among cybercrime gangs to evade law enforcement.
Meanwhile, China’s Great Firewall has leaked a massive 600GB trove of firewall logs and source code, revealing efforts to conduct deep packet inspection and real-time mobile internet monitoring. The leak details instructions on how to control data traffic, censorship rules, and can locate netizens.
Additionally, the US government has posted a $10 million bounty for alleged Russian hacker Volodymyr Tymoshchuk, accused of running ransomware attacks that targeted hundreds of companies worldwide.
Other security updates include a fix for an Android 0-day vulnerability used to spy on WhatsApp messages, and a warning from digital ID advocates that it won’t stop small boats but will enable mass surveillance.
Source: https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/14/in_brief_infosec