# UK police say arrest of two young hackers disrupted operations of infamous cybercrime group Scattered Spider's activities severely hampered by arrests - **Source:** [cybersecurity | TechCrunch](https://brifing.si/source/73fbb25c-5e90-44c9-9a24-7906dc3436cd) - **Published:** 2026-07-16 - **Topic:** [Software & Engineering](https://brifing.si/c/engineering) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/8a6678da-ae25-4e8a-88b8-eabdb5ab3ddf ## Sentencing of young hackers Owen Flowers, 18, and Thalha Jubair, 20, were sentenced to five years and six months in prison for their 2024 cyberattack on Transport for London (TfL). Their arrest has severely disrupted the operations of the notorious cybercrime group Scattered Spider. ## Social engineering tactics Groups like Scattered Spider often target employees and individuals rather than computer systems. The FBI accused Jubair of attacking over 120 companies using social engineering. This strategy is both highly effective and difficult to counter. ## Millions in damages The attack on TfL took down ticketing and real-time train information systems for weeks, causing £29 million in losses and affecting thousands of customers. Hackers had such deep access they could have completely shut down TfL's operations. ## High-profile victims Scattered Spider has been linked to attacks on major companies like MGM, WestJet, and Okta, compromising customer data. While group members come and go, their attacks have wide-reaching consequences. ## National Crime Agency victory The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) called Scattered Spider the most significant cybercrime threat in recent years. The operation has severely disrupted the group's activities and brought key offenders to justice. ## Cybersecurity lessons This case highlights that cybercriminals are often young, tech-savvy individuals motivated by money or notoriety. Organizations must strengthen defenses against social engineering attacks and improve employee training. ## Sources covering this story - https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/16/uk-cops-say-arrest-of-two-young-hackers-disrupted-the-operations-of-an-infamous-hacking-group/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._