Thought Leadership
A group of hackers is threatening to publish sensitive Google data if Google does not fire two employees from the Threat Intelligence Group.
A hacker group known as the “Scattered LapSus Hunters” has confronted Google with an unusual ultimatum via the messenger service Telegram, as reported by the US news magazine Newsweek. The cyber criminals are demanding the dismissal of two named Google employees and the suspension of all investigations by the Google Threat Intelligence Group.
Merger of various hacker networks
The group describes itself as a collective of members of well-known hacker organizations such as Scattered Spider, LapSus and ShinyHunters. The name “Scattered LapSus Hunters” reflects this alliance and indicates a new form of cooperation between different cybercrime groups.
The two Google employees are both members of the Google Threat Intelligence Group, a department that deals with the proactive tracking and containment of cyber threats. The specific naming of these people suggests that the hackers are being hindered in their activities by their work.
Connection with Salesforce data leak?
The threat comes in the context of a Salesforce security incident that provides certain services to Google. In August, Google announced that ShinyHunters had obtained information from Salesforce. Google had already issued a global security warning in advance.
So far, the hacker group has not provided any evidence that it has actually gained access to Google databases. There have also been no recent compromises of Google’s core systems.
Google has not yet responded publicly to the ultimatum.
