Scattered Spider

English-speaking cybercriminal hacking collective responsible for major ransomware and social engineering attacks — including the 2023 breach of MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment — notable for using phone-based social engineering rather than technical exploits.

Demonstrated that the most sophisticated and damaging cyberattacks often require no technical hacking at all — using phone social engineering to manipulate IT helpdesk staff into resetting credentials, making human psychological vulnerability the primary attack surface.