Sunday, June 29, 2025

Image Credits: NurPhoto / Getty Images

A collective of young, largely English-speaking hackers called Scattered Spider is now targeting airlines and the transportation sector, according to cybersecurity experts.

The warning comes after at least two airlines have reported intrusions in the last month, including a WestJet incident that media reports have already connected to Scattered Spider.

The group previously targeted the retail sector, insurance agencies, hotel chains, casinos, and even tech companies. Scattered Spider is known for using deceptive tactics like social engineering and phishing to steal sensitive data, and it has also been connected to threats of violence.

Keep reading to see what else TechCrunch is covering this weekend.

Weekend news and opinion

Image Credits: Artur Widak/NurPhoto / Getty Images

TikTok tests brand messaging tool: TikTok’s new “bulletin boards” feature sounds similar to Instagram’s broadcast channels, allowing brands and creators to share one-to-many messages with their followers. Early testers include People magazine and the Jonas Brothers.

YouTube’s video editing app is coming to iPhones: Job listings reveal that Google is looking to hire engineers in India to work on a version of the YouTube Create app for iOS. The app is a free tool for content creators.

Jesse Draper closes $30 million fund: The investor’s Halogen Ventures has raised a third fund to invest in startups building the “future of the family.”

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What else we’re reading 📗

In an attempt to assess how AI is actually transforming work right now, journalist Brian Merchant solicited anonymous testimonials from employees at companies like Google, TikTok, and Adobe, with an initial focus on workers who were laid off due to AI. One said that AI killed their previous job at Adobe and is already poised to have a similar effect on their new role in the public sector.

Also, I got a chance to watch “M3GAN 2.0” with Engadget’s Devindra Hardawar, so I was eagerly awaiting his review, which looks at how the campy horror franchise reflects our current AI anxieties.