Conviction of teens behind £29 million TfL hack sends ‘clear message’ to cyber criminals, says NCA
Thalha Jubair, 20, and Owen Flowers, 18, are set to be sentenced to 11 years at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday for what the NCA is calling the “largest criminal prosecution of cyber offenders in UK history”.
A TFL cyber-attack carried out by two teenagers has been described as “the largest and most complex cybercrime investigation ever undertaken” by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
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Thalha Jubair, 20, and Owen Flowers, 18, are set to be sentenced to 11 years at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday for what the NCA is calling the “largest criminal prosecution of cyber offenders in UK history”.
The attack, which took place on TfL systems over a single weekend, was described as “sophisticated and relentless” by Dean Quick, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for the Serious Organised Crime and International Directorate .
“The defendants showed a complete disregard for the disruption and harm their actions could have caused”.
He said that although the attack was successfully blocked by TfL, the damage was still significant and was “potentially catastrophic”, impacting daily customers, as well as vulnerable users who relied on services like Dial-a-Ride.
Read more: TfL cyber-criminals behind 'Britain’s biggest transport hack' jailed for 11 years
The attack, which cost London's transport network £29 million, was carried out by members of the criminal group Scattered Spider.
Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit, said the criminal enterprise is responsible for some of “the most serious and damaging cyber-attacks affecting the UK and countries around the world”.
As a result of almost two years of “relentless work” by NCA officers working alongside City of London police, Mr Foster said the threat of the organisation has been significantly disrupted and degraded.
“Today’s outcome should send a clear message to anyone who believes they can hide behind a keyboard and commit crimes with impunity,” he said.
“Cyber criminals are not anonymous; they are not beyond the reach of law enforcement, and if you choose to break the law online, we will work tirelessly to identify you, pursue you, and bring you to justice.”
He paid tribute to TfL, whose “openness, professionalism, and close collaboration” were crucial in securing the convictions of the two.
Mr Foster said the case spoke to the dangers of the online world and called for collaboration from parents, carers, educators, technology companies and law enforcement to keep children safe.
"Two young men who had talent, skills and potential, ultimately chose a pathway to serious criminality," he said.
This comes as the government rolls out increasing restrictions on social media and digital access for young people.
On Wednesday, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced that an overnight curfew for social media would be switched on by default for 16- and 17-year-olds, as part of efforts to keep older teenagers safe online.