British Hackers Sentenced for Costly Cyberattack on London's Transport

Two British hackers, Thalha Jubair and Owen Flowers, were sentenced to over five years each for a cyberattack on London's Transport for London in 2024. The attack cost £29 million to fix. The duo gained access to the systems and damaged them significantly. Flowers attempted further hacks, even from prison.

Two British hackers have been sentenced to over five years in prison for their roles in a significant cyberattack on London's public transport network, Transport for London (TfL), in 2024. The attack, orchestrated by Thalha Jubair and Owen Flowers, resulted in substantial financial damage, costing £29 million to rectify.

The hackers gained unauthorized access to TfL systems, causing widespread disruption over several days until the organization was forced to shut down its computer systems to halt the damage. The attack, which took place between August 31 and September 3, was livestreamed by Jubair and was later discovered on Flowers' laptop, providing critical evidence for prosecution.

While under detention, Flowers even attempted further cyber intrusions. Authorities have linked the duo to the hacking collective known as 'Scattered Spider', a pattern of cyber behavior rather than an organized group. Judge Mark Turner highlighted their actions as motivated by 'selfish bravado.'