The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation has warned that the notorious cybercriminal group, Scattered Spider is now targeting the airline industry.

Although the bureau’s June 27 alert did not name any specific carriers, it followed closely on the heels of a cybersecurity breach reported by Hawaiian Airlines that disrupted its IT systems, according to TRAVEL WEEKLY.

The FBI said Scattered Spider often poses as employees or contractors to trick IT help desks into granting access to internal systems.

The group typically targets large corporations and their third-party IT providers, putting the entire airline ecosystem—including vendors and contractors—at risk.

“Once inside, Scattered Spider actors steal sensitive data for extortion and often deploy ransomware. The FBI is actively working with aviation and industry partners to address this activity and assist victims,” the agency said.

Scattered Spider is suspected of hacking MGM Resorts International and Caesars in late summer 2023, with reports indicating Caesars paid a $15 million ransom.

The group has also targeted the financial services industry and several other sectors.

Hawaiian Airlines has not disclosed which systems were compromised or the extent of the impact, but confirmed that flight operations were unaffected.

Meanwhile, Canada’s WestJet experienced a cybersecurity breach on June 13 that disrupted its internal systems, app, and website, raising broader concerns about the airline’s data security.