Scattered Spider; Knife; Tasmanian Tiger | 60 Minutes Full Episode

()

Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware attacks have become increasingly costly and disruptive, targeting hospitals, tech companies, and casinos.
The Scattered Spider hacking group collaborates with Russia's Black Cat ransomware gang, combining social engineering techniques with malware expertise.
Ransomware gangs operate like legitimate companies, offering services to affiliates and targeting American businesses while avoiding Russia and former Soviet states.
The Colonial Pipeline attack prompted the National Security Agency (NSA) to allocate more resources to combat foreign cyber threats, leading to the identification and arrest of a Russian hacker.
Despite the arrest, the hacker was released following the Ukraine Invasion and joined forces with Scattered Spider, marking an evolution in cyber crime.

The FBI arrested 19-year-old Noah Urban from Florida for allegedly stealing cryptocurrency and linked him to Scattered Spider.
The Scattered Spider hackers responsible for the casino heists remain at large.

Cyber crime has become overwhelming, with defenders feeling like they are winning battles but losing the war.

Salman Rushdie faced a life under threat after Iran's leader issued a fatwa calling for his assassination due to his novel "The Satanic Verses."
Rushdie lived in hiding for 10 years with police protection but eventually moved to the US, where he felt safe until he was attacked in 2022 during a literary festival in New York.
Despite security concerns, the venue for the event lacked adequate security measures, resulting in the attack.
Rushdie describes the attack in his book "Knife," detailing the stabbing and slashing he endured during the 27-second assault.
The audience intervened and pulled the attacker off Rushdie, saving his life.
Rushdie reflects on the attack, expressing a matter-of-fact acceptance of death and no supernatural experiences.
He chooses not to use the attacker's name, refusing to give him any more space in his thoughts.
Rushdie spent 18 days in the hospital and 3 weeks in rehab after the attack.
Rushdie initially did not want to write a book about the attack, but felt compelled to do so in order to take control of the narrative and "own" his experience.
Rushdie sees language as his "knife" and uses it to fight back against the attack and reclaim his power.
Almost two years after the attack, Rushdie is still readjusting to life with one eye and feels the shadow of the attack lingering over him.
Rushdie reflects on the ongoing censorship in America, with movements from both the left and the right attempting to suppress certain ideas and voices.

The search for the Tasmanian tiger, declared extinct almost 40 years ago, continues to captivate people in Tasmania.
Despite numerous reported sightings, no clear evidence of the Tasmanian tiger's existence has been captured.
Enthusiasts like Chris Rayberg and Richo have dedicated their time and resources to finding evidence of the thylacine's existence.
Scientists and biologists are exploring the possibility of de-extinction through genetic engineering, with Andrew Pask leading a project to modify the genome of a dunnart to resemble the thylacine.
Skeptics, like Chris Helgen, question the feasibility of such a project, emphasizing the significant genetic and biological challenges involved.
The passion for the thylacine's revival is driven by scientific curiosity, conservation concerns, and a desire to rectify past ecological losses.