When the Duck Got Plucked: Aflac's Very Bad, No Good Cyber Week

Scattered Spider Strikes Again, Because Insurance Apparently Tastes Like Chicken

In what can only be described as the most expensive game of "Duck, Duck, Goose" ever played, insurance giant Aflac found itself on the wrong end of a cyberattack on June 12th, courtesy of the delightfully named hacking group "Scattered Spider." And yes, before you ask, someone really did name their cybercriminal enterprise after what sounds like a rejected Marvel villain.

Aflac identified the unauthorized access and managed to contain the intrusion "within hours," which in cybersecurity terms is like saying you only got a little bit pregnant. The breach potentially exposed Social Security numbers, insurance claims, and health information – basically everything you'd never want floating around in the digital equivalent of a yard sale.

What makes this particularly fascinating is that this attack is part of a broader cybercrime spree targeting the insurance industry, suggesting that hackers have collectively decided that insurance companies are having too good a time collecting premiums and need some excitement in their lives. The attack characteristics are consistent with Scattered Spider, a group that's been causing mayhem since May 2022 and apparently has a thing for hitting multiple companies in the same industry like some sort of digital plague of locusts.

My Take: When Your Security Quacks Under Pressure

Here's what's genuinely impressive about this incident: Aflac's response time. The company's spokesperson proudly noted that "no malware or ransomware was deployed and our operations have not been interrupted" thanks to their "rapid action." It's like they managed to slam the door just as the burglar was climbing through the window – still got robbed, but at least they didn't trash the place.

The fact that this is part of a coordinated campaign against insurance companies reveals something rather unsettling about the current cyberthreat landscape. Scattered Spider isn't just picking random targets; they're conducting what amounts to a sector-specific harassment campaign. Erie Insurance and Philadelphia Insurance Company have also been targeted, suggesting that either insurance companies have particularly attractive data, or hackers are just really, really tired of dealing with claims adjusters.

What's particularly noteworthy is Aflac's transparency about the incident. They filed with the SEC as legally required and have been relatively forthcoming about what happened, which is refreshing in an industry that typically treats transparency like kryptonite. Their description of the attackers as a "sophisticated and well-known group" is corporate speak for "these aren't your average script kiddies – these people know what they're doing."

The insurance industry's sudden popularity with cybercriminals makes a twisted kind of sense. These companies hold treasure troves of personal data, have deep pockets for potential ransom payments, and handle sensitive information that could be incredibly valuable on the dark web. It's like they painted a target on their backs and then wondered why everyone started practicing archery.

The bigger question is whether this coordinated assault on insurance companies represents a new phase in cybercrime strategy – moving from opportunistic attacks to systematic industry targeting. If so, we might be looking at the beginning of a very expensive and very public game of whack-a-mole.