Cyber group demands Google fire two staff

A self-described coalition of hackers has reportedly threatened Google with the release of company databases unless two employees from its Threat Intelligence Group are dismissed, Cyber Security News reports.

The ultimatum, shared in a Telegram post and cited by Newsweek, specifically named Austin Larsen and Charles Carmakal and demanded that Google halt its ongoing investigations into the group's activities. The collective calls itself "Scattered LapSus Hunters," claiming links to notorious hacking circles such as Scattered Spider, LapSus, and ShinyHunters.

While the hackers allege access to Google's databases, they have not provided proof, and no confirmed breaches of Google's systems have been reported. The threat comes shortly after Google disclosed that ShinyHunters had compromised data from Salesforce, a third-party vendor.

Cybersecurity experts warn that the unification of groups like Scattered Spider, LapSus, and ShinyHunters could represent a significant escalation in the global cyber threat landscape. Google has yet to comment on the situation, and the matter is still under close watch.