Security News > 2020 > January > Instagram CEO’s homes were targetted by SWATters

According to The New York Times, the latest victim was Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri, whose houses in New York and San Francisco were surrounded in early November by heavily armed SWAT teams after hoax phone calls claimed hostages were being held there.

After what is described as "Tense, hours-long standoffs" the police realised there were no hostages and so the incident wad filed along with the lengthening list of SWATting hoaxes the media has reported on.

Things are so bad that registries of at-risk individuals have reportedly been drawn up in at least one US city so local police can check first before sending out SWAT teams.

Interestingly, SWATting has recently evolved beyond the idea of targeting the homes of individuals to take on entire transport systems and schools, as was the case in a 2018 incident that targeted a United Airlines flight.

For individuals at least, there is a simpler solution - make it harder for SWATters to find YOU by being more careful about keeping home addresses and phone number private.

News URL

https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2020/01/27/instagram-ceos-homes-were-targetted-by-swatters/