Swatting - deep dive

Swat team

 
 

What is swatting?

"Swatting" is a dangerous and illegal prank that involves making a deceptive emergency call to law enforcement, usually claiming a serious and immediate threat, such as a bomb threat, murder, hostage situation, or other violent incident. The goal of the caller is to mobilize a significant response from law enforcement, typically a SWAT team (Special Weapons and Tactics), hence the term "swatting."

This response can lead to a range of serious consequences, including:

  • Risk to Innocent People: The unsuspecting victims of swatting are confronted by armed police officers and may be treated as if they are dangerous criminals, leading to traumatic experiences or misunderstandings that could result in physical harm.

  • Waste of Public Resources: Swatting diverts critical emergency services and law enforcement resources away from legitimate emergencies and crimes.

  • Legal Consequences for Perpetrators: Individuals caught making such hoax calls face serious legal repercussions, including charges for false reporting, creating a public disturbance, and other related crimes. In some cases, if the swatting results in injury or death, the caller could face even more severe charges.

  • Potential for Injury or Death: In some tragic instances, swatting has led to injury and even fatal shootings when police officers, believing they were responding to a violent situation, used force.

Swatting is particularly prevalent in online gaming communities, where personal disputes or the desire to disrupt a live streamer can motivate such calls. However, it can happen in various contexts and is universally viewed as a serious crime due to its potential to cause harm and the significant resources it wastes.

Examples of swatting

  • CISA Director Targeted: In late December, the home of the director of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was swatted. The police received a hoax call about a shooting at Jen Easterly's home​​.

  • Other Notable Cases: Representative Brandon Williams, Senator Rick Scott, and Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows are among several politicians who have recently been victims of swatting. Other notable targets have included celebrities like Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Tom Cruise, and various political figures, demonstrating that swatting can affect individuals in different spheres of public life​​.

For more swatting examples check out Krebs on Security SWATting tag by Brian Krebs.

Created with the help of ChatGPT