The LockBit ransomware gang has claimed responsibility for a cyberattack against German multinational group Continental.
LockBit has allegedly stolen data from Continental's systems. If the company does not give in to the hackers' ransom demands within 22 hours, LockBit promises to publish the stolen information on the data leak site it has created.
The gang has not yet provided details about what data was stolen from Continental's network or when the breach occurred.
Ransomware gangs threaten to publish data online to exert pressure and increase the chances of receiving the ransom they demand.
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LockBit's statement that it will publish "all available" data suggests that Continental has not yet negotiated with the ransomware operation or that it has refused to comply with demands.
Continental: Systems breach
Continental's vice president of communications and marketing, Kathryn Blackwell, was unable to confirm the LockBit ransomware group's reports, but instead referred BleepingComputer to a press release from August 24th that detailed a cyberattack on Continental, which resulted in the breach of certain systems.
Blackwell made the following statement to BleepingComputer: “Please see the attached statement. Unfortunately, I am not able to provide you with any further information.”
The company announced that it discovered a breach in early August after attackers infiltrated parts of systems .
“Immediately after the discovery of the attack, Continental took all necessary measures to fully restore the operation of its IT systems“.
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The company hired external cybersecurity to investigate the incident. The investigation is ongoing.
The company has not yet released its findings. Blackwell declined to comment on whether or not the August cyberattack on Continental is related to the LockBit ransomware gang's allegations.
LockBit ransomware
The LockBit ransomware first appeared in September 2019 as RaaS. It has since been re-released as LockBit 2.0 RaaS in June 2021.
The FBI released an alert in February that listed indicators breach . The agency also asked businesses that may have been compromised by the gang to report any incidents as soon as possible.
In June, the LockBit ransomware group released LockBit 3.0, which included new payment options with the Zcash cryptocurrency, as well as the introduction of new extortion tactics and the first ransomware bug bounty program.
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Earlier this year, the LockBit group also claimed responsibility for attacks on the Italian Internal Revenue Service and security firm Entrust. In 2021, Accenture admitted to being hacked after the criminals demanded $50 million to keep the data they stole from the network private.
Ways of protection
- Keep your software up to date: Install security updates as soon as they are released. This will help close any vulnerabilities that could be exploited by ransomware.
- Use strong passwords: Use complex passwords and do not reuse your passwords across different accounts.
- Be careful when opening email , even if they come from someone you know. If you are not expecting an attachment, do not open it.
- Back up your data regularly: Store offline backups on external hard drives or USB devices. This way, if your computer is infected with ransomware, you will still have access to your data.
Source: www.bleepingcomputer.com
