ALPHV Ransomware, also known as the BlackCat Ransomware group, recently targeted Seiko, a well-known Japanese watch manufacturer. This attack resulted in disruptions to Seiko’s production operations and the compromise of some of their data.
Seiko has confirmed the authenticity of the incident, which is believed to have occurred in late July. However, the company’s IT staff only discovered and addressed the situation on August 2nd, 2023.
Despite having over 12,000 employees and an annual revenue of $1.3 billion, Seiko is determined not to give in to any ransom demands from the BlackCat Ransomware group.
To apply pressure, the hackers released a selection of sample data, including confidential watch designs and technical information. This information could be valuable to competitors and those involved in producing imitation gadgets, especially during the months when counterfeit items are traded on illegal markets in Singapore and Malaysia.
Seiko Group Corporation is one of the oldest watchmakers globally, with a rich history dating back to 1969 when it introduced quartz wristwatches. The company is also active in sponsoring sports events in the United States and has shown support for Ukraine during its conflict with Russia.
The recent cyber attack on Seiko may be attributed to a group of hackers fluent in Russian, possibly affiliated with ALPHV or Noberus. This group has a reputation for engaging in malicious activities such as triple extortion campaigns, denial of service attacks, and selling stolen data.
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