A ransomware attack has hit Switzerland-based helicopter maker Kopter after hackers broke into the company’s internal network, ZDNet reported.
The hackers also encrypted the company’s files and published some of them on the Internet on Friday after Kopter refused to engage with the cyber criminals.
A blog operated by the ransomware gang LockBit published the files which include various aerospace and defense industry standards, besides documents related to the company’s business and internal projects.
The blog is hosted on the dark web. Kopter has not yet publicly disclosed details about the ransomware attack. The operators of the LockBit ransomware claimed that they breached Kopter’s network last week.
The hackers claimed that they broke into the company’s network by taking advantage of weak password used by a VPN appliance.
The report comes at a time when ransomware attacks have remained a persistent problem amid the pandemic.
Ransomware gangs are reportedly now using new tactics like cold-calling to pressurise victims to make payments if the targeted organizations attempt restoration from backups.
In this case the ransomeware group appears to be trying to pressurise the victim by leaking some files on the Internet.
Michele Riccobono is the executive vice president – Technology at Kopter Group. Italian aerospace and defense company Leonardo on 8 April 2020 announced completion of the acquisition of Kopter Group from Lynwood (Schweiz) for $185 million.
