BlackCat ransomware gang claims credit for Seiko data breach

The BlackCat ransomware gang has claimed credit for a cybersecurity attack against Japanese watchmaker Seiko.

BlackCat (also known as ALPHAV) posted on its dark web leak site what it claims are files stolen from Seiko’s servers.

Like other ransomware operations, BlackCat extorts money from targeted organisations by stealing sensitive data, threatening to release it publicly, and encrypting computer systems to lock victims out of their information.

BlackCat affiliates have often gone one stage further and threatened to launch distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks if extortion demands are not met.

Seiko announced earlier this month that it had suffered a data breach which saw hackers access “at least one of its servers” and warned that information may have been stolen.

The company says that it has brought in external experts to investigate the incident.

Earlier this year, cybersecurity reporter Brian Krebs published an interesting account of his contact with online criminals who may be associated with the Russian-speaking BlackCat group.

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AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

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