Apple Supplier Foxconn Hit With Ransomware Attack

Foxconn, which manufactures products for Apple and Google, is reportedly recovering from a ransomware attack.

A company spokesperson confirmed the incident for web publication BleepingComputer Wednesday (May 13), following claims earlier in the week by the Nitrogen ransomware operation that it had stolen 8 TB of data and upwards of 11 million documents.

“Some of Foxconn’s factories in North America suffered a cyberattack,” the electronic giant’s spokesperson told BleepingComputer via an emailed statement.

“The cybersecurity team immediately activated the response mechanism and implemented multiple operational measures to ensure the continuity of production and delivery. The affected factories are currently resuming normal production.”

The hackers have claimed to have stolen confidential instructions, internal project documentation and technical drawings for projects at Foxconn clients that include Apple, Google, Dell and Nvidia, according to a report by The Register.

As BleedingComputer notes, Foxconn has more than 900,000 employees at upwards of 240 campuses in 24 countries and reported revenues of over $260 billion last year.

The incident is the latest in a series of high-profile cyberattacks. Last month, toymaker Hasbro revealed in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that it had discovered a breach March 28, causing it to take some of its systems offline.

Hasbro, whose properties include Games like Monopoly and toys such as Transformers and My Little Pony, said it has “implemented and continues to implement business continuity plans to enable it to continue to take orders, ship product and conduct other key operations while it resolves this situation.”

“The need to run these interim measures may continue for several weeks before the situation is fully resolved and may result in some delays,” the filing added.

Soon after, payday loan provider Check City notified 322,687 people about a March data breach that compromised names, Social Security numbers, government-issued ID numbers, financial account numbers, credit and debit card numbers, dates of birth and addresses.

“Ransomware has become a structured, global industry,” PYMNTS wrote recently “Organized cybercriminal groups now operate with business-like efficiency. Attacks are no longer limited to encrypting files; they often involve ‘double extortion,’ where attackers threaten to leak stolen data if payment is not made.”

Research from the PYMNTS Intelligence report “Vendors and Vulnerabilities: The Cyberattack Squeeze on Mid-Market Firms” shows that hackers are increasingly targeting middle-market companies, which rely on third-party cloud providers, software-as-a-service platforms, managed service and logistics providers, which can leave them open to attack.