Apple $50 Million Ransomware Hack & Leaks: What You Need To Know
A ransomware group is reportedly holding information about upcoming Apple releases ransom for $50 million having breached a manufacturing partner.
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A ransomware group called REvil is reportedly holding stolen Apple blueprints ransom for $50 million, has released some screenshots as proof, and is threatening to release more. The data is said to have been obtained by breaching the Taiwanese laptop manufacturer Quanta Computer. It apparently contains schematics of upcoming Apple releases, including laptops and wearables.
Last month, Apple issued a lawsuit against a former employee for stealing company data about upcoming products, including a heavily rumored project for AR glasses, and illegally leaking it to a publication. The company has also regularly experienced smaller leaks for upcoming launches. The REvil incident is unusual in that Apple is being targeted despite the data having been stolen from a third party. It’s thought that, as yet, neither Apple nor Quanta has taken any action.
According to The Record, REvil announced its possession of the information on a dark web portal and claimed that it had already targeted Quanta for payment. When the company refused, REvil apparently shifted its focus to Apple. Although a ransom figure was not mentioned in the original post, The Record cites a source familiar with the Quanta negotiations as putting the value at $50 million. REvil appears to have timed its announcement to coincide with Apple’s recent Spring Loaded event and is giving Apple until May 1 to comply with the demands. It included 21 screenshots of a schematic for an upcoming MacBook as its proof and says more will be posted daily. The group says it also holds information from several other major brands.
Apple’s Response To REvil Ransomware Attack
Apple has not announced any actions against the ransom attempt. The company is reported to be still looking into the incident without any current plans to either pay the ransom or seek legal action. Given the lack of action so far from both Apple and Quanta, it’s possible that the information involved isn’t important enough to warrant paying a $50 million ransom.
Apple has a reputation for tightly controlling information about products in development but doesn’t usually concern itself with leaks about upcoming products if information does surface. Giving in to the demands of a ransomware group could encourage similar attacks in the future so may not be advisable. There’s also the possibility that Apple will handle the situation behind closed doors. If the information is important, the company might not want competitors to see it or others to be aware that it was willing to negotiate.
Link Source : https://screenrant.com/apple-ransomware-attack-hack-leak-50-million-quanta/