Boeing Probes Cyber Incident, Lockbit Ransomware Gang Claims Attack

Boeing, one of the largest defense and space contractors globally, announced on Wednesday that it is currently investigating a cyber incident. The incident has impacted certain aspects of Boeing's parts and distribution business.

The aerospace giant is actively cooperating with law enforcement authorities in their probe into the matter, reports Reuters.

Lockbit Cybercrime Gang Claims Responsibility

The Straits Times reported that the Lockbit cybercrime gang claimed responsibility for the incident, stating that they had accessed a significant amount of sensitive data from Boeing. The group threatened to publicly release the data if a ransom payment was not made by November 2.

However, as of Wednesday, the Lockbit threat was no longer visible on the gang's website, and they have not yet commented on the situation.

Lockbit has gained notoriety as one of the most active global ransomware groups in 2022. According to the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (Cisa), the group has targeted around 1,700 US organizations since 2020.

Typically, Lockbit deploys ransomware on victim organizations' systems, encrypting their data while also stealing sensitive information for extortion purposes. The extent of data stolen from Boeing remains unclear.

While some organizations may choose to pay ransom demands from cyber-criminal groups, there is no guarantee that the stolen data will not be leaked. Brett Callow, a ransomware expert and threat analyst at cybersecurity firm Emsisoft, explains that paying the ransom would only elicit a promise from Lockbit to destroy the obtained data.

Nevertheless, there would be no way of verifying whether the data was genuinely destroyed.

Boeing assures the public that this incident does not threaten flight safety. A spokesperson from the company stated that they are actively investigating the cyber incident and are cooperating with law enforcement and regulatory authorities.

The Impact on Boeing's Parts and Distribution Business

Boeing's parts and distribution business, which falls under its global services division, provides crucial material and logistics support to its customers. However, certain web pages related to this division on Boeing's official website were inaccessible on Wednesday due to technical issues. The company expects these pages to be back up soon.

The potential loss of military-related information due to this cyber incident is a significant concern. If sensitive data relating to defense and security were compromised, it could have severe implications. It is crucial for Boeing and law enforcement agencies to thoroughly investigate this matter and take appropriate actions to mitigate any possible consequences.

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