Hacker offers US utility engineering data for 6.5 BTC after Pickett breach

A cybercriminal is allegedly selling 139 GB of engineering data linked to major US utility companies on dark web forums. The archive is priced at 6.5 BTC and is claimed to originate from a breach of engineering firm Pickett and Associates.

According to the seller, the dataset contains 892 files totaling 139.1 GB, including more than 800 raw LiDAR point-cloud datasets in .las format. The dump also allegedly includes high-resolution orthophotos (.ecw), MicroStation design files (.dgn), PTC configuration files, and large vegetation datasets in .xyz format.

The data is described as real operational engineering material from active infrastructure projects, suitable for grid analysis and risk assessment. The hacker claims the information is linked to Tampa Electric Company, Duke Energy Florida, and American Electric Power.

The asking price is 6.5 Bitcoin, or the equivalent in Monero, estimated at around $585,000. The seller states that the price is non-negotiable and based on the volume, freshness, and technical quality of the data.

The alleged source of the leak is Pickett and Associates, a Florida-based engineering firm providing transmission line design, aerial surveying, and LiDAR services to major US utilities.

The utilities mentioned in the listing collectively serve millions of customers across multiple US states. Duke Energy has confirmed it is investigating the claims, though the authenticity of the data has not yet been independently verified.

Even without direct access to operational control systems, leaked LiDAR data, engineering drawings, and grid layouts can pose significant risks to critical infrastructure. The incident highlights how third-party engineering and surveying firms remain high-value targets within the energy sector’s attack surface.